WSVN — Her son was killed in an accident … then his dog went to his elementary school to look for her son and was given away by a teacher. Now the grieving mother can’t get them to return the dog. Legally, what can she do? Lets bring in Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
It certainly understandable that Alina Sanchez would brag about her son Alvaro.
Alina Sanchez, wants dog returned: “My son was a very special kid. He was very friendly, very intelligent.”
But it’s difficult for Alina to talk about her 10-year-old boy because Alvaro was killed in a car accident in Cuba…
Alina Sanchez: “We were traveling to the airport and the car hit with a bump in the road and the car lose the control and hit with the tree.”
All Alina has now are the memories of her son and she had something else that her son loved … his dog, Lia.
Alina Sanchez: “The dog loved him because he was that he played with the dog everyday.”
After Alvaro passed away, Lia suddenly disappeared. Alina put up signs everywhere and got a call from the nearby Oliver Hoover Elementary School where Alvaro went to school … that the dog was found at the school. They even took pictures of Lia…
Alina is more comfortable with Spanish and explains why Lia went to the school to look for her son.
Alina Sanchez, through a translator: “When I would go at 3:30 to pick him up, he would tell me to bring Lia so the other kids could see her. She knew her way to the school.”
Alina was told a teacher had the dog. Alina spoke to the teacher.
Alina Sanchez: “She tells me, ‘Don’t worry, I will bring her. I gifted her to a cousin, but I will bring her back.'”
But the teacher did not return Alvaro’s little dog. Then, Alina says the cousin who was given the dog called her…
Alina Sanchez: “And, ‘I will send you pictures to see if you recognize the dog.’ It was my dog.”
But the woman wouldn’t return the dog … Alina then begged her…
Alina Sanchez: “That dog was my son’s who died in a car accident and I’m trying to get her back. But she insisted that it could not be mine.”
The cousin then said she gave the dog to another family member who moved out of town. Alina says it’s like a game with them and they are now claiming they have no idea where Alvaro’s little Lia is…
Alina Sanchez: “They have no sensibility and are playing with my emotions. This is very hurtful to me.”
Well Howard, does the person who was given the dog, have to return it?
Howard Finkelstein: “Yes … finders keepers is not true. If you find an animal, and can’t find the owner, by state law, you must contact the police or turn it over to the appropriate animal shelter so the rightful owner can claim the dog. Since they didn’t do that in this case and refuse to return the dog, this could be a crime.”
According to a Miami-Dade Police report, the teacher at Oliver Hoover Elementary who said she gave the dog to her cousin is Diana Gomez. She didn’t return our calls and or messages left at her house.
Her cousin, according to the report, is Caridad Lorenzo. She didn’t return our calls. The family member Lorenzo told Alina she gave the dog to wouldn’t talk to us either…
Howard Finkelstein: “I would suggest Alina file a writ of replevin at the clerk’s office — against the person you think has the dog. If you can prove they have the dog and won’t return it, they can be charged with theft and a judge can order them to return the animal. Legally and morally, someone needs to return that dog.”
Alina has her twin girls to focus on as she thinks about her son … and hopes someone knows where Lia is and will return Alvaro’s Maltese to her…
Alina Sanchez: “I want God to touch their hearts and that these people feel my pain and return my dog.”
Patrick Fraser: “If you have seen that little dog, let us know so we can reunite him with Alina. And it may surprise you, but Howard says by law, dogs are considered a piece of property … no different than a chair, a bike or a your tennis shoes. People don’t like to hear that, but it’s the law.”
Got a problem dogging you? Don’t search everywhere … just contact us. Hopefully we can search and reunite you with a solution. With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
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Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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