Authorities arrested a woman on suspicion of stealing a French bulldog in downtown Los Angeles last month in an incident that drew attention when onlookers filmed the victim clinging to the hood of a car as it sped away with her dog, Onyx, inside.
Police arrested Sadie Slater, 21, of Los Angeles, in connection with the crime, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Onyx had not been recovered as of Saturday afternoon, but detectives were still conducting interviews, police said.
Ali Zacharias' heartbreak began on Jan. 18 when she was having lunch with Onyx at Whole Foods on Grand Avenue near 8th Street, she told The Times in an interview. Onlookers watched the 44-year-old woman interact with her dog: a French bulldog with black and white spots, just over a year old, with different colored eyes, the left one blue and the right green.
The next thing Zacharias knew, he said, a woman had picked up Onyx and was leaving with him.
Onyx, a French bulldog with one blue and one green eye, was stolen from his owner in downtown Los Angeles on January 18.
(Alí Zacarías)
Zacharias said she tried to follow the woman to a car, a white Kia Forte with four people in it, before being ejected. That's when she stepped in front of the car in an attempt to stop it, then fell on the hood as it moved forward, he said.
She rode on the hood for a short distance before the car swerved and she rolled away. She was bruised and cut, but not seriously injured, she said.
Video of the ordeal was posted on Instagram and shared widely.
French bulldogs are one of the most popular small breed dogs in the world, according to the American Kennel Club, “especially among city dwellers.” They are known for their square heads, bat-like ears, and charming disposition. Expensive and in high demand, dogs have been a favorite target for thieves in recent years in the Los Angeles area.
Two of Lady Gaga's French bulldogs were stolen in February 2021 and her dog walker was shot and wounded during the robbery. The woman who recovered them and later filed a lawsuit, attempting to claim the $500,000 reward, was found to be involved with the dog kidnappers. Most recently, thieves stole 12 purebred French bulldogs, including a 10-month-old show dog named Roll X, from a Gardena pet store.
Slater was taken into custody Friday night in Inglewood by members of the LAPD's narcotics and gang division and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, according to investigators. She was booked on suspicion of robbery and remained jailed Saturday on $70,000 bail, jail records indicate.
Zacharias has offered a reward for the safe return of his beloved pet.
Onyx, a French bulldog with one blue and one green eye, was stolen from his owner in downtown Los Angeles on January 18.
(Alí Zacarías)
