Wellington, March 13 NZPA - An animal rights group is offering a reward for information on two dogs that were slaughtered and dumped in a Canterbury sewage water reservoir.

The two dogs, a six-year-old brindle boxer and a 10-month-old American bulldog, were stolen from their owner's Otematata home, 90km northwest of Oamaru, on February 28, the Timaru Herald reported.

Their owner, Tara O'Reilly, said she would not rest until the culprits were found.

Miss O'Reilly had contacted animal rights group Paw Justice, who were offering a $2000 reward for information.

The group's founder Craig Dunn said the dogs were bludgeoned to death by "psychopaths".

"It's a very small town so hopefully someone will know something...We've actually got these little psychopaths running around and we have got to get them off the street."

Police were investigating the incident.

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