French bulldog stolen at gunpoint, Milwaukee man says: 'It's tragic'

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man said his French bulldog was stolen at gunpoint, and he received a ransom call two weeks later.

"It's so unfortunate. It's tragic," said DJuan Staten.

Staten said family time hasn’t been the same since his dog, Rascal, was stolen.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

"My kids, they are heartbroken because that was their friend – a member of our family," he said.

Staten said he let his younger cousin dog-sit last month. About two weeks ago, he got a call that Rascal had been stolen near 58th and Villard.

French bulldog, Rascal, who owner said was stolen at gunpoint in Milwaukee

"He said that his girlfriend was walking the dog and two guys jumped out of a car, maybe like a Malibu or something," he said. "Held her up at gunpoint, demanded the dog."

Staten runs an organization called Enkredibulls, which trains dogs and connects them with children. He said that makes Rascal even more special.

"That dog is not just a dog to breed, or sell, or look pretty for somebody," he said. "That dog is changing children's lives. He's been working with a few autistic children, kind of like therapy sessions." 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

With Rascal still missing, Staten took to social media. That took a turn when he said he received a threatening call.

"I said, ‘Do you have him?’ He said, ‘How much you got for him?’ I said, 'I don't have anything.' He said, ‘Well keep putting up posts on Facebook and have a good life,’" he recalled.

Staten said he just wants his dog back safely, no questions asked. He said if you see the dog to contact him or police.