A lesbian couple have been charged with stealing a Pomeranian service dog from a 67-year-old Vietnam veteran, who died from a suspected heart attack just hours before he was to be reunited with his beloved pet.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office in Florida has announced the arrests of Jennifer Gotschall, 51, and Monique Cosser, 53, on grand theft charges for allegedly abducting Joseph Hanson's dog Kira.

According to the agency, Hanson was taking a walk at Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida, on October 28 with his two Pomeranian service dogs, 21-year-old Kira and 11-year-old Star, when a woman he did not know began yelling and hurling insults at him.

Tragic tale: Vietnam War veteran Joseph Hanson, 67, had his 21-year-old PTSD service dog, Kira (left) stolen on October 28 in Florida. His other dog, Star (right), was spared

On Thursday, police arrested Jennifer Gotschall, 51 (left), and her girlfriend Monique Cosser, 53 (right) on grand theft charges in connection to the dog-napping

A few minutes later, Hanson realized Kira was gone.

Surveillance video from a business shows another woman behind him unleashing the dog, which weighs just over 6lbs.

Both of Hanson's pups had vests on them indicating they are PTSD service dogs and are not to be petted.

In an interview with ClickOrlando last week, an emotional Hanson said his dogs allow him to function in public and make his life better, and made an appeal for Kira's safe return.

Surveillance video caught Gotschall walking away with Kira after deputies say her girlfriend got into an argument with Hanson

Kira is 21 years old, partially deaf and blind, and weighs just over 6lbs

Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, on Monday investigators recovered Kira from one of the suspects' home.

The two women, who are believed to be in a romantic relationship, face grand theft charges carrying up to five years in prison.

Kira, who is partially deaf and blind, was found in good health, but her owner never got a chance to see her again because he passed away just hours before he was set to be reunited with her.

Hanson's friends tell Spectrum News the 67-year-old veteran was found unresponsive at his home on Saturday. They believe he suffered a heart attack, which resulted in his death at a hospital on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Gotschall and Cosser were arrested in two different counties on charges of grand theft carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison.

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office tells DailyMail.com the women will not face additional charges related to Hanson's death.

Loved-up couple: The pair of suspected dog thieves were arrested on Thursday in two different counties in Florida

A friend of Hanson's, who runs an an animal rescue, is now caring for his two Pomeranians.

Gotschall, who goes by the pseudonym 'Beth Ann Miller' on Facebook and describes herself as an animal rescue volunteer, defended her and her girlfriend's actions in a post that went up a two days before their arrest.

Referring to her and Cosser in the third person, as if speaking of someone else, Gotschall claimed that 'these women' seen in surveillance images released by the sheriff's office capturing the dog-napping are 'strong animal lovers' who saved the Pomeranian from being abused.

'The man was carrying the dog by leash up in the air and off the ground,' she alleged. 'As soon as they [Gotschall and Cosser] saw this that’s when they decided to take action themselves. They had no idea that the dog was a service dog.'

Prior to her arrest, Gotschall, a self-proclaimed animal lover, justified the dog abduction by saying that Hanson was observed lifting Kira off the ground by her leash

Gotschall's post goes on to state that after taking away the dog from Hanson, they took Kira to a veterinarian and spent more than $300 on tests, which allegedly revealed that the pet had a liver failure and was malnourished

'The reasoning behind of them taking the dog is 100% in my mind justifiable, wether [sic] if it was a service dog or not,' she insisted.

The sheriff's office spokesperson said that at the time of their arrest, Gotschall and Cosser declined to make any statements concerning a motive.