One of the two stolen puppies in Levin has been reunited with its rightful owner.
However, the hunt for the second puppy continues.
On Wednesday night a man in Levin was left bruised and battered after being attacked while trying to stop thieves from stealing his Rottweiler puppies.
Matty Hart said his father, who didn't want to be named, heard his three puppies barking and went to see what was happening at about 8.15pm on Wednesday.
He found three people, two men and a woman, trying to break into his property in Cambridge St, Levin.
Police have confirmed one of the two stolen puppies was located this morning and returned to its rightful owner.
Police are still investigating and no charges have been filed.
Hart shared the good news with his Facebook followers as his first post attracted a lot of online support from strangers.
"One puppy has been found by the police in Palmy and is on its way home," he wrote on facebook.
A social media post about his experience has been shared more than 3000 times. He thanked users who had shared the post.
On Thursday night, Hart expressed his father's heartbreak saying both his father and the dogs' mother were distraught.
"In 25 years I've never seen my father cry," he told the Herald.
The 62-year-old amputee grabbed a piece of metal in an attempt to fend off the trio but was pushed to the ground after confronting one of them.
After getting up he tried to shut the three people out of his property but one pushed past him with two puppies.
Outside the gate, the man was knocked to the ground and kicked as he lay there.
"He's taken a good blow to the face, he's got quite bad swelling, he was shoved to the ground, some abrasions, he was punched again," Hart said.
• Police ask anyone with information to contact them on 105.
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