THE owners of two dogs that were beaten with a golf club and pepper sprayed in a break-in say their pets are still traumatised weeks after the attack.

Hector and Chika, a Rhodesian ridgeback and a ridgeback cross, were in their home in School Lane, Copmanthorpe, when burglars kicked through a metal security bolt enforcing the dog flap, and forced their way inside.

The raiders then used a golf club and pepper spray to force the dogs back and locked them in the television room, before ransacking the house and fleeing with jewellery, cash and golf clubs.

Owners David and Helen Edmondson said Hector - who was rescued from Cyprus after being badly treated as a puppy - was left with a lump on his head, and had not been the same since the break-in, which happened between 5.30pm and 7.30pm on Friday, November 23.

Helen said: “I think Hector had the brunt of it, anyway. Chika has always been quite timid, and has separation anxiety. They were both rescue dogs and she’s an old girl now, but she’s a bit more sensitive.

“Hector hasn’t had an easy life. Because of what’s happened to him, this will set him back because it’s a trust issue. He’s very subdued, very quiet, and still very grumpy. When somebody came to drop off the post he was absolutely going mad.”

Hector and Chika before the attack.

Hector - who was recovering from an operation to remove a lump from his side at the time of the attack - is thought to be about four years old, and Chika is eight.

Helen and David said the dogs were both still struggling to readjust after the break-in.

David said: “We’re trying to get them back into a routine, but looking at Hector now, he’s still not right. I think he feels like he’s let us down.

“He’s just like a zombie at the moment. We can still smell the pepper spray in the house, they must have used a lot on him. If you walk up the drive, he’s up and away, so I think they’ve come up the back and sneaked up and caught him off-guard.

York Press:

David added: “The first two days didn’t seem to affect me at all but the last few days, I’ve become more and more angry and more and more down. We leave the house, and just walk straight back.”

*Police said on Wednesday that nobody had yet been arrested in connection with the aggravated burglary, and urged anyone with any information to call 101, email dave.pegg@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 quoting reference 12180219086.