Lady Gaga’s Dog Walker Is Shot 4 Times, French Bulldogs Stolen

Update February 26, 2021: Lady Gaga took to Instagram to address the harrowing incident that took place in Los Angeles two days earlier. Her dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot by gunmen who tried to steal the star's three French bulldogs, and made off with two. Gaga thanked Fischer for "risking [his] life" for her "family."

"My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago," Lady Gaga wrote alongside a photo of her three dogs. "My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness. I will pay $500,000 for their safe return. Email KojiandGustav@gmail.com to contact us. Or, if you bought or found them unknowingly, the reward is the same."

Gaga then thanked her dog walker, who was shot by the assailants that stole the French Bulldogs. He is alive and currently in recovery at an LA hospital. "I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family. You're forever a hero."

Two men reportedly shot Lady Gaga’s professional dog walker, Ryan Fischer, four times in the chest and then stole two of the singer’s three French bulldogs.

At around 10 p.m. on February 24, Fischer had been walking Gaga's beloved dogs Koji, Miss Asia, and Gustavo in Los Angeles’ West Hollywood neighborhood when he was shot right outside of his own home. The assailants took Koji and Gustavo, but Miss Asia evaded them.

Police who arrived on the scene reportedly found the 30-year-old “conscious but barely breathing” on the sidewalk as he cradled Miss Asia, and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Gaga's bodyguard picked up the dog at the police station.

A source close to the singer told CNN added that Fischer is "recovering well."

The dog walker had been reportedly taking care of Gaga’s pets while she was away filming a her upcoming drama Gucci in Rome. It's still unclear whether the assailants knew that the dogs belonged to the star, or if they were just targeting them because French bulldogs are known to be expensive (valued at anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000) and in high demand. The shooters were reportedly spotted fleeing the scene in a white four-door Nissan Altima, according to police.

The source also added that Gaga "is offering half-a-million dollars to anyone who has her two dogs, no questions asked. Anyone who has the dogs can use this email, KojiandGustav@gmail.com to retrieve the reward."

“We’re just sick over it, it’s really horrible,” Gaga's father, Joe Germanotta, told The New York Post on February 25. “It’s like someone took one of your kids.” 

Refinery29 reached out to Gaga’s representatives for comment.