A family is desperately searching for George, an African grey parrot, taken from their home by burglars.

Carina Archbold had been living in her new home in Swords,Co Dublin for less than a week with her two daughters when their home was broken into and parrot and their pet chihuahua was stolen.

The burglars left the family cat and another dog.

There have been several possible sightings of the missing African grey since the theft. However, none of the birds have turned out to be him.

Carina has heard no news about her long-haired Chihuahua Ruby since the theft nearly two weeks ago.

The family including Becky (18) and Ally (13) say they are "in bits" after the break-in. "We are really devastated," said Carina. The thieves took a PlayStation and an iPod as well, but the family is most upset about the missing animals.

"The parrot has my voice," said Carina. "He is a very clean parrot. He doesn't say dirty things." About the three-year-old chihuahua, she said: "She is the most amazing little dog." She was the baby of the house."

Both the parrot and the dog are pure breeds and are expensive pets. Carina had got Ruby micro-chipped and George has a ring on his leg. But despite these safety measures, the animals went missing.

"I can't believe somebody stole them from our house; we were only living there five days," said Carina. "George is seven-years of age and is grey with a red tail. We are very worried about him because he stresses a lot when he is not around us," she said.

"We have had him for seven years so he was very attached to us. He even speaks with my voice and says things like: 'Georgie loves his mammy'."

Ruby, the chihuahua who will be three this Christmas, is black and white, which is unusual for a pure breed of that dog.

Carina said she and her daughter went to a lot of effort to get this particular dog and they had to be vetted by the woman who bred her. "It was like adopting," said Carina. "Anyone would love Ruby the second they meet her; it's a horrific crime that someone would steal our family pets," she said.