Thieves slash dog with machete after she tries to defend puppies
Elisa MenendezSaturday 20 Jul 2019 9:01 pm
Five puppies were stolen from their mother, Zena, who was slashed with a machete (Picture: MEN)
A dog who tried to defend her puppies from machete-wielding thieves was slashed in the cheek before they ran off with her newborns.
The two armed men managed to get into the north Manchester flat at around 9.30am on Saturday, after following a man inside and attacking him.
They then began searching the Harpurhey flat for valuables to steal while they left the victim on the floor, said Greater Manchester Police.
After taking the victim's cash, keys and phone, they came across a litter of five-week-old staffordshire bull terrier-cross puppies and their mother, Zena.
They then began picking up the puppies and shoving them in carrier bags.
When Zena tried to defend her newborns, she was hit in the head with a machete by one of the men, causing a deep wound in her cheek, before fleeing the scene.
Zena has been left 'devastated' without her puppies who will likely die if they are separated from her for much longer.
Police have now launched an urgent appeal to find the puppies and the suspects.
Officers described as them as 'black, skinny build, believed to be in their 20s and were wearing dark clothing with the hoods up'.
Zena was trying to defend her puppies (Picture: MEN)
One of the men is believed to be around 6ft 3in – 6ft 4in tall and was wearing a grey and black camouflage face mask.
His accomplice was slightly shorter and wearing a plain black face mask.
Detective Constable Nick Kershaw, of GMP, said: 'We are urgently appealing for information which will help us locate the puppies which were stolen this morning.
'The dogs are only five-weeks-old and without their mother, they likely won't survive very long so it is important that anybody with information that can assist, please contacts police as a matter of urgency.
'This was an incredibly callous robbery, where the offenders showed absolutely no regard for the safety of anyone, human or animal, who was present at the time.
'They only had one thing on their mind, which was to take whatever they could.
'Please help us return these puppies and reunite them with their very sad mother, Zena, who has been left devastated.'
Anybody with information should contact police on 0161 856 3985, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Got a story for Metro.co.uk?
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.
Boy, 10, stabbed in front of his mother on street
Drunk passenger who wet himself on Thomas Cook flight jailed
Beaming Prince Harry seen for first time after royal exit