Family left ‘heartbroken’ after six dogs stolen overnight

A family have been left “heartbroken” after six of their dogs were stolen from their kennels.

The pets were stolen at around 8pm on December 30 from the Tonmawr area of Port Talbot.

Sarah Wood, 35, said she, her husband and young son are extremely worried about their pets and want them home where they belong.

She said: “On December 30 we were notified that one of our dogs was dumped in Cimla. We went up and someone was looking after him for us in a blanket.

“My husband went over to where our dogs are kept – near our horses – and could see they had been broken into.

“They took the majority of the females and left most of the males.

“We are absolutely devastated, they are like our children. They are our responsibility, we work every day of our lives to make sure they are cared for.

“They make us feel safe and keep us company while we tend to the horses.

“My eight-year-old boy is absolutely heartbroken.”

The missing dogs are:

· A female liver and white English springer spaniel

· A female blue and tan border terrier

· A female smooth bronze coloured Patterdale terrier

· A female smooth black coloured Patterdale terrier

· A female rough-coated black Patterdale terrier

· A male smooth six-month-old coated black Patterdale terrier with a distinctive white mark on his chest

Mrs Wood said they also found their 13-year-old border collie out loose in the field.

She added: “She was searching the field in the freezing cold weather for my spaniel who is her best friend and they have lived together since my spaniel was a puppy.”

“They also let out 13-year-old retired border collie loose in the freezing cold.

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “We are appealing for information following the theft of six working dogs from a farm in Port Talbot on Wednesday, 30 December.

“They were stolen from an outbuilding on the farm in Tonmawr by somebody who forced entry to their kennel.

“It is believed the theft occurred sometime between 5pm and 9.45pm. A white van, potentially a Citroen Berlingo van, was seen to be speeding along an access road away from the remote location.

“Anybody who has information about the theft is urged to contact 101 immediately and give reference 469550”