JONESBORO, Ga. — A Clayton County woman is making an emotional plea for help to find her beloved dog, “Precious.”

She says she believes her Shih Tzu, a registered emotional support animal, was stolen in her neighborhood after she vanished from her home on July 4th.

Channel 2′s Tom Regan met with Sharon Johnson in Jonesboro to learn more about Precious.

“She wasn’t in the house and we went out to go to the front, and she wasn’t there. I am convinced someone took her. I have not really been the same since she has been gone,” Johnson said.

Johnson said she rescued her dog 10 years ago, and it has helped her through a bout with cancer and a stroke.

The American Kennel Club says two million dogs are stolen each year and the number is sharply rising.

The organization said dog theft is often driven by greed.

Some pure breeds can be sold for hundreds, even thousands of dollars. The Shih Tzu is one of the top five stolen breeds.

But for someone whose dog is stolen, the cost is immeasurable.

“She is very loving and she would probably just go to anybody. The uncertainty for me is who has her, who is treating her, is she being treated properly. We need her home,” Johnson said.

Johnson says she has posted flyers throughout Jonesboro, including animal shelters.

She said someone left a message on her phone, saying she had possibly seen the dog. The message seemed strange.

“I called the number back and no one answered. I said can you call back, text or leave a message? Nothing.,” Johnson told Regan.

Johnson said her dog wasn’t wearing a collar when it disappeared. She encourages pet owners to get their animals microchipped so they can be easily traced by the owner. She says she will not give up the search for her beloved companion.

“I am pleading to please give her back. No questions asked,” Johnson said.

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