Ali Zacharias isn’t a professional stunt woman, but her harrowing ordeal, captured on video January 18, made for pulse-pounding footage.
Standing outside Whole Foods grocery store on 8th Street and Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, Zachary’s was approached by a woman who snatched her French bulldog, Onyx.
Clutching Onyx, the woman dove into a waiting car, its driver at the ready. Zachary’s flung herself onto the hood of the car, a white Kia Forte. She grasped the windshield wipers as the car peeled away from the curb.
“I was like, ‘I'm not letting this car go,’” Zacharias told CBS News. “Before I knew it we were driving down the block and picking up speed and I was freaking out for my life . . .”
Neighborhood resident, Harrison Pessey, told the LA Times that he was headed home when he heard “the screeching of the car and screaming.” Messy shot the video as the car sped from the scene. It has since gone viral.
Zacharias clung to the hood for about a block. “I thought I was going to die,” she said. She tumbled off the hood when the driver swerved at 9th and Grand. Her external injuries were limited to a few cuts and bruises; her emotional loss sliced far deeper.
“Whatever I'm doing, I'm just sad that like I'm not doing with Onyx, or that he's missing out,” Zacharias said.
The LAPD reviewed nearby security cam footage and has released still photos of the suspects, both believed to be in their mid-20s. Witnesses or others with knowledge of the crime were urged to contact Detective Mazzacano or Detective Stanziale at (213) 996-1877. Last Friday, police arrested Sadie Slater, 21, a suspect in the crime. As of press time, Onyx had not been recovered.
French Bulldogs have surged in popularity since 2020, making them an attractive target for heartless thieves. In February, 2021, Lady Gaga’s dog walker was shot point blank and Gaga’s two Frenchies stolen. The dogs were returned after the music icon promised to pay a $500,000 no-questions-asked reward. She later prevailed in a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Jennifer McBride, who was ultimately charged with receiving stolen property.
For anyone insensitive to the plight of these dog owners, please remember that pure bred and “designer dogs” together comprise 25-30 percent of shelter populations nationwide.
Pets are worthy of love and security no matter where they come from. So are pets’ human parents.