French bulldog stolen in break-in of Bay Shore home

A Bay Shore woman says her 3-month-old French bulldog was stolen from her home on Saturday.
Catherine Vasquez says her dog named Zushi, some cash and clothing were taken from her house on Farrington Avenue late at night.
“I don’t care about the stuff so much. I wish they would have just left him,” she says.
Nicole Ackerson Varela is a French bulldog breeder in Colorado where Zushi came from. She says the breed is highly valuable, which makes them targets for theft.
“I’ve seen French bulldogs go from $2,500 to tens of thousands of dollars, so I think people are stealing them because they think, ‘I can sell this dog and get a quick buck off of it,’” Ackerson Varela says.
Earlier this year, Lady Gaga’s two bulldogs were stolen but later recovered.
Vasquez says all she and her family want is for Zushi to safely come home.
She says, “2021 has been one of the worst years of my life, so I’m really hoping to end it on a good note.”
Zushi is microchipped. Authorities ask anyone with information on the theft to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
The Suffolk SPCA says it’s common for dog thieves to find their targets on social media.
Officials urge dog owners to protect their privacy when posting photos or videos of their pets on social media, just like you would for a child.