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Agence France-Presse

The two thieves who brutally robbed 27-year-old Marieke Bayens at gunpoint on a California street were not after her purse – or her. They wanted the little dog at the end of her leash: Merlyn, a French bulldog.
From New York to Los Angeles, and from Miami to Chicago, thefts of the prized breed have been on the rise.
Small and friendly – and thus easy to grab – French bulldogs are hugely popular, selling for thousands of dollars on the black market.
They have the added draw of being a “dog of the stars”.
The most famous victim so far has been Lady Gaga. Armed men last year stole her pet bulldogs Koji and Gustav, even opening fire on an employee who was walking them (he was wounded but survived).












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A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)



The superstar singer offered a US$500,000 reward for their return and eventually got the dogs back. Police made five arrests in the case.
Bayens survived a similarly traumatic attack in November while walking Merlyn, a friend’s dog, in the California city of Oakland. The brazen attack occurred in broad daylight.
“I was waiting for Merlyn to go about his business when I saw two people coming,” she told said. “Before I knew it, one was in front of me pointing a gun at my face and said: ‘Give me the dog’.

“The other had already grabbed Merlyn off the ground, and when I didn’t respond to the one pointing the gun, the other pulled the rest of Merlyn’s leash out from my hand. They ran away towards their car and sped away down a street,” going the wrong way on a one-way street, she said.
Bulldog thefts elsewhere in the country have been carried out with similar cold-blooded tactics.
China embraces feline overlords for pet companions
Last year, people in San Francisco heard the distressing story of 30-something Sarah Vorhaus, who was stopped by three armed men – and brutally beaten by one – before they made off with her five-month-old French bulldog Chloe. Pictures on social media showed the young woman with a badly swollen face.

SAN FRANCISCO ATTACK: Sarah Vorhaus says she was assaulted at gunpoint by three men while on a walk with her dogs in Russian Hill tonight. She says they punched her in the face and drove off with her 5-month-old French Bulldog, Chloe. pic.twitter.com/hFhA0sBg8z
— Liz Kreutz (@ABCLiz) January 6, 2021

So why are French bulldogs quite such a tempting target for thieves?
Two key reasons: their high resale value – US$3,500 to US$5,000 or more – and their relative rarity, Brandi Hunter Munden, vice-president of the American Kennel Club, said.
“This is not a breed that has large litters … and it can take a while to get one,” she said. “Their rise in popularity has led to an increase in thefts.
Crazy rich Asian pets: Hong Kong stars who spoil their cats and dogs rotten
“The use of violence, however, is new and alarming.”
In the face of the spate of “dognappings”, experts offer a list of precautions for owners: have a computer chip implanted in the pet to allow tracing; always keep it on a leash when outdoors (and seal any dog door that allows it to leave home unescorted); keep its identity papers in a safe place; use a GPS-equipped collar; and be wary of strangers who come knocking.

But the most crucial recommendation – and the one probably least observed – involves social media: owners are strongly urged to resist the temptation of posting cute photos or videos of their pets, which may allow thieves to locate them.
Countless celebrities – actors, athletes, musicians, models and influencers – have ignored that rule. They include stars like Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Jackman, Chrissy Teigen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, Michael Phelps and Hilary Duff.
Hong Kong police hunting 3 criminals who hijacked van, stole 35 stray pets
So it’s not surprising that Hollywood has become a hotspot of French-bulldog thievery.
In late December, one resident nearly lost his life in an incident near Sunset Boulevard.
Robert Marinelli was walking Luca, his eight-year-old bulldog, when he was attacked.
Two thieves beat him brutally, and when his shirt was caught in their car door, he was dragged briefly on the ground.
He suffered extensive injuries and was hospitalised.


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Pets

Why thieves are snatching French bulldogs across the US

French bulldogs are a tempting target for thieves because of their high resale value - US$3,500 to US$5,000 or more. Photo: AFP

A police officer holds a French bulldog that was taken from his owner during an armed robbery in Culver City, California. Photo: AFP

A woman walking a French bulldog in New York City. Photo: AFP

Lady Gaga’s dog walker speaks out after Hollywood shooting

US singer Lady Gaga attends the Met Gala in New York in May 2019. Photo: Reuters

All hail our feline overlords: Cats prove way more popular than dogs in China

Most of the survey respondents were relatively young. Photo: Getty Images

The pet industry in China has boomed in the past decade. Photo: Getty Images

Unfortunately for dogs, they are simply not as popular as cats in China. Photo: Getty Images

Love of cats is even helping people make new friends. Photo: Getty Images

Crazy rich Asian pets: 5 Hong Kong celebrities who spoil their cats and dogs rotten, from Nicholas Tse’s rumoured separate pad for his animals to Kelly Cheung’s Rosewood pet staycation

Hong Kong celebrities like Nicholas Tse, Elanne Kong and Liza Wang love to spoil their pets.Pictures: @chefnicookies, @catseasonshotel, @wang_liza/Instagram

Nicholas Tse’s pets occasionally get featured on his Chef Nic products. Photo: @nicholastsefansclub/Instagram

Nicholas Tse occasionally posts updates about his pets Miso, Dashi and Mustard on his Instagram page. Photo: @chefnicookies/Instagram

Liza Wang is one of Hong Kong’s most well-known celebrities. Photo: @wang_liza/Instagram

Hong Kong singer and actress Elanne Kong opened a cat hotel during the pandemic. Photo: @elannek930/Instagram

Hong Kong actress Joyce Chen received critical acclaim for her role in 2001 drama Virtues of Harmony. Photo: 陳彥行Joyce Chen/Facebook

Joyce Chen and her dogs. Photo: 陳彥行Joyce Chen/Facebook

Hong Kong actress Kelly Cheung hosted TVB programme Dolce Vita. Photo: @kelllycheung/Instagram

Manhunt on for 3 criminals who hijacked delivery van in northwestern Hong Kong and stole 35 stray cats and dogs

The junction of Nim Wan Road and Deep Bay Road, near where robbers hijacked a delivery van and made off with dozens of stray pets. Photo: Handout

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World

United States & Canada

French bulldogs are considered the ‘dog of the stars’, selling for thousands on the black market
The most famous victim so far has been Lady Gaga - armed men last year stole her pet bulldogs


From New York to Los Angeles, and from Miami to Chicago, thefts of the prized breed have been on the rise.


Why thieves are snatching French bulldogs across the US

French bulldogs are considered the ‘dog of the stars’, selling for thousands on the black market The most famous victim so far has been Lady Gaga - armed men last year stole her pet bulldogs

French bulldogs are considered the ‘dog of the stars’, selling for thousands on the black market

The most famous victim so far has been Lady Gaga - armed men last year stole her pet bulldogs