Jess the dog was in training to lead a life as a overseas rescue dog.

But cruel and heartless thieves snatched her from her home and dumped her on a roadside where she was left to die.

Her distraught owner, firefighter Geoff Parkinson, discovered Jess was missing when he came home on Thursday.

Shockingly, Mr Parkinson believes Jess, who was just seven months old, was thrown from a car at speed.

How can anyone be so wicked as to hurt a defenceless animal in such a cruel way?

Mr Parkinson believes his dog was stolen by people who wanted to breed from her but, when they saw the identifying tattoo in her ear, decided she was of no use.

Now he and his wife Jackie and their daughter Holly are grieving the loss of their much-loved family member.

It is not just Jess' life which has been lost but those of all the people whom she could have saved in the future through her work with the disaster rescue team.