The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team Thu Jan 23, 2014 10:58 PM

Phoenix police on Thursday were searching for burglars who broke into a family’s south Phoenix home and stabbed the family’s dog, according to a police report.

The burglars entered Kimberly Mims’ home near 59th Avenue and Dobbins Road while she was at work Wednesday, ransacking the home, punching a hole in the wall and throwing the contents of the refrigerator around the house, police reported. Electronics and clothing were also stolen, police said.

During the course of the robbery, the suspects found a samurai sword in Mims’ son’s room and used it to stab the family’s Shi Tzu, Ka Knuckles, multiple times, police said. The dog was in its kennel at the time of the burglary and did not pose a threat to the intruders, according to a police report. Mims took Ka Knuckles to the veterinarian, but the injuries were so severe that the dog had to be put down, police said.

“Material things can be replaced,” Mims said. “But my dog, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Ka Knuckles would have been four years old in March. Mims received him as a present when he was a puppy. She said he was a “chill and loveable dog.”

Mims’ 17-year-old son discovered the mess coming home from school, and they found the dog in a closet near the kennel Ka Knuckles had been in earlier.

“My biggest fear is this happening to someone else, only next time it will be a person getting hurt instead,” Mims said.

Mims, a single mother living without home insurance in her first bought home, said she is not sure what her next step is. She said she does not feel safe in her suburban neighborhood anymore and does not know if she will stay in that home. Mims and her son are staying at a relative’s home until they feel comfortable again.

Detectives are asking for help from the community in identifying and locating those involved with the crime. Anyone with information concerning the incident is encouraged to contact the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish.