A woman has offered a £1,000 reward after two of her dogs were stolen from the boot of her car in a supermarket car park.

Katy Mercer has put up the money for the safe return of the long-haired Chihuahuas Dinky and Doris who were stolen from the back of her Mercedes SUV in the car park of Sainsbury’s in Hinckley's Crescent complex yesterday.

Mrs Mercer is heartbroken and has revealed that seven-year-old Doris suffers from epilepsy and has to take medication to help control her fits.

Mrs Mercer, who lives in Sutton Cheney, near Market Bosworth, said: “This is terrible. I am heartbroken over this.

“Doris needs her medication and constant supervision or she might die.

Katy Mercer

“Dinky, who is four, has bad knees and can’t walk too far. I have a special back pack to carry her about with me.”

Mrs Mercer, who has eight dogs, did not realise Dinky and Doris has been stolen until she got home after a shopping trip at Sainsbury’s.

She said: “I got to the supermarket at about 5.30pm. I parked up and left the dogs, who had been with me at work, in the boot.

“I had tinted windows put in my car so you can’t see into the boot.

“I chose those windows so that people could not see my dogs as I have heard about people’s pets being stolen.”

Mrs Mercer said she shopped or about 90 minutes then got in the car and drove home.

She said: “I was n’t until I got home that I realised they were not in the boot.

“They are so small you can’t see them in the boot and they never make a sound. So I did not know they were not there.

“When I got home, I opened the boot to let them and was faced with an empty space.

Dinky and Doris
Dinky and Doris

“I am devastated. I can’t have children so these dogs are my children. Someone has taken my kids and I really want them back.”

Mrs Mercer does not know if she did not lock the car or thieves used a keyless entry to get into her car.

She said: “There was no sign that anyone had been into my car and stolen my dogs. It is awful.”

Mrs Mercer, who runs a construction company with her husband Fraser, has set up a Facebook site called: “Bring Dinky and Doris Home”.

She is having 5,000 posters and large banners printed to try to get the dogs back.

She said: “I will put these posters and banners all round Hinckley.

“I am offering the read for the safe return of Dinky and Doris. They have been micro-chipped and spayed so are no good for breeding.

“No questions asked. Anyone who has them can just drop them off at a vet and say they found them.

“I just want them back home as soon as possible.

"I have called the police and they have given a crime number and said they will help try to find my dogs."

The Mercers have eight dogs – two of which they rescued from Greece.

They have a four-year-old mongrel called Miss Brian and  a three-year-old mongrel called Betty who were both rescued from Greece.

They have a four-year-old short-haired Chihuahua called Dave, a six-year-old Jack Russell Chihuahua cross called Ethel, a 11-year-old yellow Labrador called Hettie and an 18-week-old chocolate Labrador called Bear.

Leicestershire Police have confirmed they are investigating the theft of the dogs.

Chris Kyte, from Leicestershire Police’s crime bureau, said: “Were you in the supermarket yesterday evening? Did you see the dogs pictured or anyone acting in a suspicious manner in the car park?

“We would ask anyone who has information as to their whereabouts to get in touch. Have you seen them listed for sale? Their owner is understandably very upset and is desperate for them to be returned safe and well.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101.