She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, so she took a double-take. The woman was nonchalantly strolling around with the man beside her -- her accomplice. With them was the prize she’d snatched from right under Jess’ nose just a day earlier.
Did she really think she could get away with it? Not on Jess’ watch. Jess was about to go full vigilante on the unsuspecting couple, and she didn’t care about the consequences.
37-year-old Jess Gary’s dogs were her pride and joy, but Fidel, a 15-year-old Chihuahua mix, had always had a special place in her heart. She even has a dedicated Instagram account called thetinywolves, where she documents Tito and Fidel’s hilarious antics.
But when the unthinkable happened she never imagined her reaction to cause such a stir among her fanbase – and indeed, worldwide.
Fidel, who was getting on in years, enjoyed nothing more than to visit the local dog park with his owner Jess and best dog-friend, Tito. Aside from the usual spats between dogs and their owners, these visits were relaxing for both Jess and her small companions.
Jess especially enjoyed visiting the park on Saturdays, when the dogs were allowed to be off-lead. That was her first mistake.
Jess strolled through Prospect Park, daydreaming as Fidel and Tito lazily sniffed the trees and bushes. She had a lot on her mind and was finding it hard to just relax and be in the present moment.
She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice when a man started following closely behind her -- until it was too late.
The tall figure was sure to stay out of Jess’ view, keeping to her blind spot on the right, just behind her. He trailed the trio as they wandered through the middle of the park, watching Fidel and Tito closely as they were distracted by all the new sights and smells.
He was waiting for the perfect moment, and when it came he didn’t hesitate.
It all happened in an instant. One minute, Jess had her eyes on the path in front of her, and a quick glance behind had assured her that Fidel was keeping up.
Deep in thought, an alarmed yelp broke her concentration. She turned quickly on her heel and was faced with her worst nightmare.
Jess’ eyes flew from the bushes on each side of the path to the grassy hill in the distance, but she couldn’t see Fidel. Fear pumped through her and froze her blood into icicles as she continued to search, but she already had a sinking feeling in her heart that something terrible had happened.
It was every dog mom's worst nightmare, and she was living it.
With no people as witnesses, Jess didn’t even know how to begin. The few people scattered around the park hadn’t seen a thing. Her heart grew heavier and heavier as she continued to search for Fidel.
After hours and with the park closing, she knew she’d have to face the inevitable. Her heart broke when she returned home without her beloved companion by her side.
Why would someone have taken her dog? The thought was inconceivable to Jess. With hardly any sleep and fears gnawing at her mind, she got to work early the next morning.
She made hundreds of fliers, posted on social media, and called the local animal shelters and vets. But still, there was no sign of Fidel. Then, someone came forward with some startling information.
Someone had seen the man who had snatched Fidel. He was described as a tall and lanky man in his thirties, with curly blonde hair. Then, he was spotted near Atlantic Station.
Jess knew exactly what she had to do. With adrenaline and fury coursing through her veins, she decided then and there that there was no need to get the authorities involved. She was coming for him.
With two of her best friends by her side, Jess scoped the station from her car. She inspected every man’s face carefully as they walked by until she spotted the perpetrator. He was strolling casually with a woman by his side.
Jess’ eyes followed the leash the woman gripped tightly in her hand and was infuriated when she saw that it was attached to a small dog. Her dog. It was Fidel.
Although her friends tried to calm her down, Jess didn’t waste a second once she had locked on her target. “That’s Fidel!” she yelled, Incredulous at the brazenness of the couple and fuelled by blind rage. Only a moment had passed before she flew out of the car.
The woman didn’t even see her coming. She didn’t stand a chance.
Jess swooped down on the surprised couple and snatched her little dog back. The woman let out a yell of alarm and reached for the leash, but she wasn’t fast enough.
Jess yanked the lead from the woman’s hands before she could fight back and sprinted back to the safety of the car. But the man – the dognapper – wasn’t done with Jess yet.
The man reached the car just as Jess slid inside and locked the doors. But before she could pull off, he blocked her from the left and began to pull at the door handle.
A sickening moment passed when he realized that the doors were locked and he couldn’t get to the women huddled inside. Then, he pulled a skateboard out from his backpack.
“When he couldn’t open the car doors, he began hitting the car window with a skateboard,” Jess recalled. While the man was slamming his board into the car window, Jess managed to throw the car into gear and speed away.
Her first stop was the NYPD. But would she have to explain her actions?
Thankfully, the police understood Jess’ predicament and she was in the clear. In an interview with CBS, when Jess was asked if she had stolen her dog back, she replied with: “We brought Fidel back to his rightful home.” But what about the dognapper?
Was he caught? And did he ever receive his comeuppance?
Jess doesn’t think that the woman who was walking Fidel had anything to do with his disappearance and that the man who had snatched him had probably sold him to her.
While we’d like to report that the dognapper was apprehended and punished for all the heartache he caused Jess, he’s still at large.
But at least Fidel is back home where he belongs. Jess posted an update on Instagram that he was safe and sound, and people who were following the story were overjoyed at the good news.
But, Jess still has some concerns for the future. The first was about the hundreds of fliers she’d plastered all over town.
On the #FindFidel thread, Jess wrote: “It was a scary altercation, so we would appreciate help getting the signs down as they have personal contact information on them. THANK YOU everyone who helped posting online and in person.
We are so moved by the community that rallied around us both in NYC and LA. This was an amazing effort -- we did this together!”
One thing’s for sure, Jess will think twice about walking her precious pooches off-lead at Prospect Park again! But, thanks to her courage, friends, and the help from Fidel’s fans, she managed to get her beloved dog back.
It’s shocking to think that the brazen robbery occurred in the daylight hours at a busy park, so to all dog parents: please be aware and microchip your dogs. You might not be as lucky as Jess!