Heart-broken family unveils massive billboard to help find missing small dog in Malaga town

Two contact phone numbers and a clear message: "Missing. Help me get home. My name is Betty." That is what it says on a giant billboard, 24 square metres in size, which the desperate couple from Alhaurín de la Torre, Francisco Javier and Esther, have decided to put up in the Malaga province town.

As well the three girls they coupe have, they have a chihuahua, the protagonist of the appeal for help that can be read on the billboard. And, as they both make clear, "she is one of the family and we haven't heard from her for a fortnight".

The day they lost track of her, the dog was left in the care of a relative, as she was unable to accompany her owners on an excursion to the Costa Tropical in Granada province, a trip that was cut short as soon as it began: they returned immediately when they heard the news. "She is not used to being without us and, as soon as she saw the door open, she ran away," Esther said.

The last place where she was seen was in Avenida de la Fuente Grande, in the Platero area. "Since then, we have put up posters everywhere, but they have disappeared and, fed up, we decided to resort to a large advertisement," she explained.

It is placed at a strategic point, next to the supermarket at the Encuentro roundabout, one of the busiest points in Alhaurín de la Torre.

The idea would not have been possible, as Francisco Javier points out, without the collaboration of a local company, Fijaciones y Montajes Andalucía, which has given up its space in the search for Betty. Despite the gesture, the reproduction of photographs of the animal and the text has meant an outlay of around 500 euros.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes," insisted the dog's owner, who is grateful for all the support received, such as that of another Alhaurín de la Torre business, Vadepizza, which has decided that its delivery drivers will carry a photo of the dog, in case any customer has a clue as to its whereabouts.

The efforts have already borne some results, as, according to Esther, they have received calls with some potentially interesting information and messages via social media. In addition, many people have chosen to share what happened, although the search is still ongoing. "We suspect that someone may have taken her," they said, although they make it clear that, if so, the theft, which has already been reported to the Local Police and the Guardia Civil, will come to light, as the dog is "perfectly identified with her chip", Francisco Javier added

"She is two years old and came into the house when she was only months old, as a birthday present for our youngest child in the family. We are going to do everything in our power to get her back," Francisco Javier said. "We cannot stop crying," Esther added.