A much loved family dog stolen from an oasthouse garden in Collier Street won’t be of any use to breeders because she’s infertile.

Five-year-old female golden cocker spaniel Fifi was taken from Haviker Street at about 1.25pm on Sunday.

Devastated owner Kate Kershaw-Smith fears the copper coloured pet may have been taken to breed from but says if that’s the case the thieves are out of luck.

She said: “Fifi is infertile. Whoever has her is probably hanging onto her thinking they are going to breed from her but they won’t be able to.

“It’s like losing a family member. I have a three-year-old daughter Florence who is devastated. Fifi is a beautiful dog with a lovely temperament.

“We’ve produced more than 200 posters and taken them to pubs, petrol stations, cafes, schools, put them on lampposts and registered her on websites.

“She was taken from the garden within seconds. We had only just arrived and were putting our welly boots on to go out for a walk when I heard a car door close. I ran out and that was that.

“We haven’t slept or eaten properly. Our lives have been on hold since Sunday.”

Fifi, who is microchipped and was wearing a red collar with her name in white letters, is the family’s only pet and they have had her since she was eight weeks old.

They have been checking to see whether anyone in the area has CCTV that may have captured the theft or the thieves.

Mrs Kershaw-Smith, 33, and husband Grant, 34, are offering a £1,000 reward, which she says is significantly more than the few hundred pounds anyone will gain from selling Fifi.

The family, who live in Blackheath, London, and were visiting relatives in Collier Street when Fifi was taken, have set up a Twitter account called @Finding_Fifi to spread the word.

News of the theft comes after two dogs were reported stolen in Birling earlier this month.

Both were found and reunited with their owners and three people have been arrested in connection to the thefts and bailed until February.

Anyone who believes they witnessed anything suspicious in the area, or who believes they may have been offered Fifi for sale, is asked to contact Kent Police on 01622 604100 quoting YY/1891/17.

Alternatively contact Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.