A miniature donkey was stolen from a Sunnyvale couple when thieves made off with their pickup truck and trailer in a Mesquite parking lot Tuesday.

Ed and Angela Preston said Red Sunset, or Sunny, as he likes to be called, was stolen from the Town East Mall while they were eating.

"The 18-wheeler had a flat, so we were waiting a little, and we said, 'Why don't we run into Chick-Fil-A and get a bite to eat?'" Angela Preston said. "We got a bite, came back out, (and) truck and trailer were gone."

The couple had been waiting in the parking lot for a breeder to pick up Sunny.

The Prestons, who have been the proud parents of dozens of miniature donkeys for 11 years, said it feels as if part of their family is missing.

"He's just a little baby, and he can't fend for himself," Angela Preston said.

In an e-mail, the Prestons said the 6-month-old donkey needs a special diet and shelter.

"Time is really of the essence at this time," Preston said. "He's been gone three days now, and he's a baby."

People have called the couple, saying they've spotted the truck, the trailer and even Sunny around the Metroplex.

"About 10:30 this morning we got another call from a lady that said she saw some kids playing with a donkey off of Kiest Boulevard," Preston said.

But Sunny remains missing.

The family said they suspect the trailer and Sunny were dumped in favor of stripping the truck down for parts.

Preston said she and her husband don't care about the truck or the trailer; Sunny is all that matters.

"You know some people say, 'Oh, it's a donkey,'" she said. "No, it's like our kids."

The Prestons are offering a reward for the safe return of Sunny, no questions asked.

Their white Ford F-350 has a personalized license plate that reads DNKEY. The gold and tan trailer has Texas license plate DDXX20 and a bumper sticker that reads "Got Donkey."

Anyone with information should call Mesquite police or e-mail the Prestons at info@hillcountryminiatures.com.