$5000 reward offered: Stolen bulldog ‘part of the family'
A Te Puke family is offering a $5000 reward for the return of their beloved bulldog Nalah.
Mystique Paki said her ex-husband Detroit, with whom she shares custody of Nalah, got home from work about 5.20pm on Monday to find the gate ajar.
“We’ve got two bulldogs and we share them, they’re like our family,” she said.
“He’d been at work all day and noticed the gate, which is probably about chest height, was just ajar, which is really weird.
“Our big bulldog came out and Detroit called for Nalah but she didn’t come.”
Having already feared the dogs being stolen, they had security cameras installed at the house.
Footage from the cameras showed two men putting Nalah in their car and driving away.
“Two males walk into the property, open the gate and lead both dogs out. The older bulldog actually went back in the gate and was barking. Nalah is only 1-year-old and she is childlike so she went with them.”
Mystique said it was horrible to think the two men had used Nalah’s loving nature and trust against her.
She and Detroit got Nalah for their daughters Ella, 11, and Mia, 9, when they were in need of “some extra love”.
“They desperately needed some love,” she said. “We had separated and it was the worst thing for a 9- and 11-year-old. So at the time, she brought so much and so much joy and connected us all back together in a weird way.
“I had to tell my girls last night that their Nalah was stolen and they are devastated. We’re not mourning a dog who’s dead but somebody took something that doesn’t belong to them.
“That dog is family to them, they play with her, they walk her, when their dad comes to pick them up they make a beeline for Nalah. To have to explain that to them last night, that someone has stolen the dog, is a memory I never want to have to live through again.
“We just want her to come home.”
The security camera footage of the men and their silver Toyota RAV4 has been given to police.
Mystique urged anyone with information that might help to get in touch.
A police spokeswoman said police were called to an address on Puriri Ave, Te Puke, shortly before 6pm on Monday to reports of an English Bulldog being stolen.
“We want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and might have seen something, or has any other information which could assist police,” she said.
Contact the police on 105, quoting event number P046378700, or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.