Lady Gaga's dog saga comes to a happy ending with the safe return of the singer's stolen French Bulldogs. On Wednesday night, two of Gaga's three dogs were taken by thieves who callously shot the dog walker. Fortunately, Gaga's assistant survived and is expected to make a full recovery. Extremely distraught over the missing pets, Gaga had also offered a $500,000 reward for the dogs' safe return with "no questions asked."
Friday evening at around 6 p.m., the stolen dogs were returned at the LAPD's Olympic Community Police Station. Physically unharmed (but probably traumatized), the dogs have since been returned to Lady Gaga's representatives. The singer reportedly cried "tears of joy" when she heard that the dogs were back home. Meanwhile, Gaga's assistant is said to be in serious but stable condition.
Reportedly, the dogs were returned by a woman who "appears to be a good samaritan" and claims to have simply found the dogs and brought them in. It's not yet clear if and when the woman will collect Gaga's $500,000 reward. The LAPD continues to investigate the armed robbery with the shooters are still on the loose. Surveillance footage captured the entire incident on camera, which showed the suspects leaving the scene in what appears to be a white Nissan Altima. You can watch the footage here, but be warned, it is disturbing.
Before her dogs were returned, Lady Gaga had taken to social media to address the situation, pleading for the return of her pets and praising her assistant as a hero. Posting photos of the pets to Instagram, Gaga wrote in the caption: "My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago. My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness. I will pay $500,000 for their safe return... Or, if you bought or found them unknowingly, the reward is the same. I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family. You're forever a hero."
Gaga was not home at the time of the robbery, as she's busy in Rome working on her next movie House of Gucci. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie co-stars Al Pacino, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, and Jeremy Irons. The "Born This Way" singer is also known for her starring role in the musical drama A Star Is Born opposite Bradley Cooper. For that performance, Gaga was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards and picked up the win for Best Original Song with "Shallow."
French Bulldog thefts are on the rise, and it's likely the thieves didn't even know they were abducting a celebrity's pets. It's fortunate that Gaga's pets were able to come home, but the situation should also serve as a warning to other pet owners. Microchipping is one of the most important precautions one can take with their dogs, especially in-demand breeds like French Bulldogs, so they can be identified if they're ever taken to a vet. It has also been advised not to walk their dogs at night. This news comes to us from TMZ.