8-Year-Old Girl's French Bulldog Stolen, Family Offers Reward

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA — A family is offering a $12,000 reward after their French bulldog puppy was stolen at gunpoint outside a North Hollywood store on Saturday.

According to police, the 5-month-old puppy, whose name is Seven, was stolen after two men saw 8-year-old Elani Valencia, her mother, Jasmin and her uncle walking with the dog inside the Target store. The men then followed the uncle to the family's car after he left the store with Seven, while Elani and Jasmin were checking out.

Jasmin told CBS2 Elani's uncle tried to put the dog in the car but that one of the men pulled a gun and grabbed the dog before fleeing.

"It just brought a lot of pain to me, and it really hurt me," said Elani, who got the puppy as a Christmas gift from her mother.

The Valencia family is offering a $12,000 reward for Seven's safe return. Anyone who has the dog or any information of his whereabouts can call the Los Angeles Police Department North Hollywood Division at 818-623-4016.

Recently, the American Kennel Club named French bulldogs the most popular dog in Los Angeles for the third consecutive year.

"The French bulldog continues to be a top favorite for people of Los Angeles for a third year in a row," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. "This breed's playful, alert and smart temperament make it a popular choice for both current and potential dog owners."

However, the city has seen a recent rise in French bulldog theft. Most notably, two of superstar Lady Gaga's prized pets were stolen at gunpoint in Hollywood after two men shot her dog walker. The dogs were later returned by a woman who said she found them. The dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was expected to fully recover.

"Four days ago, while a car sped away and blood poured from my gunshot wound, an angel trotted over and laid next to me," Fischer wrote in the aftermath of the attack. "My panicked screams calmed as I looked at her, even though it registered that the blood pooling around her tiny body was my own."

Earlier in March, Redondo Beach police arrested a man suspected of stealing an 8-week-old French bulldog puppy along Pacific Coast Highway.

City News Service contributed to this report.