EL CAJON -- An El Cajon man has a warning for dog owners: beware of a dognapper.
“It’s just evil. Any other description you wouldn’t be able to say on TV,” said Ryan Guzman.
He says on the afternoon of Jan. 2, he was getting reading to go to a wedding when he opened the sliding door to the backyard, expecting to see Bronson, a 3-year-old Rottweiler.
“He usually comes and nothing. Then I went to the side gate and it was open. It was pure panic,” said Guzman.
The frantic search that followed led to a shelter.
Guzman learned the man who brought Bronson in -- had seen someone trying to corral the 145-pound dog not far from the house.
So how did he get out?
Opening the gate requires lifting a latch and dragging a gate above dirt. It isn't easy. Bronson getting out on his own was unlikely.
Still, in case the dog did accidentally get out, Guzman put down large pieces of wood to block the gate.
Fast forward to late Wednesday night. After getting home from work, Guzman found the wood tossed aside, the gate open and Bronson missing - again.
“That's when panic turned to anger and fear because I knew someone had taken him,” said Guzman.
Soon after, he found Bronson six houses down, near a neighbor.
“The neighbor came out and saw Bronson - head down - growling at someone kneeled down trying to corral him,” said Guzman.
That someone took off, when the neighbor came out.
“Bronson's friendly and playful, but I think dogs can sense something. He was not pleased with this person. The man picked the wrong dog,” said Guzman.
Guzman has added more locks to the gate.
Because it was dark, the neighbor didn't get a good description of the man.
If you have any information, call El Cajon Police.
