Alison Sullivan
On Wednesday night, Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer was seemingly targeted for the three French bulldogs he was walking, Koji, Gustav, and Miss Asia, all belonging to Gaga, in West Hollywood.
Surveillance footage was released by TMZ, supposedly at Gaga’s request, as she is hoping it will bring in leads as to the identity of the two dog thieves. It shows them roll up on Fischer in a white sedan, jump out and start beating on him.
Fischer yells for help and tries to protect the dogs, and then shot in the chest, falling to the ground. Two of the dogs were snatched, but one, Miss Asia, managed to run off and returned to Fischer’s side after the robbers drove off.
Fischer was reportedly found holding onto her and covered in blood. He was brought to the hospital and is in stable condition.
Lady Gaga is currently in Rome and is reportedly distraught by the attack. The Daily Mail says she and Fischer are also friends, and of course, she is concerned for the dogs.
She is offering a $500,000 reward “no questions asked,” which has led to some criticism from law enforcement authorities. The case has just opened and there is some worry that this could set a precedent for targeting celebrity pets for ransom.
It’s actually unclear if Lady Gaga’s dogs were targeted or not. French bulldogs can cost more than $5,000, so an opportunistic thief might see it as a chance to make some money.
On the other hand, the footage definitely shows the car approach Fischer with some focused determination.
It’s unclear if Gaga will return to the U.S. or not as the case continues. She is filming a new movie by Ridley Scott across from Adam Driver.
