DALLAS: National Football League player Lucky Whitehead says someone stole his pitbull dog from his home and is refusing to return it unless a $10,000 ransom is paid.

The Dallas Cowboys receiver wrote about the dog-napping on his Instagram account, saying the puppy was stolen when he was away in Florida. Whitehead has owned the dog for about nine weeks.

"I've taken some time to collect my thoughts on this subject matter, and it's very heartbreaking to say that Blitz has been stolen from my home last Sunday," the 25-year-old Whitehead wrote. "While out of town, Blitz was being taken care of by a close friend at my house and someone broke in and took him.

"Whomever stole Blitz has contacted my phone numerous times, demanding ransom money. I strongly advise you to stop and return my boy safely before it gets any worse! If you know of any details regarding Blitz's whereabouts or who may be involved in this, please contact me immediately."

Whitehead claimed the unknown thieves initially demanded $10,000 for the return of the pooch.

He said he agreed to pay an undisclosed sum but wanted to make sure the dog was alright, saying he has yet to hear back.

"It's killing me. It hurts because I don't know how he's being treated. I wasn't here to protect him," Whitehead said of Blitz.

Whitehead had posted numerous pictures of the dog on Instagram and even created a personal account for him.

Whitehead said he also had talked to the police. –AFP