A startling discovery by Livermore police officers solved a year-long mystery that started hundreds of miles away — but ended in Alameda County.
This month, after receiving a report of reckless driving, Livermore police officers located a vehicle on Louis Court — but no driver.
Inside the car, officers found an abandoned French bulldog, that, they later discovered, had been missing for over a year, to the dismay of a California family in Chula Vista (San Diego County).
With the help of Alameda County Sheriff’s technician and the shelter, Muny was reunited with his family, who made the long drive to Dublin to take him home.
Over the year while Muny was missing, the family received messages from a mysterious person who requested payment for the dog’s return, police said in a statement. The family had never followed up on those messages, believing them to be a scam.
The owner of the vehicle where Muny was found was not identified, but officials said the person has a warrant out for their arrest for parole violation, officials wrote.
“Technically it wasn’t a theft, since (Muny’s) owner said the dog was running around loose,” said Azenith Smith, spokesperson for the Livermore Police department. “However, the person who found the dog didn’t return it. Further investigation is needed.”
Nevertheless, police say they are continuing to respond to incidents all over the Bay Area involving lost and stolen French bulldogs.
Just last week, Alameda County Sheriff’s officials responded to an incident where a group of thieves in Castro Valley mugged a mother and daughter at gunpoint and snatched their French bulldog, The Chronicle reported.
The thieves also found the victim’s home address in her purse, along with her car keys, and returned that night to steal her car, police said.
Several high-profile incidents involving French bulldogs have made headlines in recent years, with thieves targeting their owners. Officials say thieves have zeroed in on the dogs’ popularity and high price point; Frenchies can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000.
The phenomenon first received national attention after Lady Gaga’s dogwalker was shot — and her two French bulldogs were stolen — in Hollywood. Last January, three men allegedly assaulted a woman in Russian Hill and robbed her of her 5-month-old French bulldog.
Other incidents have been reported in San Jose and San Lorenzo.
Experts have warned Bay Area bulldog owners to properly tag and microchip their dogs, but also to make sure they are buying them from a reputable breeder who isn’t selling stolen dogs.
Annie Vainshtein (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @annievain
