National

Man pushed Iraq veteran to ground, stole her service dog

Ashley McCall and Jax. (Photo: Boston25News.com)

CONCORD, N.H. — An Iraq veteran says a man pushed her to the icy ground and stole her service dog.

Ashley McCall relies on her 65-pound service dog Jax to help with her anxiety and depression, but that constant source of joy and happiness was suddenly swiped from her Thursday afternoon.

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She says a man started asking questions about Jax while she was getting ready to put him in the car behind her Concord, New Hampshire apartment.

"And he reaches for my door and he pulls it open so I shut it back and as I do that he takes me and slams me to the ground and then takes Jax and gets into this silver Ford Focus and leaves and starts speeding off," said McCall.

Meanwhile, next door at the florist shop, the owner, who used to be in law enforcement, noticed that same car had been sitting in his parking lot all morning. He thought it was suspicious, so he approached the two people in the car.

"The explanation they were waiting for someone didn’t make sense in this day and age when everyone has a cell phone; you can pick up the phone, call, and ask them where they are so from the beginning it looked like there was some ambush that was about to happen at some point," said owner Fred Keach.

When the alleged ambush happened, Keach called police with a plate number, type of car and description of the men.

The suspect left the leash and service vest behind, but all the McCalls want is their beloved companion.

"Ultimately, we just want the dog back. He's a family member. He's not a pet. He's a family member," said McCall.