A heartbroken little girl has asked Santa if he can bring her lost sheepdog back home this Christmas instead of toys.
Chubs, a four-year-old border collie, has been missing from his home in Tomintoul for two weeks.
He was given to 10-year-old Adele Irvine as a puppy for her Christmas in 2010 and the pair have been inseparable ever since.
Dad, Raymond Irvine, 42, said he was saddened when he saw his daughter’s Christmas list featured just a few toys with a note at the bottom reading: “Most of all Santa, I just want my dog back. I don’t care about toys.
“Please, please Santa, just let my dog Chubs come home for Christmas.
“This is all I ever wanted.”
Chubs, who herds the family’s flock of rare Valais Blacknose sheep, went missing from the farm on Thursday, December 4.
Mr Irvine said it was completely out of character.
“I just got up in the morning and he wasn’t there,” he said.
“He wanders around the farm all the time by himself and he wouldn’t go anywhere.
“My mum and dad live in the farmhouse next to us and they keep an eye on him as well.
“I think it’s likely someone has taken him, or he’s maybe been hit by a car but I have searched this full area and found nothing.
“The hardest part is just not knowing.”
Adele, who goes to Tomintoul Primary School, has been handing out flyers to her fellow pupils in an effort to find her beloved pet.
Her brother, Johnny, 8, is also upset about the disappearance and the family are hoping that someone will provide them with information to lead them to their pet.
Mr Irvine said: “Chubs is great dog, he has a fantastic temperament.
“He plays football with the kids and fetch, and plays with the Valais Blacknose lambs which is quite funny to watch. Adele and Chubs go swimming in the river together.
“We’ve had him since he was a puppy so it really is a sad time.
“He is honestly one of the most beautiful dogs I have ever seen.”
