DogExpress
Marieke Bayens, 27, was viciously robbed at gunpoint on a California street by two crooks who weren’t after her money or her. They were looking for Merlyn, a French bulldog, her pet dog.
Thefts of the treasured breed have been on the upswing from New York to Los Angeles, and from Miami to Chicago.
Small and friendly, it’s easy to pick up. French bulldogs are extremely popular, with illegal market prices reaching thousands of dollars. They also have the allure of being a “star dog.”
Lady Gaga has been the most well-known victim thus far. Last year, armed guys kidnapped her two bulldogs, Koji, and Gustav, and opened fire on a staffer walking them.
The pups were eventually returned after the superstar singer offered a $500,000 bounty for their recovery. In this case, police made five arrests.
In November, while walking Merlyn, a friend’s dog, in Oakland, California, Bayens survived a similar terrible attack. The heinous attack took place in broad daylight.
Bulldog thefts have been carried out around the country using similar cold-blooded methods.
Last year, residents in San Francisco heard the horrific story of Sarah Vorhaus, a 30-year-old woman who was stopped by three armed men — one of whom was viciously abused — before they took her five-month-old French bulldog, Chloe. The young woman was photographed with a severely swollen face on social media.
So, what makes French bulldogs such a desirable target for thieves?
There are two main reasons for this: their high resale value ($3,500 to $5,000 or more) and their rarity.
Experts suggest dog owners get their pets planted with computer chips for tracking. They also recommend always keeping pets on a leash when outdoors. Ensure to keep the dog’s identity papers in a safe place and use a GPS-equipped collar. Don’t let strangers in their homes.
But the most important tip – and one that is likely to go unheeded – concerns social media: owners are strongly advised to avoid posting cute images or videos of their pets on social media.
in Chandigarh, India. 
