Boss back safely after break-in

Boss, the 6-month-old labrador-cross puppy, is happy to be back in the care of the SPCA.

Boss, one of the two puppies stolen from Tauranga SPCA during a break-in over the weekend, has been returned to the shelter.

Tauranga SPCA operations manager Margaret Rawiri said the break-in happened sometime on Saturday night or early Sunday and left three to four gaping holes in the wire fence.

Boss, a 6-month old who had been at the shelter for three to four weeks, was recovered after someone saw a man struggling to walk the pup in Alverstock Rd, Greerton on Monday.

SPCA operations manager Margaret Rawiri shows the holes in the fence.

"The witness gave the man a piece of string to use as a lead but Boss managed to break free and the man trying to walk with him disappeared. Believing Boss was a stray, the pup was handed over to Tauranga City Council," Ms Rawiri said.

She said Boss was transferred to the SPCA late Tuesday, after a council officer recognised the pup following a report about the break-in and theft on TV One's Breakfast programme.

"Boss has been returned safe and sound and he is happy. It's a good to know that no harm has been done to him, but we still need to have the second puppy returned," she said.

Ms Rawiri said there had been other good news, with Judea firm Chaytor Fences Limited offering to repair the fence for free.

"We're thrilled and thankful and as this would have been a significant cost if we had to pay for the repair ourselves. The guys from Chaytor Fencing were out repairing the fence in the rain yesterday and we really appreciate their generosity."

A Papamoa man, who did not wish to be identified, said it saddened him to learn about the stolen puppies after he and his wife discovered the youngest male pup, believed to be 6 to 8 weeks old, wandering on their property on Saturday afternoon.

"It was malnourished, hungry and in need of care with a skin irritation and it's likely it hasn't been vaccinated or desexed.

"We fed him and he seemed happy to be out of the weather and was in general a good-natured puppy," the man said.

After checking with friends and immediate neighbours who did not know of any possible owners in the area, he rang council who collected the pup about 7.30pm on Saturday.

Anyone with any information about the break-in is asked to phone Tauranga police on 577 4300.