Dog lovers are pleased Northland police are committed to investigate missing dogs, which they believe are being stolen for dog-fighting rings.

In May, the mutilated bodies of two dogs were found in a shallow grave in the Bay of Islands, which was believed to show evidence of dog fighting in the district, a local animal rescue operation said.

At the time, police said they had no knowledge of any dog-fighting rings in Northland.

Now police have issued a social media plea for Northlanders to keep their “beloved furry family members safe”.

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The advice included not leaving dogs unattended, keeping an eye on dogs at all times, securing yards and mixing up walking times.

“Walking patterns are prime opportunities for thieves to take a dog,” the post said.

“They can cut the lead, scoop them up and just like that, your dog will be gone.”

The post also said police would make further inquiries about dogs going missing in the area.

Relieving Mid North response manager senior sergeant Sarah Wihongi said police were aware of concerns about missing dogs, but didn’t have any knowledge of a dog-fighting ring in the area at this stage.

“While police are aware of anecdotal information, in regards to ongoing rumours of dogs going missing in the area, we rely on evidence from the public to be able to make inquiries,” she said.

“We continue to urge the public to report any suspicious behaviour to us.”

Wihongi noted people sometimes reported dog thefts on social media but said a police report needed to be made for the information to be verified.

Waipapa dog lover Serge Bonnafoux​ is pleased with the police’s change in response to dog thefts, which he said came about after he complained to Police Minister Chris Hipkins.

Bonnafoux’s 11-year-old jack russell Skoota​ went missing from Waipapa in October 2021. He and wife Sharron​ have been searching for him ever since.

The fact he had not found any evidence of Skoota, nor any remains, had led Bonnafoux to believe something untoward had happened to him.

Not knowing what happened to the dog was the worst part, he said.

Bonnafoux believed pets were not treated fairly in the eyes of the law: Dog thefts were treated the same as property theft, but most people considered them a member of the family, he said.

When he reported Skoota missing, the police officer said it was the first missing dog report he had ever done.

Bonnafoux did not believe police involvement would help find Skoota, but he had not given up on finding the beloved pooch, with thousands of people around the country keeping an eye out for him thanks to social media posts.

“You don’t give up on finding your kids.”

Wihongi said people who had something taken, including a pet, should report it to their local police station or call police on 105 after the crime has happened.

If the theft was happening now, contact police immediately by calling 111, she said.