Bella the English bulldog was back at her home this morning after being found by police at a Napier address just after 11am yesterday.
``They are delighted,' Constable Brendan Campbell of the Napier CIB said of the owners.
``Bella was found in good condition and unharmed. They are all happily reunited and
grateful to those who assisted in her safe return.'
It was information from the public which led to police recovering the 3-year-old purebred bulldog. Mr Campbell said police had received ``excellent' assistance from witnesses who had seen the dognapping and serious assault on Bella's 38-year-old owner in Pirimai about 2pm last Sunday.
Mr Campbell said inquiries revealed the assault took place near the Kennedy Road intersection with Bill Hercock Street, not outside the Pirimai Plaza Dairy.
The offenders had been in a dark-coloured passenger-type van - possibly with bull bars. While Bella had been found no one had been arrested and charged in relation to the incident.
``We have a lot more inquiries to carry out,' Mr Campbell said.
He added that the assault victim had still not been interviewed at length due to his injuries.
He received facial injuries including a badly broken jaw which had required surgery to re-set.
