Prize show dog stolen from parking lot

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A pregnant Japanese Chin who will require a cesarean section to deliver her pups was stolen from an Ikea parking lot in East Palo Alto, Calif.

Mimi, a show dog who weighs 5 pounds and is 2 years old, will require the unorthodox procedure because she is so small -- and her size also disguises her condition, causing even greater worry on the part of her owner, Sharon Shelgren.

"She'll die if she doesn't get the proper medical attention. She's co-dependent on me. She's my shadow," Shelgren told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Mimi is due to give birth in three weeks and Shelgren is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to her pet's return. Tips can be called in to (408) 406-8909.