A Northland family is devastated after two of their hunting dogs were burned alive.
Thieves stole a Toyota Hilux from Chad and Theo Scrivener after the brothers briefly left their Broadwood property on Friday night.
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The 22-year-old and 24-year-old had set up the ute for a hunting trip, with three pig dogs sleeping in dog boxes in the rear of the vehicle, NZME reports.
The thieves rammed the gate and burgled the house, where they found the ute's spare keys. They drove off in it, leaving their own car behind.
After crashing the ute into a nearby paddock, the thieves set fire to the vehicle while two of the dogs remained trapped inside. The third escaped and was later found on the road, according to NZME.
When the burnt out ute was found, the two dogs were dead.
Chad Scrivener posted photos of the vehicle to a Northland news Facebook page on Sunday, expressing his sadness and anger toward the "heartless c***s" who killed his dogs.
Malcolm Scrivener, father to Chad and Theo, told NZME that he and his sons knew who was responsible for the crime, but would let police conduct their investigation.
Newshub.
