Since mid-January10 pets from several properties have gone missing.

It's reached the point where some of the residents are starting to speculate that there's more to it than a mass wandering.

One resident believes the eight cats and two dogs have been stolen by ``contractors'' who sell the animals to companies for the purpose of experimentation.

One of the residents who fears for the worst is Haidee Rogan. She has lost her two cats a two-year-old black Siamese named Blackie and a 12-month-old moggie named Ginger. She said Blackie vanished on January14 and Ginger on January28.

Mrs Rogan said her neighbour had lost her 10-year-old cat on January16.

She discovered further thefts after meeting with a dozen pet-lovers in the area last week.

``My little girl Sharna keeps on asking when our two cats are coming home,'' Mrs Rogan said.

``We all love Blackie and Ginger very much as they're just like members of our family.''

Mrs Rogan and her two daughters, Taylor and Sharna, have also been visiting Blacktown Council animal holding facility daily in the hope of finding their pets.

``We're hoping Blackie and Ginger will escape from their kidnappers and be found by the facility staff,'' she said.

``The staff were lovely. They advised us to contact local newspapers to alert the community.

``We've also spoken to the police but they were not interested in taking our report.''

Mrs Rogan says she is now keeping a watchful eye over her three dogs, which she locks in her backyard for their protection.

A council spokeswoman said it was natural for pet-owners to look for their lost animals at the facility and that staff sympathised with them. However, she had no knowledge of any illegal activities by animal contractors.