Whangārei dog back home after ordeal in allegedly stolen car

Layla the lap dog was in a vehicle when it was stolen from outside a shop in the Whangārei suburb of Tikipunga. Photo / Facebook

A lap dog called Layla, inside a car when it was allegedly stolen from outside a Whangārei store last week, has been reunited with her owner, but has an injured paw.

Police confirmed they found a Mazda 626 Hatchback vehicle abandoned on Steere Place, Whangārei, after it was reported missing from a carpark outside Meadow Park Dairy and Takeaways, Tikipunga, just after 7pm on Thursday, last week.

The vehicle’s owner was in the store when someone took the car from where it was parked directly out the front.

Home again: Whangārei lap dog Layla has been reunited with her owner after an ordeal in an allegedly stolen car. Photo / Facebook

Layla was no longer in the car when police located it and police did not know if she had since been found.

However, in public Facebook posts the vehicle’s owner said Layla had been found, albeit with an injured paw that she appeared to have suffered when being “turfed out” of the vehicle.

Police said inquiries were ongoing.

Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.