Texas police say 'puppy snatchers' took a $11,500 French bulldog from a pet store before being caught

Two women are facing felony charges in Texas after they were accused of trying to steal a puppy worth more than $11,000.

The women snatched the dog from the Petland Woodlands pet store on Monday in the city north of Houston, according to police in Shenandoah, Texas.

Police said employees at the store immediately called authorities to report the theft of the French bulldog, Mario. The police department announced the arrests in a social media post that began "Puppy snatchers get snatched."

Petland confirmed to USA TODAY that the women asked employees to see the 14-week-old dog before leaving the store with the pup. Employees told authorities the women fled in a vehicle with no license plates.

Police found the women outside an area shopping mall as they tried to reattach a license plate to their vehicle. They were arrested on felony theft charges, and Mario was returned safely to the store.

Store manager Andrew Jones told USA TODAY the dog is worth $11,500. He said the store has a security system with more than 30 cameras.

"These puppies are like family members to us, so we were just so relieved, so thankful to the Shenandoah Police Department that they were able to recover the dog," Jones said.

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"Mario is happy to be back. He's always been happy-go-lucky. He's doing great."

Jones said the store's average price for a French bulldog is about $10,000, which can include benefits like training.

Breeding French bulldogs is expensive. Litters of the pups require C-section births, testing and more, Slate reported.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: French bulldog worth $11,500 taken from Texas pet store, police say