Last September when Gabriella Sidhu and her partner Chris Casey left their beloved pooch “Mushie” with a dog sitter in North Hollywood, they were looking forward to a night at the movies. Instead, they received a frantic call before they even got to the theater: less than 15 minutes after dropping her off, Mushie had gotten away and she was missing.
“We were supposed to pick Mushie up in a few hours, and now it’s been [over] six months,” recalled Sidhu.
Since then, Sidhu and Casey have remained committed to searching for their 6-year-old French bulldog – often affectionately referred to as “Frenchies” – who is black with white chest hair and a very short tail. The couple had rescued her from a dog breeder about a year and a half before she went missing.
Sidhu and Casey have taken extensive measures to try to find Mushie: putting up thousands of flyers, knocking on countless doors, displaying banners, posting on social media and doing interviews with several media outlets, including the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. They have also utilized a tracking bloodhound, met with psychics and visited numerous animal rescues.
On March 22, Sidhu and Casey hosted a “Frenchie Meet-Up” event at a park to help raise awareness about their missing dog. Over 100 community members stopped by to enjoy free snacks and goodie bags, have photos taken by a professional pet photographer, pick up flyers and speak with Sidhu and Casey to hear their story.
“It’s so amazing to see the support of so many people,” said Casey. “We will bring Mushie home with the help of the community.”
One of the meet-up participants was Yasmine Haezaert, who was recently reunited with her dog Havoc after more than two years. Haezaert, Sidhu and Casey had collaborated on a similar event in January to seek support for their missing Frenchies.
“We are so happy to have Yasmine’s support and to see her and Havoc finally reunited,” said Casey. “I can’t wait for this day with our sweet girl.”
The couple is offering a $7,500 reward for the safe return of Mushie or to someone who comes forward to disclose her whereabouts, with “no repercussions,” stressed Sidhu. She said Mushie could also be dropped off at the shelter or during a weekly drop-off hosted by a neighbor every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Starbucks at 4853 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. The individual will accept Mushie and facilitate the reward transfer afterward.
For Sidhu, the decision to continue their relentless search for Mushie is “like an instinct.”
“This is my baby, and I could do this for 10 more years, if that’s what it takes,” she said. “I know that someone has her and she’s safe somewhere. … The thought of her just waiting for us to come get her any day breaks my heart, [but] I’m not losing hope. … I won’t give up until she’s home.”
To provide information about Mushie’s whereabouts or support the search efforts, contact Gabriella Sidhu at (760) 960-9272 or gabriellasidhu@yahoo.com.