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Authorities say thieves are snapping up French bulldogs because the breed is in such high demand and a single puppy can be sold online for thousands of dollars.
French bulldogs are popular with celebrities with artists such as Lady Gaga, rapper Megan Thee Stallion and 2 Chainz owning them and some have even created Instagram profiles for their canine companions.
Their popularity online is increasing demand for this friendly breed, who is known for their tendency to snore rather than bark. A search on Craigslist revealed these French bulldog puppies were selling for $5,000.
“They are purposeful, that’s remarkable. Cute little dogs,” said Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern.
Ahern is a dog lover himself as he has two Rottweilers named Coco and Rosie.
“Our dogs own our home, we have two very large Rottweilers, they are our children,” he said.
Ahern said he was delighted to see video of his stand-ins reuniting Tito the Frenchie with his owners.
Tito was stolen at gunpoint while walking in the Castro Valley on January 15. The thieves also stole the owner’s purse, which prompted the thieves to find the owner’s home and steal the family’s car as well.
Soon after, Tito’s owners announced a $5,000 reward for his safe return.
“One of the members of our community was interested in reclaiming some of the reward money, and we were able to work with that person and track Tito’s location,” Ahern said.
Authorities say thieves are snapping up French bulldogs because the breed is in such high demand. Raj Mathai talks about it with Melissa Colorado.
Ahern added that his investigators located three suspects in Oakland, including two 17-year-olds and an adult, who are believed to be linked to other carjackings in the area. The three have not yet been charged. But we wanted to know if cash rewards could encourage criminals to kidnap more dogs?
It’s a big problem and it’s a problem that we have to work with the people who are reclaiming the reward money, whether it’s left to the suspects, whether they dare to be involved or whether they’re just good citizens, it is very complicated,” he said.
If you have a Frenchie or simply want to protect your dog from theft, experts recommend microchipping your dog.
If your dog is neutered, this information on the dog tag could deter thieves looking to steal dogs for breeding purposes.
And if you can, consider walking your dog with another person or in groups.
