Bronx Family Believes 9-Year-Old Daughter's Service Dog Was Stolen
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Bronx family was desperately searching for their beloved service dog Saturday.
Surveillance video shows what appear to be two women walking with the black lab mix just minutes after he was left outside.
Family video shared with CBS2's Lisa Rozner captured some of the last moments 9-year-old Katie Castro had with her service dog, Jake.
"Katie suffers from anxiety attacks," Katie's mom, Luisa, said. "Jake knows if she's not feeling her best without even saying a word."
On Tuesday night, the dog was allegedly stolen – the family says by two women. Police have not confirmed whether they are suspects.
Katie's dad, Hector, told Rozner he left Jake outside Key Food on Westchseter Avenue just before 10 p.m.
"I ran into the supermarket for a few minutes and when I came out, Jake was gone," he said. "It was like a dog-napping."
Hector said when he walked outside, he went over to the bench and found the leash was cut and the dog was nowhere to be found.
Around the same time, surveillance video from a nearby deli shows two women walking with a dog, which the family said is Jake.
"One of them is pulling him, and he just won't go," said Luisa.
The family believes one of the women went inside the deli to buy the dog some meat in an effort to lure him.
Now, they have a message for the women.
"No questions asked, return Jake back home, because there's a little girl who really relies on him and needs him," Luisa said.
Neighbors said the same.
"Do the right thing man, bring the dog back," one man said.
"If I see these people, I definitely will do something. It just seems so set up," a woman added.
The family told Katie that Jake is at a groomer out of state, afraid of what her reaction might be. They're offering a $500 reward for information that helps them him.
The NYPD said it is investigating.
