Jo Cruickshank said she and husband Robbie were “lucky” Ned and Jimbo were only taken, when they’ve had others run over and killed without the driver’s backward glance.

They’ve had others dogs injured and warning signs stolen – now Mrs Cruickshank said she was starting to fear for her husband’s life or that of a motorist if people didn’t take more care.

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“This is our livelihood [and] you’re looking out for the public’s safety as well: the signs are not only in place for my husband, the cows and the dogs; it also puts their life at risk if they don’t slow down.”

Ned and Jimbo were picked up by a motorist while Mr Cruickshank was pushing 377 Angus cows in calf along the Guyra-Tingha road for a producer in the region late last month.

A witness contacted the Cruickshanks to describe the vehicle after seeing their post about the theft on social media.

Hours later, Mr Cruickshank saw the car coming back the other way – with his dogs in the back seat – pulled it over and kept the couple talking until Inverell police arrived.

“They’re what we call our peg dogs – dogs tied up with a kennel and a water bowl – so definitely not abandoned,” Mrs Cruickshank said.

“I don’t know if it’s intentional or if it comes down to a lack of education and that they thought they were doing the right thing … they kept claiming the dogs were theirs.”

She said people commenting on her Facebook post had expressed their outrage at the theft.

“People were shocked and we were shocked that they were shocked – this is nothing,” she said.

“I’m happy that we had them stolen; it means you have a chance of getting them back.

“Our signs get flogged, which might seem like probably not a big deal, but every sign that gets pinched you’ve got to go and replace ...

“In July last year on the same road, we had three dogs hit.

“Two were just injured, and the drivers were honest and stopped and offered to pay for vet fees.

“The one that was killed, they killed it instantly and to this day we’ve never caught them.

“You don’t know, when your husband walks out door, if he’s going to come back.

“If they run over dogs, if they hit you would they stop? Or would they keep driving?”

She said, however, she wanted to give people the benefit of the doubt; that maybe they simply weren’t aware of the importance of the signs or what they meant.

“We get lots of tourists coming through, especially on school holidays – a lot of families travelling, city people, so maybe it’s a simple lack of education.

“I’d just like to see people abide by the signs.

“I know it probably annoys them when they’re coming off a long drive after a holiday, but it’s also for their safety.”