If you've seen Jim Carrey's classic film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, you'll know it tells the tale of a man who hunts the thieves of the Miami Dolphins team mascot - a bottlenose dolphin.
However, while Snowflake the dolphin may have fetched a handsome price on the black market, a real-life Ace Ventura combats a more common crime: dognapping.
Former detective inspector Colin Butcher set up the UK Pet Detective Agency after more than 17 years in the Surrey and Metropolitan Police forces.
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During his career, he helped jail serial killers, drug gangs and armed robbers, along with some of Britain's toughest criminals.
Butcher, 58, now charges a whopping £95 per hour for his dog-sniffing services.
And while that may sound like a lot, many dognapping victims with strong affections for their pets believe the price is worth it.
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Butcher now receives around 30 frantic calls and emails every week from distraught owners, as the number of dog thefts has surged during lockdown.
One of those owners was Barbara Parker-Miligan of Yateley, Hants, who lost her Corgi Amber to a thief while in the house.
Parker-Milligan, 95, told The Mirror she was in the conservatory and her son was out shopping when the thief took Amber.
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Douglas Embelton, 65, who lives with his mother said: "I'm absolutely heartbroken.
"Barbara was so traumatised by the burglary that she collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital on Saturday.
"I can't sleep or eat. I am worried sick Amber is not being treated well."
Embelton contacted Butcher as he felt the police weren't doing enough to find two-year-old Amber.
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He said: "It might cost us several thousand pounds but we are determined to get her back."
Butcher suspects the thieves were known by the victims, having scouted out the property pretending to offer business services.
He said petnapping has become a big business since the price of pedigree and gundogs spiked.
Charity Dogs Trust told The Mirror that the price of a pug leapt from £684 to £1,220 and French bulldogs from £1,251 to £2,128 during lockdown.
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Butcher said: "2020 has been the worst year on record for dog theft.
"We have seen the same level of crimes during January 2021 as we did last year."
The pet detective has also helped recover stolen cats, racehorses, alpacas, parrots, snakes, hamsters, sheep, and birds during his career.
He said: "The thieves are usually career criminals always on the lookout to steal something of value.
"Dogs are being stolen from cars and back gardens, so dog owners: be careful."
Words: Clifford Mason
Topics: UK News