A golden labrador puppy has suffered serious injuries and an elderly woman has been "terrorised" during two aggravated burglaries in the same remote locality near Ballarat.
Charlie Groves said he woke up just after 5.30am on Wednesday to find several doors of his Yuulong Road property in Scotsburn wide open.
Mr Groves said he quickly realised 14-week old puppy Pippa, an early Christmas present for the family, was nowhere to be found.
He alerted his wife, Lizzie, and the couple phoned police.
"A few hours later I found the dog wasn't actually missing but had been either kicked or bashed," he said.
"She moaned and screamed in my arms."
Pippa had suffered a broken leg in three places and a broken hip.
Victoria Police Inspector Robert Heaney said up to six offenders travelling in two cars were believed to have gone to the property about 3am.
"It's fairly cowardly and callous act for the dog to be injured in such a way," Inspector Heaney said.
Four dirt bikes, worth more than $18,000, were stolen from a shed on Groves' property.
Mr Groves said the ordeal had taken the "shine" off his family's move to Scotsburn.
"It's a great community, but there have been three or four robberies in the area in the past couple of weeks.
"It is shocking, the locals have had enough of this."
Second burglary within the hour
Inspector Heaney said 45 minutes after the burglary at the Groves' property, offenders gained access to an 82-year-old woman's home on Smithsons Road.
"She was asleep in bed, she woke up to a torch light and a victim standing over her in her bedroom.
"There was no physical assault or anything like that; she got up and followed the person around the house a little bit before they left."
Police believe the aggravated burglaries are linked and were opportunistic in nature.
"The two concerning things for us [are] an elderly woman terrorised in her own home and the serious offending to the little puppy dog."
Devastating injuries
Pippa is now in the care of vets and is facing a long road to recovery and could receive further treatment in Melbourne.
Vet bills are expected to cost up to $15,000.
"The vet said the injuries were devastating," Mrs Groves said.
Mr Groves said the crime had scared their four young children, all aged under 10.
"Our kids will have nightmares now for the next few months," he said.
One of the vehicles used during the burglaries is believed to be a stolen white-coloured Toyota HiLux.
Anyone with information about the incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
