Thieves bash dog owner in dairy ambush

A man is in hospital after being bashed to the ground by three men who lay in wait at a dairy to steal his pet dog over the weekend.

The 38-year-old had cycled Napier's Pirimai Plaza Dairy with his pure-bred English bulldog Bella, aged three, about 2pm on Sunday when he was punched by the men without warning.

The man was taken to Hawke's Bay hospital with a badly broken jaw and was transferred to Palmerston North Hospital yesterday for additional surgery.

A staff member at the dairy said he was unaware the attack had happened until police arrived at the scene.

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When he regained consciousness he discovered that the dog, which had been on a leash and tied securely to his bicycle, had been taken.

Mr Campbell said the dog was a beloved family pet and described it as having a "placid" nature.