Millions of Americans consider their pets to be part of the family, so when a Queens family lost their dog during last week’s snowstorm, it was a devastating blow.

That was nothing, however, compared to the phone call that came next, demanding a ransom to get their precious pooch returned, CBS station WCBS-TV reports.

The Belmans need their Sugar.

Not another kind of natural sweetener, though – Sugar is their two-year-old bulldog-basset hound mix who’s been missing since Wednesday.

Seven-year-old Leo Belman says things haven’t been the same since she’s been gone.

“I think I love her as much as I love my parents,” Leo says.

The Belmans were out walking Sugar Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park when she got away from young Leo. They suspect she was simply overexcited about playing in the snow for the first time.

She was strong enough to snatch the leash out of Leo’s hands. Not long after that, the family received a phone call.

“I’m out there in Prospect Park, in the driving snow, and it is a whiteout. The phone is freezing, and I answer it, and I hear, ‘we have your dog.’” Leo’s mom, Drucie Belman, says. “I said, ‘is she okay,’ and they said, ‘I have your dog – what are you gonna give me for the dog?’

“I said, ‘I don’t know, $50?’” Drucie says.

That’s right – someone actually dialed the number on Sugar’s dog collar and made a ransom call. After the caller hung up on her, Drucie feared she may have low-balled, the dog-napper with her $50 offer. Whatever the case, the Belmans haven’t heard from the anonymous caller since.

The Belmans are relying on flyers, internet alerts, and the kindness of fellow dog owners. They’ve also decided to postpone their scheduled family vacation to Disney World.

“Right now, the plan is for today, and tomorrow, and for as long as it takes, to do whatever we can to get back Sugar,” Albert Belman says.

The Belmans, for now, are clinging to hope and making a simple, but desperate plea.

“Please, please, please allow us to have our dog back,” Drucie says.

The Belmans are part of a cyber alert system called FIDO which e-mails out the dog’s description and the owners’ phone number.

 Share now!