Paterangi family believes dogs stolen from backyard

Lochlan, right, Zoe, left, Preston (holding poster) and their mother Angela.

A Paterangi family is searching for answers after their two beloved dogs disappeared.

The family's pet dogs Lila and Whiskey vanished from their property 17 days ago.

Lila is an eight-year-old border collie huntaway cross and Whiskey is a one-year-old black labrador beardie cross.

They are adored by Angela Mason, her husband Kane and three children Lochlan, 18, Zoe, 15 and Preston, 10.

Angela had tied the two dogs up for the day before leaving for work.

But when Lochlan got home from school that day the dogs were gone.

Angela believes the dogs were unclipped and taken from the private rural property
"They can't have run away because they were tied up for the day," she says.

"You can't see our dogs from the road. If someone took them, it will be someone we know and someone who knows our family routines."

She says the family is heartbroken.

"The dogs are like members of our family. Dogs enrich your life - I don't want my kids to miss out on having that joy.

"It's so sad coming home and not having them to greet you. But the children have all been so strong and positive."

The family say they are doing everything possible to get Lila and Whiskey back and hope they would be found soon.

"Whether it's a good or a bad outcome we just want to know what has happened."
But it's not the first time this has happened to the family.

Five years ago the family's black labrador Sooty went missing. They haven't seen her since.

Angela says she is concerned about the family's safety.

"If someone has done this to our dogs who knows what they could do to people."

"We chose to live in this area because we love animals and want to have them on our property.

"But it's not as safe here as we think it is."

* If you have any information about the dogs contact angela.mase@gmail.com or your council's dog control services.