A 25-year-old Northland man has been arrested and charged with cruelty to an animal after the death of two hunting dogs inside a burning car over the weekend.

The man was taken to a police station by family members last night.

After being interviewed he was charged with offences relating to the theft of a Toyota Hilux vehicle which was later set alight while the hunting dogs were contained within a dog box on the rear tray.

The man also faces charges of arson and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.

READ MORE: Dogs burned alive after thieves set fire to stolen ute

Detective Senior Sergeant Rhys Johnston said: "The Broadwood community will no doubt be reassured by the quick result in this case.

"Police take matters such as this very seriously and understand it is very upsetting for the not only the local community but the wider community too."

The man is due to appear in Kaitaia District Court later today.

The Toyota Hilux ute was stolen and set alight.

Chad Scrivener, 22 and his brother Theo, 24, from Broadwood, 48km southeast of Kaitaia, lost about $10,000 worth of hunting gear and cash in the theft and fire that a senior firefighter has called "absolutely despicable".

Their family was devastated by the cruelty inflicted upon the two pig dogs in dog boxes on the rear of the ute on Friday night, in preparation for a hunting trip.

The brothers had set the ute up on their Awaroa Rd property for a hunting trip and the dogs were sleeping in dog boxes on the ute's tray.

Father Malcolm Scrivener said those responsible for the sickening act rammed the front gate to his sons' property using a car, burgled the house, found the ute's spare keys, and drove off, leaving their car behind.

"They crashed the ute into a (Awaroa Rd) paddock then came back just before daylight to take the car away which they'd left behind, but (they) could not do so.

"They then got petrol and set the Hilux alight knowing full well the dogs were in there. All they had to do was to open the door of the dog box and let them out."