Tiny Maltipoo Stolen Directly Out of 5-Year-Old Child's Arms in Florida
On Saturday in Lauderhill, Florida, a five-year-old named Aaliyah Francis was playing in her yard with her one-year-old Maltipoo when the unthinkable happened.
An unknown woman came up to the little girl and asked to pet her dog. Aaliyah, because she is a trusting child, let them woman pet her dog and the woman snatched the dog out of her arms.
How anyone could do this to a child is just unimaginable.
WSVN reports, "A lady came, I picked up the dog, and a lady came and said she wanted to pet the dog and when she pet the dog, she took it out of my hand and went to the car and drove away,” said Aaliyah.
The girl said the woman, who was driving a black Sedan, pulled up to the side of the girl’s home. She said the blonde-haired, short woman asked the pet the dog, named Crystal, and took her from her hands.
Related: Los Angeles Woman Clings To Car Roof As French Bulldog Is Stolen
The report states that both the kids cried themselves to sleep. How terrible for these kids.
The article also quotes little Aaliyah who said, "That is so bad. That is rude. You’re not supposed to be doing that, that’s our dog."
We hope this family gets Crystal back soon and the lady who stole the little dog gets what's coming to her. Kids get so emotionally attached to animals and the fact that this happened right in the front yard is just awful. My heart breaks for this while family.
How To Protect Your Dog From Being Stolen
It's ridiculous that a person has to think they can't even let their kids play in the yard with the dog, but I guess that's the sort of world we live in now. You can't guarantee your precious fur baby will never be stolen, but there are a few steps you can take to protect yourself and your pet.
Have your dog microchipped. This won't protect your pup from being stolen, but if they are stolen and the thief tries to register them or change the microchip information you will be notified by the company.
Spay or neuter your pet. A lot of times thieves target unaltered pets so they can breeds puppies and then sell these puppies.
Take lots of photos of your pet and of you with your pet. This can be helpful if you have to prove ownership of your pet and to also give to law enforcement.
Vary the routes you take when walking your dog, and try to walk with a buddy when possible.
Don't post public photos of your pets on social media, especially with identifying markers like street signs in the background, the doggy daycare name, where you take them to get groomed or places you visit on a regular basis.
Don't leave your dog or cat outside unattended.
If the worst does happen, alert your local police immediately and tell all of your family, friends and veterinarian.
The article also states that: If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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