A man has been charged over the theft of seven pit bull puppies from an Adelaide home earlier this week — an incident that left the dogs' owners "devastated".
Police allege a 37-year-old from Christies Beach broke into a home at nearby Morphett Vale on Wednesday or Thursday.
The accused man's home was searched just after midnight this morning, leading to the recovery of two of the dogs.
"Investigations into the whereabouts of the other puppies remain ongoing," police said.
"Two of the litter [were] located safe and well."
The puppies — described as pit bull crosses — disappeared between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon after a break-in at a home on Lyle Street at Morphett Vale.
SA Police today posted details about the incident, which prompted a strong response from Facebook users.
"Such a dog act," another person commented.
One of the dogs' owners also posted in the wake of the incident, saying that electrical equipment and other items were taken during the break-in.
"Most importantly, seven of our six-week-old puppies were all stolen," she said.
The alleged thief was arrested and charged with serious criminal trespass and theft, and will appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court next month.
Police have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
SA to roll out welfare grants to councils
Dog and cat welfare was also at the top of the new SA government's agenda today, with Environment Minister Susan Close launching a compliance program for breeders.
It includes a $300,000 grant scheme for councils, which can apply for individual grants of up to $60,000 to spend on education projects.
Before the March election, Labor announced a policy to ban puppy farms in South Australia, to crack down on non-compliant breeders who keep hundreds of animals at a time.
The state's Dog and Cat Management Board will also begin a six-month trial monitoring program to keep watch on online sales.
"It will be fantastic for people when they buy a puppy to know that the breeder is complying with the legislation," Ms Close said.
