The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is investigating; the suspects left in an older blue pickup, according to the victim.
HOUSTON — A northwest Harris County man who relies on his emotional support dog says two men attacked him at a gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and drove off with the animal, setting off a dayslong search and a robbery investigation.
Relatives identified the victim as Gene Fivel, 42, who panhandles with his dog at U.S. 290 and FM 1960 West to cover lodging and basic needs. The missing dog, Bailey, is described by the family as trained to wake Fivel if he has trouble breathing. Sheriff’s deputies are examining surveillance video and seeking to identify the people in an older blue truck seen leaving after the assault. As of Thursday, authorities had not released suspect names or announced arrests, and the dog had not been found.
Fivel said he spends morning and evening hours at the intersection with Bailey, and that neighbors often offer food and supplies. On Jan. 19, he said, two men confronted him at a nearby station, struck him and took items before grabbing Bailey and getting into a blue pickup with a third person inside. “She’s real sweet,” Fivel said of the dog. “She helps me through my problems.” Fivel’s mother, Peggy Dobbs, said the theft left her son devastated: “It’s like someone lost a child.”
Deputies have not detailed what was recovered at the scene or the specific timeframe captured on camera. Investigators said they are running down tips and checking additional cameras at businesses along the corridor, a busy stretch of northwest Houston with steady traffic and multiple fuel stops. The agency has not addressed whether the suspects knew Fivel or had been seen in the area previously. Family members said Bailey is neutered and microchipped; officials have not confirmed those details or released official descriptors beyond the reported pickup and the involvement of two men.
The case comes amid periodic property and person crimes around high-traffic intersections throughout greater Houston, where people sometimes solicit donations near freeway feeders and major roads. While the sheriff’s office has highlighted robbery arrests in other incidents this month, investigators have not connected those to this case. Fivel said he returned to the intersection after the attack, hoping someone might recognize Bailey or the truck from the surveillance images reviewed by deputies. He described crying for hours when he realized the dog was gone and said he has struggled to sleep.
Authorities said the investigation remains open. Detectives plan to continue canvassing nearby stores for footage and will provide updates if they identify the suspects or recover the dog. As of Jan. 29, no court filings had been posted in connection with the case, and officials did not announce a timeline for a briefing. Any future update could include still images from the video and details on where the pickup was last seen.
Drivers passing the intersection Thursday slowed to ask about the search, and a few handed over small bags of dog food and bottled water. “If he doesn’t have anything, that dog is going to eat first,” Dobbs said, describing her son’s routine with Bailey. Fivel thanked people for checking on him but said he was focused on finding the dog he calls his companion.
By Thursday evening, deputies said the case was active and additional video reviews were planned through the weekend.
Author note: Last updated January 29, 2026.