Lady Gaga's dognappers had no idea pets belonged to singer

The men arrested for kidnapping Lady Gaga's pet French bulldogs insist they had no idea the pooches belonged to a pop star.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the dognapping and shooting of Gaga's dog walker, Ryan Fischer, and, according to police reports, none of them realised they had targeted the devastated Poker Face singer's pets.

A felony complaint, which was filed by prosecutors Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by The Associated Press on Monday, was made against teenagers James Jackson and Jaylin White, and Lafayette Whaley, who prosecutors claim were out "looking for French bulldogs" in Hollywood and beyond on the night in question because they knew they could be worth thousands.

The Lady Gaga connection was a coincidence, authorities said.

The group allegedly stalked Fischer and attacked him and grabbed Koji and Gustav when he left a main street. Jackson then shot Ryan with a semi-automatic gun. The attack was captured on the doorbell camera of a nearby home, which recorded the dog walker screaming: “Oh, my God! I’ve been shot!” and “Help me!” and “I’m bleeding out from my chest!”

White's father Harold has also been charged with helping his son avoid arrest, while his girlfriend, Jennifer McBride, was the person who returned the dogs to the police days later.

All five are due in court on 11 May.