North Hollywood family pleads for return of 12-year-old French Bulldog stolen from their yard

A North Hollywood family is pleading for the safe return of their beloved 12-year-old French Bulldog named Domino, who was stolen out of their yard on Tuesday. 

"The whole reason I am here is to get my dog back," said Jason Bitonio. "To get him back to his family. Explaining to a five-year-old why his best friend isn't around is disheartening. 

Bitonio says that Domino is not only an older dog, but he's also on medication. 

"He's elderly ... a grumpy little guy. Vocal, and he's got a lot of chronic conditions, as a lot of French Bulldogs do. So he does need medication, and he does need specialized care," he said.

The family says that it happened at around 7:30 p.m., when Domino used the home's doggy door to go outside. About 15 minutes later, Bitonio went to check on him and immediately knew something was wrong.

"I looked around for him and then I saw the gate was open," he said. 

Video shows the moments that a masked woman walks into the backyard and grabs Domino before calmly strolling away. Bitonio says that what the camera doesn't show is a second woman who was involved in the theft. 

They've put up fliers around their neighborhood and have filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department. They're hopeful that the fact that Domino is chipped will help them find him faster.