Jess Gary was holding on tight to her dogs Monday after she spent nearly 36 hours without one of them,15-year-old Fidel.
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"He was just a few feet behind me and I heard a yelp," said Gary. "And as soon as I looked behind me he was gone."
The chihuahua mix was swiped as he ran around in Prospect Park at 8 a.m. Saturday, when dogs can be off leash.
"The most shocking thing is that it happened at all," she said. "It's a place where people feel safe with their dogs."
Jess posted on social media and plastered signs around the neighborhood. She offered a reward of $3,000.
On Sunday a tip came in that led Jess to look near Atlantic Station.
She and two friends waited in their car. Just when they were ready to quit looking, Jess spotted her dog being walked by a woman.
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One of Jess' friends ripped the leash out of the woman's hand, while another friend scooped up Fidel.
The woman claimed she had found the dog, and a man she was with tried to snatch him back.
"He tried to open the car doors, and when he couldn't do that he began hitting the car windows with a skateboard," said Gary.
They don't know who that man and woman are, and neither do police.
Jess won't let her dogs off leash now and says she won't be headed back to Prospect Park anytime soon.
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