A woman whose beloved Shih Tzu was snatched from a stroller in an East Harlem subway station is begging the arrested dog-napper for information on the pup’s whereabouts — before it is too late.
“She has heart problems She has a hole in her heart,” explained McKina Artis, whose pet Lady was stolen from her on July 6 inside her local 125th Street–Lexington Ave. stop. “It’s very important she gets her medication. It’s for her to survive.”
Last Thursday, cops arrested Ali Tarawally, 33, for jumping a turnstile and drug possession near Gramercy Park and he was quickly recognized from surveillance camera footage as the alleged dog-napper, according to court documents.
Tarawally was charged with petty larceny and possession of stolen property for the dog-napping. But Lady was not with him when he was arrested and he refused to tell cops where the dog is.
Artis speculates Lady could survive “about 30 days” without her medication. “And it’s already been a week and a day,” Artis said.
Artis and Lady, who is 12 and has been with Artis since she was a 2-month-old puppy, were returning home from getting Lady’s haircut when Lady’s cup dropped out of her stroller and tumbled down a flight of stairs inside the station.
Artis went to retrieve the cup and by the time she returned to the stroller less than a minute later, Lady was gone, she says.
Artis immediately filed a police report and started posting on social media about Lady — including a now viral TikTok with her daughter Christina.
Tarawally, who has 58 arrests stretching back to 2012 for mostly drug and transit crimes, refused to disclose what happened to Lady, police said. Surveillance video shows Tarawally reaching into the stroller, snatching up the pooch and leaving with her, according to the criminal complaint against him.
Additional surveillance footage shows Tarawally hopped on a 5 train to Brooklyn, getting off at President St. station in Crown Heights, Artis says police told her.
Artis immediately high-tailed it to that part of Brooklyn and started putting up flyers.
“The only thing that’s keeping me walking and moving around is coming outside and putting up these posters and everybody just telling me to try to have a positive mind,” Artis said.
“But honestly, I don’t know how much longer I will be able to stand on my feet. The longer it takes, the more despair you feel.”
Artis believes Lady is similarly suffering. Besides her heart condition, Lady takes meds for cataracts and recently finished a round of antibiotics for a urinary tract infection. And Lady and Artis are tightly bonded, doing everything together throughout the day.
“When Lady stays with my kids, if I go out, she’ll stop eating and drinking water,” Artis said. “I’m just praying to God that she is OK. I’m just hoping that God has His hands over her.”
Tarawally pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Friday. He was released without bail.
Artis is offering a $500 reward for Lady’s safe return. “Even to the guy who stole Lady, if he stole her and he knows where Lady’s at, I’ll even give him the $500,” Artis said. “Just give me Lady back.”
Tarawally’s due back in court Aug. 11. He lives in Harlem, according to cops.