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This is the heartwarming moment a dog owner was reunited with his stolen pet after they were separated for six months.

The one-year-old whippet, named Jasper, can be seen bounding excitedly up to owner Michael Ford and frantically wagging his tail.

Jasper was found by local resident Wendy Jones and was brought into Heath Veterinary Clinic, in West Sussex, last week.

A vet scanned his microchip and found he belonged to Mr Ford, who lives 100 miles south from the clinic.

Mr Ford and his family were shocked when the vets called and travelled immediately to pick him up.

Jasper was earlier said to have been seen looking malnourished and tied to a caravan. It is now believed he had been stolen before being rescued.

An elated Mr Ford said: “We honestly thought that we’d never see Jasper again and cannot thank Wendy and Heath Vets enough. We thought he had been stolen but had no proof, now we know the truth.”

The clinic said the story highlights the importance of microchipping and is urging more dog owners to get their pets chipped.