Two Chinese women have been accused of stealing a pet dog during a holiday because they said they found the animal 'too cute' and 'irresistible'.

They took it in turns to drag the £480 Akita along the pavement until they reached their accommodation.

Police have detained the pair. They said the suspects were tourists and had acted under the influence of alcohol.

Footage shows the tourists walking hand in hand while one of them carries a dog in China

The other woman turns back to pick up the dog by its collar after it refused to follow them

The pair have been accused of stealing an Akita (not the one above, file photo) while on holiday. Akita is a large breed of dog originating from the mountainous regions of Japan

The incident took place recently in the county of Shuyang in eastern China's Suqian city, according to Jiangsu Radio and Broadcasting Group, citing local police.

The culprits claimed they initially spotted the dog on its own outside a shop. They said they thought the pet was too cute and they could not resist its charm.

As a result, they allegedly loosened its lead and took it away with them.

Security footage captures one suspect running while dragging the dog along the pavement

The other suspect is seen carrying the pet dog across a street by lifting it by its collar

A security video shows two women walking hand in hand on a street while one of them drags a dog behind her with one hand.

The dog refuses to follow them and the woman, who was not holding the dog, turns back to pick up the pet by its collar before carrying on with their journey.

One of the suspects, known by her surname Lu, told police that the dog would not walk any further when they reached the ground floor of a high-rise building where they were staying.

Suspect Lu (above) told police that they found themselves unable to resist the cute dog

A friend of the suspects is captured on camera moving the animal to their accommodation

Therefore, a friend came down to carry the dog into the lift and then dragging it along the corridor into the room.

Shuyang police launched an investigation after the dog's owner found the pet missing and called them.

Officers said the Akita, a large breed of dog native to Japan, was worth 4,500 yuan (£488).

The suspects have been released on bail and will face charges, according to police.

Further investigations are underway.