A Washington DC woman experienced every pet owner’s worst nightmare, after her dog was ruthlessly stolen from her at gunpoint.
But thankfully, the story now has a happy ending.
On Saturday, Zaleena Ahmed was walking her West Highland White Terrier Max in Northeast DC when she was approached by a man in a mask and hoodie, according to WUSA 9.
The robber grabbed Max’s leash, and when she tried to resist he hit her on the forehead with his gun. When Zaleena tried to get help from a man in an SUV, she realized the driver was also in on the robbery.
The robbers snatched the dog and drove away. While Zaleena sustained a forehead gash and some bruises, she was far more concerned for her dog’s safety. Max is nearly 14 years old and has declining health, with failing vision and no teeth. He is also on liver supplements.
Max also served as Zaleena’s emotional support animal, and comforted her after she lost her mother in a car crash. “We survived so much together,” she told WUSA.
“He just provides that additional support that I don’t have from my mom anymore, and so I just like need him… I just want my sidekick back.”
“He may just be a dog, but he’s like a part of my family,” she told NBC Washington. “The only piece of family that I actually have out here in D.C.”
DC Police began an investigation, and Zaleena pleaded with the robbers to drop Max off at a shelter.
Three days after the robbery, they got some good news. A man named David Graham saw a dog walking down the sidewalk and realized it looked familiar.
“I said it looked like the dog that was on the news, but it was friendly so that’s why I thought it was the dog that was on the news,” Graham told WUSA 9. “So I just put him in the car and brought him up here.”
He called the police, who confirmed that the dog was Max. Zaleena picked him up at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens on Tuesday, six miles from where the robbery took place.
Despite the ordeal and Max’s age, the dog was reported to be in good health, and Zaleena has given him his favorite toy and treats.
What a heartbreaking thing for anyone to go through, but we’re so glad Max has been found safe and sound and is back with his loving owner!
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