She was dashing down the Dixie Highway corridor Friday in Hollywood when code enforcement officers spotted her and the chase began.
India, a 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier, was determined to run all the way home to Miami, owner Damica Clark said. The dog had been missing since Tuesday when she was snatched at gunpoint in Hollywood.
The officers followed little India for a while, Clark said. The dog finally got tired, cut through someone's yard and collapsed.
India was taken to Hollywood Animal Hospital, where she was reunited with Clark.The officers followed little India for a while, Clark said. The dog finally got tired, cut through someone's yard and collapsed.
"I feel horrible," Clark, 31, said. "I know she's in a lot of pain physically and emotionally, and there's not much I can do."
India had suffered broken teeth, eye hemorrhaging and a scrape down the right side of her face, Clark said.
It looks like "if someone was in a really bad fight," Clark said. "It's bad. It's like having the whole side of your face raw and bloody. Her left eye is swollen and bloodshot. It's disgusting. It looks really painful."
When India first saw her owner, the pup was excited, but it was not her usual reaction, Clark said.
"She's not really herself," Clark said. "I've had her for a few hours and I still haven't heard her make noise. You can tell she's traumatized. She's not eating. I think she's still in shock."
The spur-of-the-moment dognapping happened around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, when Derin Clark, 32, was walking his sister's terrier from Young Circle in downtown Hollywood toward his home.
At the corner of Washington Street and 22nd Avenue, a man dressed in black put a gun to Derin Clark's ribcage, took two cellphones and scooped up the confused black-and-tan pup. The robber hopped into the passenger side of an SUV parked nearby and drove off.
After days of searching, Clark said she had lost hope of finding her dog. She was on her way to hand out more fliers around 8:30 a.m. Friday when she received a call from Hollywood Animal Hospital.
"When the vet called me, I was just emotionless," Clark said. "They said, 'It's her. We ran her microchip number,' and I just broke down. I was hysterical. I could barely hear the vet."
