A father-of-two who left his beloved family dog with a boarding service for six months is distraught after claiming the pet has vanished.
Redford Robinson, 34, claims he booked his seven-year-old Cane Corso named Diego into City Dog MCR from August to February after selling his house and also because he was spending some time abroad. He says he paid £2,820 for the service.
The civil engineer from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, said he was in regular contact with the company until January 30 – but since then hasn't heard anything despite trying to call and text many times.
Redford claims the owner has ‘ghosted' him and won't answer his calls – and when he tried to visit the company he found it had closed down.
Redford, who has reported the incident to Greater Manchester Police, told MailOnline all he wants is his dog back, revealing he has had the pet since it was three months old and that it has ‘grown up with his children'.
He says he drives around at the weekends looking for his dog.
Redford Robinson just wants his dog home for him and his children
Images of the dog have been shared on social media in an attempt to find him
Redford says he was in regular communication with City Dog MCR until January 30
He has since tried to contact them but had no luck or response, he says
‘All I want is my dog back,' Redford said. ‘(The company owner) can't even pick up the phone or text me.
‘He has either lost my dog, or someone has taken my dog off him, or he has sold it. It's a weird scenario. Who in their right mind would do this to somebody.
‘I have had my dog since 2017, I have brought my children up around him. I've had him with me since he was three months old, I took him everywhere with me.
‘I'm not asking for much, just my dog back. What can I do, it's a waiting game. At weekends I'm out trying to find my dog.'
He added: ‘I have been on holiday with my children in the Caribbean and came back to this garbage.
‘It's gone mad on social media, lots of pictures out there and people are always on the lookout.
‘Only he (the company owner) knows where my dog is.'
Redford left Diego with the pet-sitting service in August.
He last saw the pet just before Christmas when he dropped food off for him, and said ‘nothing looked out of place' but then he went on a five week trip to the Caribbean with his children.
He returned home on 24 January but had the dog booked in to the boarding service until the end of February.
Redford had Diego from 2017. Now the dog is six years old
Redford claims he was in constant communication with the company throughout his trip and would receive regular updates on his dog. But he says he hasn't heard from the service since 30 January – leaving him distraught.
Desperate to be reunited with his dog, he says he visited the building where he dropped off Diego.
But he said there was no answer and that a nearby businesswoman told him the lease was up on the dog company's unit.
The heartbroken father says he just wants to know his dog is safe and not in any danger.
‘I just want him to let me know he is alright,' he said. ‘I find it so weird that nobody can get hold of them.
Redford said he used to take Diego everywhere with him and just wants him home
The civil engineer says the dog is nearly three feet tall
Redford says he paid nearly £3,000 for the six month stay for Diego
‘Everything was alright at first, we were communicating all the time.'
But he claimed: ‘Now they won't answer the phone to me. It's weird how someone can disappear.
‘He's not your average dog, he's a big dog and nearly three feet tall.'
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: ‘An investigation into theft in Manchester is still ongoing at this stage with no arrests made.'
In an update to MailOnline today, police added: ‘An investigation into theft from Pollard Street East in Manchester is still ongoing at this stage with no arrests made.'
MailOnline has made attempts to contact the owner of City Dog MCR.
