CHARLOTTE — Jayla Gittens said her car and French Bulldog were stolen while she was moving. She said her dog is still missing and needs him back as soon as possible.
“I was in shock,” Gittens said. “I just turned around, and I was like, ‘I know my car was right there.’”
Gittens said she was moving out of a north Charlotte apartment on Sunday.
She ran inside briefly to grab more boxes, which was when a man jumped into her running car and drove off.
Many of her belongings were inside, including a work laptop. wallet and phone, but most importantly, her dog, Julio, was in the back seat.
“I’m just scared for my dog,” Gittens said. “I know that they’re probably going to try to sell him and he is a little bit older. He has some health issues, and I know he can’t be away for that long with people who don’t know him. I know he gets anxious, and I know he just wants to go home and I want him home.”
Gittens said she has moved into her new home in Plaza Midwood but is missing her beloved pet.
She said police told her that her license plate and wallet were found in the Huntersville area.
Gittens said she knew that owning a French Bulldog was a risk because of their value.
The American Kennel Club told ABC News last year that twice as many French Bulldogs were reported stolen compared to other breeds.
“As a French Bulldog owner, you know that there is that inherent risk, so I always try to be vigilant, but I guess I just let my guard down when I was moving my stuff,” Gittens said.
Gittens said her new apartment won’t fell like home without her companion, and her goal is to have him back.
“If you have the dog, if you know someone who has the dog, please drop him off at a local shelter,” she said. “I don’t even care about police. I just want my dog.”
If you recognize that dog or have any information that could lead police to it, you’re asked to call the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
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