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'My Heart Is Completely Filled': Months After Dognapping, Phoenix Woman And Service Dog Reunited
Arizona Republic 1 day ago Jose R. Gonzalez, Arizona Republic
Stolen service dog Mya is returned to her owner Lindsay Deyo after a 6-month search
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A Phoenix woman and her service dog have been reunited following six months of separation after the pooch was dognapped during a park visit.
Mya, a female American Bully who aids Lindsay Deyo, 35, with her seizures, went missing the morning of Nov. 9 at a dog park off Interstate 17 and West Northern Avenue. An animal search and rescue volunteer leading the missing dog case found Mya on May 16, some miles from where she disappeared.
© Cheryl Evans/The Republic Lindsay Deyo had been getting help with her seizures from her service dog, Mya, until she was stolen from her in early November of 2022. A volunteer with the nonprofit Humane Animal Rescue and Trapping Team found Mya on the side of the road and reunited Lindsay and Mya. Dog and owner were reunited that same day.
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"The hole in my heart is completely filled right now," Deyo told The Arizona Republic about having Mya by her side again.
On the day of the reunion, Deyo woke up to a knock at the door with two volunteers for the Phoenix-based nonprofit Humane Animal Rescue and Trapping Team (HARTT) telling her they had a surprise for her.
"I kind of freaked out because I kind of knew what it was, you know? And then they brought Mya out of the car and I just started crying," Deyo said. "I've always had hope that one day soon we'd be reunited. I wasn't thinking it was gonna be this soon."
After being briefly distracted by a cat at the doorstep, Mya licked Deyo's face as she wagged her tail. Mya appeared to have lost some weight, Deyo said, mentioning she planned to get a full veterinary checkup on her this week.
"We've just been hanging out and it's been awesome," Deyo said.
Spotting Mya on the roadAccording to HARTT President Cheryl Naumann, a volunteer spotted a dog that resembled Mya being walked by a man when driving on Indian School Road near Seventh Avenue.
The volunteer had been helping search for Mya since Deyo reported her missing.
Deyo quit her part-time waitressing job to look for Mya, who would warn her of seizures and get her medication while she experienced a seizure. The woman would think back to her dog to hold back on seizures. The stress led to Deyo suffering a miscarriage, she told The Republic in April.
Deyo looked away briefly while at the dog park and then Mya was gone. Six months later, just as suddenly, the volunteer found Mya on the side of the road.
According to Naumann, the man walking the dog did not fit the description of the man seen with Mya after being dognapped.
Approaching the man and dog with dog food, the volunteer asked about how the pup came into his life, the man said he had bought her a few months earlier.
The volunteer "was pretty excited by this. This could actually be this missing dog," Naumann said.
With the use of the microchip scanner, the volunteer was able to confirm the dog was in fact Mya. "Like a lot of our volunteers she always has dog supplies in her car," Naumann said about the microchip scanner.
But parting with Mya did not come easy for the man."He said, 'Please just take her back to her family and get her out of here before I start crying,' and (the volunteer) said his eyes started tearing up" as she took Mya, Naumann said.
How to keep dogs safe and from going missingDogs should wear a snug-fitting collar with updated contact information on the tag, especially when traveling, Naumann said.
"Sometimes they get away. Someone can quickly reunite you with your furry family member," Naumann said.
Also, teenagers and adults should walk dogs as they will be able to hold onto a leash tighter than a small child can, Naumann said.
To avoid pets running away, Naumann explained that owners should keep their homes secure. Naumann mentioned how some circumstances like parties or family get-togethers may make pet dogs and pet cats nervous and cause them to flee. Visitors, she pointed out, may not be careful with closing doors.
"Anytime the environment as a whole changes, it's important to be vigilant," Naumann said.
Owners, she said, should regularly check for broken fence panels where a pet may dig themselves out or for nearby objects which a pet may jump over.
"Never take your eyes off" your dog at a park or other public space, Naumann said. "It's really easy to become distracted and talk to people around you and watch other pets playing."
If someone appears to be approaching your dog, then immediately go to them and ensure the pet is secured in place, Naumann advised. And pets should never be off leash anywhere but their own yard with locked gates, she added.
"A good-meaning person might assume this is a stray that needs help or needs a home because the dog is not in the vicinity of an owner," she said.
Over 120 volunteers on the lookoutNaumann said the organization's volunteers are always on the lookout for a stray while driving down a street or browsing online for found pets.
HARTT has more than 120 active volunteers in Maricopa County and in Arizona's Rim Country, according to Naumann. Volunteers reunite pets with owners, they rescue dogs and cats and their work has led to a yearly recovery of 800 at-risk animals, Naumann reported.
Deyo said HARTT's continued efforts to find Mya kept her optimistic throughout the ordeal of having the service dog away. And Deyo is striving to keep Mya from going missing again.
"I always have my eyes on her at all times," Deyo said of Mya.
For owners who have lost a pet, "my advice would be just to stay positive. Just spread the word as much as possible on Facebook groups, and just try to get the word out there," Deyo said. "Contact HARTT because they are awesome."
Those interested in learning how to help HARTT's mission through education, volunteering, animal adoption or donations can visit azhartt.Org.
Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.Gonzalez@gannett.Com or on Twitter @jrgzztx.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.Com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'My heart is completely filled': Months after dognapping, Phoenix woman and service dog reunited
Rescue Saves 24 Dogs And Names Pups After Taylor Swift To Celebrate Singer's N.Y.C. Shows
Muddy Paws Rescue's "Taylor Transport" includes adoptable dogs named Red, Jack Antonoff, Dear John, and, of course, Taylor Swift
© Provided by People Muddy Paws Rescue, Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Close to 30 dogs are hoping Taylor Swift will help them enter their adoption era.
Muddy Paws Rescue, a foster-based N.Y.C. Dog rescue, recently saved the canines from potential euthanization through its partnership with Bowling Green Warren County Humane Society (BGWCHS) in Kentucky.
Several times a month, BGWCHS picks multiple dogs from its near-capacity shelter that would likely thrive in a city environment. Muddy Paws Rescue transports those dogs to New York City, where they live in foster homes until they find their perfect match.
"Shelters across the country are experiencing an unprecedented increase in intake and a severe shortage of adopters — resulting in shelters having to make impossible decisions about euthanizing animals due to lack of space. Muddy Paws Rescue works with partner shelters, like BGWCHS in Kentucky, that are located in rural locations and takes in thousands of animals annually - making it extremely difficult for the shelter to find homes for all those animals within their own community," Mallory Kerley, the marketing director for Muddy Paws, tells PEOPLE.
© Provided by People Muddy Paws Rescue In rescue work, it is common to name a large group of animals, like a big litter of kittens or a large group of rescued dogs, after a theme. For its most recent transport of pups from BGWCHS, Muddy Paws decided to name all the canines after Taylor Swift and her music to celebrate the singer's upcoming New York City concerts (held at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey) for her Eras Tour.
Related: Taylor Swift Announces 'Midnights (Til Dawn Edition)' Featuring Remix with Ice Spice
"Typically, we'll name a litter of puppies with a theme, like characters from a popular show or movie, or types of food, but Taylor Swift deserves more than just a litter. So, we named an entire transport with a Taylor Swift theme! We're calling it our 'Taylor Transport.' It's the first time we've ever done it. We figured since Taylor is playing at MetLife Stadium the same week the dogs were arriving, we wanted to give her all the attention she deserves! We hope these pups can help encourage folks to consider adopting - even if it's not a Taylor pup," Kerley says.
"Taylor's Transport" features 24 dogs. Some of the pups have names that even casual Taylor Swift fans will recognize, like Taylor Swift, Midnights, Folklore, and Evermore.
© Provided by People Muddy Paws Rescue Other pooches have names that only true Swifties may appreciate, deeper cuts like Dorothea, Cowboy Like Me, King of My Heart, and Jack Antonoff.
Related: Animal Shelter Honors Taylor Swift Eras Tour by Reducing Cat Adoption Fee to $13
"All the credit for the names goes to our Foster Team — Hillary and Jenna. They are huge Taylor Swift fans and came up with an incredible list of names that truly cover the gamut — we have a litter of her albums (Fearless, Reputation, Evermore, and Folklore), pups named after songs (Red, Dear John, The Archer, Betty) of course a puppy named Taylor Swift, and even one named Jack Antonoff!" Kerley says of how all the names came to be.
"They had a ton of fun doing it, and we all got a kick out of seeing their creativity!" she adds.
© Provided by People Muddy Paws Rescue Select dogs from the Taylor Transport became available for adoption on May 23 and were met with plenty of interest. All of the furry Swifties will be available for adoption once they complete their health checks and settle into their foster homes.
"Just like trying to get tickets to a Taylor Swift concert - they won't last long! They range in age from two-month-old puppies up to eight years old. As small as 13lbs up to 60lbs! No matter what your favorite Taylor era is, we've got the perfect pup," Kerley says of the adorable group of pets.
If you're interested in adopting a Taylor Transport pup, or a different amazing pet, visit Muddy Paws Rescue's website.
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Read the original article on People.
'We Thought We Got Rid Of These': Proposed Taintsville Dog Kennel Resembles Puppy Mill
Apparently, an Orange County ordinance passed in 2021 banning puppy mills didn't send a strong enough message. A proposed "commercial kennel" in Orlando has raised suspicions among neighbors that the facility might house a dog breeding and puppy selling operation, if built.
The proposal is set for a public hearing on May 4 in the Orange County Board of Zoning Adjustment. The kennel's location is in northeast Orlando near the border of — no joke — the town of Taintsville. Looking at the cover letter description written by the property owner, listed as Juan David Valencia, people in the area have reason to be wary of the project.
At first glance, some of its details seem admirable. The owner wants to build a "state-of-the-art commercial kennel" with 44 dog runs and a 1,250-square-foot indoor playground. Note, in this case, that we're not talking about a traditional kennel where people bring their dogs. The facility will only include dogs owned by Valencia. And much less appealing in the kennel's description is the "nursery room with 10 dog runs (8' x 3') [and] a puppy room with 5 runs (8' x 3')". Valencia says he keeps about 80 dogs at a time but wants to build this kennel to host up to 100 dogs. Hoist the red flags.
Orange County's ordinance banning pet sales becomes most relevant in a section describing the facility's operation. "Within our operation, we rarely allow people into our kennel, but our customers are welcome to visit us by appointment only. Usually, our customers learn about us from word of mouth, dog shows or social media, they are placed on a waiting list, and we contact them once a puppy with their desired characteristics becomes available."
Michele Wacker lives about 1,300 feet from the proposed facility. She found out about the project two weeks ago and says her community is concerned. "We're pissed," she told Orlando Weekly. "I mean, I've been in dog rescue for 30 years and cannot believe that this is on my doorstep."
The proposal could contain language that allows it to evade the ban on pet sales, however. Because the ordinance prohibits retail sales and is specifically aimed at pet stores, a commercial kennel not open to the public could provide an end run around that prohibition.
It's also worth noting, though, that in its preamble, the ordinance specifically calls out "large-scale, commercial breeding facilities where the health and welfare of the animals is disregarded in order to maximize profits" that are supplying pet stores with dogs and cats.
When Orlando Weekly reached Valencia, who asked to be referred to as David Valencia (he's referred to as Juan Santa on Board of Zoning Adjustment documents), he said he was in Uruguay looking for a particular breed of dog.
"If you like one, we can talk about it and if I think that you are the right person for the dog, then you can have it," Valencia said. "Obviously, there's a price for it but it's different than just walking into a pet store. You pick the dog and you pay for it and you walk away. Here with us when you walk away with a puppy, you become part of my life because I need to be sure that you take care of my puppy properly."
Valencia, who says he's also a stock trader, told Orlando Weekly he breeds small dogs like toy poodles and Maltese because there aren't many small breeds available in shelters. He calls his kennel proposal a "family project" and says he plans to live on site with his wife and kids. Currently, Valencia says, he has 64 dogs. In line with his claims of running an ethical business, he says he only breeds dogs once a year and trains puppies before selling them, no younger than 12 weeks.
The Orlando kennel project is not his first foray into dog breeding. Valencia is well-known in Canada for it — "well-known" being a euphemism here. In an email correspondence with Michele Wacker, Donna Powers, co-founder and president of Stop the Mills/The Humane Initiative, said municipalities and cities in the Ontario province have started to ban the sale of pets over the past decade.
"So David, not willing to give up the income of selling tiny cute puppies for $2,600 would move. Then he would have to move again, then again," Powers said in an email.
Powers says Valencia eventually settled in Bolton, a town north of Toronto and the current headquarters of his business Bright Pets. The Yelp reviews for this business are about what you expect. All six of them gave Bright Pets one star.
"Absolutely the worst place to buy a puppy from. He sold me the wrong breed," a reviewer named Kristina A. Wrote in a post from June 2020. "He says it's a Maltese and toy poodle mix, however my puppy is 3x the size he should be for his age at 4 months."
Another poster accused Bright Pets of selling them a sick puppy. Others were concerned they didn't get the full health information, such as vaccine histories, about the dogs they bought.
Valencia alleges many of the reviews are fake. He also notes he has positive reviews on other sites. On Google Maps, Bright Pets has 4.4 stars from 187 reviews.
Wacker says their concerns extend beyond the dogs' well-being at the kennel, although that is the most pressing issue. She says having, potentially, 100 dogs running around will be a nuisance for neighbors. In his proposal, Valencia attempts to assuage this concern, saying the dogs will spend most of their time indoors and "at least 30 minutes in the outdoor playground." That, of course, raises its own issues. Valencia says dogs won't spend too much time outside because of the Florida heat.
"Sometimes thinking about this I just feel like my head's going to explode," Wacker says. "And that's how all of us feel." She says she'll probably move if the kennel is approved.
For what it's worth, Valencia does seem to genuinely believe that dogs can have a positive impact on people's lives. But his methods for giving that gift to people remain, to put it nicely, questionable.
The Board of Zoning Adjustment meeting (in which public comment will be heard) on allowing a special exception for Valencia's commercial kennel is scheduled for Thursday, May 4, at 9 a.M. At the Orange County Administration Building. Wacker says opponents of the proposal will be wearing red to the meeting.
Even if the Board approves it, the kennel will still need approval from Orange County's Board of County Commissioners.
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