Amazon Driver Steals Customer's Beloved French Bulldog and Drives Off
On December 23 it was reported that a dog owner in Spring Hill has her little French Bulldog stolen by an Amazon driver who scooped the pup up and drove off with him in his truck.
The dog had escaped from the owner's fenced in backyard.
According to The Miami Herald “The dog’s owner advised deputies she let her French Bulldog, Kali, outside around 9:15 a.m. ... A short time later she noticed Kali had escaped from the home’s fenced-in backyard,” the sheriff’s office said.
The little dog escaped his backyard and according to witnesses, started chasing the Amazon truck. The driver stopped the truck, scooped the little dog up, and drove off with him in the backseat.
Related: Girl Finds Stolen French Bulldog and Reunites Her With Human Mom in the Most Touching Video
Detectives were able to identify the suspect on Jan. 16 and traced him to a home in Tampa, where the dog was apprehended and returned to his owner. According to the owner, the French Bulldog named Kali cost $4000. The article also states that The 34-year-old man has been charged with grand theft and was released from the Hillsborough County jail after posting a $5,000 bond, officials said.
How To Keep Your Dog Safe From Thieves
Every day there's another news story about a dog that's been stolen from either a car or a home. Sadly, these horrible things happen and when it comes to breaking into your car or your home and taking your fur baby there's not a lot a dog owner can do, other than having security camera installed on their property and hoping there are street cameras placed near where your vehicle is parked.
One thing you can do is have your dog microchipped, so that if they are stolen and they end up abandoned or brought to a vet it can be determined that you are the actual owner. Make sure your dog always wears a collar with your name and contact information on it. It's also a good idea to take current photographs of your dog in case they do go missing, and photographs of you with your dog in case you need further proof of ownership.
Never leave your pup unattended for long periods in your yard, even if it is fenced. Check on your dog often.
Never leave your dog unattended in a car whenever possible. Not only is it a magnet for thieves, temperatures in cars can become either extremely hot or cold putting your pup at risk.
Beware of strangers asking questions about your dog when you're on walks. Vary your times of walks and routes; some dogs are targeted and snatched during walks after being watched previously. Be careful about what you post on social media, and make sure if your settings are public you never have photos of your dog uploaded with identifying street numbers.
If your dog is stolen, call the police immediately and report the loss/theft to the microchip database. This is in case anyone tries to reregister the microchip number you will be altered.
Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
