Desperate search for therapy dog stolen outside Perth deli

A therapy dog that vanished from a deli in Perth's southern suburbs has sparked a desperate search.

Gypsy, a tri-coloured Rough Collie, was last seen tied to a pole outside the Cooloongup deli on Friday morning.

Her owner, Mackenzie Summers, said she was previously refused entry with the dog and was too scared to bring Gypsy inside.

The 23-year-old suffers from severe PTSD and is partially blind.

"She didn't want to cause any problems so she tied Gypsy up outside to just duck inside, and then she came out and she was gone," her mother Kathleen Batt told 9news.

Mackenzie has since been re-admitted to hospital due to the stress of losing her companion.

"Mackenzie would be able to come home from hospital, at the moment she can't do that...she's not safe to do that, in the hysterical state she's in, which is not good," Ms Batt said.

The deli has since denied ever refusing entry to the pair, which is illegal.

The worried family is hoping someone will recognise Gypsy's bright therapy harness, or return her.