05/04/2021
SANTA MONICA, CA — The owner of Melo, a French bulldog who went missing from Santa Monica, and was last possibly seen in Venice, is now offering a $7,000 reward for his safe return — no questions asked.
Melo went missing seven months ago in a Santa Monica apartment parking garage. His owner, Yuki, set him down on the ground while getting something from her car trunk and when she looked back Melo was gone. An apartment security camera showed Melo leaving the apartment through the garage gate.
French bulldogs like Melo — the same breed as Lady Gaga's dogs that were stolen in February in a heist that left her dogwalker shot — are very popular. Dog thefts are also surprisingly common in Los Angeles. But unlike the arrests last week in the Gaga dog thefts, Melo's owner is not looking for anyone to get in trouble. And she fears that could be why people who have him have not returned him.
His owner has spoken to local law enforcement, news outlets, tried creating flyers, social media posts, and even has a team of local volunteers and friends who have searched the area. She's spent months talking to people along the boardwalk, trying to get a sense of who might have her dog. She is now pregnant, expecting a baby in weeks to come, and just wants Melo back.
"I'm six months pregnant," his owner told Patch. "I found out right after I lost him, like a week after or something, and I wasn't seeping eating, and I was so tired."
She misses her dog and wants him home. She's even been hospitalized.
"I thought I was going to lose the baby," she said. "It was so hard. I would have breakdowns, sometimes it's a big one so I can't do anything for three days. I would cry every day, like every day like 10 times a day."
People tell her to get another dog, but that's not how it works. Melo is her baby, her family. People have even tried to scam her.
"They'll call and say 'I have your dog in Fresno, send me a deposit,'" she said. "Some people say, 'Hey I found your dog.' And I'll say, 'Oh really?' And they'll hang up."
"I think many people are starting to forget about Melo," she said.
But she's still looking. She doesn't want to give up.
Melo has a white, star-shaped patch on his chest. He has severe allergies and a skin condition. He was last seen wearing a purple harness. The dog could now be microchipped under someone else's name and address, his owner told Patch.
If you have any information about where Melo is located, and to help bring him home, contact [email protected] or 424-353-7300. Visit the website for more information. www.bringmelobackhome.con
Santa Monica Patch Article by Nicole Charky published this morning:
https://patch.com/california/santamonica/7k-reward-offered-find-missing-french-bulldog-melo
Frenchie Melo went missing seven months ago in Santa Monica. His owner, who is pregnant and expecting a baby, wants him home.
