Tasha the Lost Lab Is Back With Her Owner (NM

It happened last week, legally, tearfully, like the orchestrated handoff of a child between warring parents through a surrogate.

And, boy, did you all take sides (though mostly the same one). Since the column was published Feb. 22, Tasha’s tale has received some of the most impassioned responses I’ve seen in weeks.

But first, let’s tell the uninitiated among you about Tasha, the friendly 7-year-old Labrador retriever who disappeared from her fenced kennel in the East Mountains on a cold December day, setting off a chilly battle between two women who love her.

Rachel Herring, Tasha’s owner since puppyhood, frantically searched for the dog she calls her best friend, never suspecting her wayward chum would wind up at the Albuquerque Animal Welfare shelter about 30 miles away.

After those attempts to reach Herring failed and the requisite seven-day waiting period passed, Tasha was freed to be adopted by Cindy and Dan Hill of Albuquerque.

Weeks later, Herring learned Tasha’s fate by calling the microchip company and tracking down the Hills, certain they would understand a terrible mistake had been made.

This article is free to read at the link.

This story was highlighted in an FR story last month. The comments are much like what the columnist received.

Hearts Break Over Beautiful Blonde (a yellow lab)

This is the apology Herring was required to make as a condition of getting her dog back:

I would like to make some statements regarding my dog Tasha and Cindy Hill. When fights like this occur, it usually is because there are two sides of the story. Everyone knows my side. I wanted my dog back. I want to make the record clear that Cindy Hill has her side as well. She did nothing wrong. She legally adopted a dog in the City Shelter that, had she not been adopted by someone, would have ...been killed. Cindy saved Tasha’s life. I did a number of things wrong, and it is only fair that these be put on the record.

First, of course, I failed to update the chip information. The chip company had my old cell phone number. Second, I now understand that Cindy and her husband consider the contact information I obtained I used to be confidential. I should not have obtained that information as I did. When I used it, they felt threatened. More importantly, I made the mistake of bringing a friend with me when I went to their home. My friend acted totally inappropriately at their door. If they had not felt threatened before that visit, they most certainly would have as a result of the visit. I am not at all surprised they called 911 as a result of what was said. It was clear to me, also, that Tasha was very comfortable with Cindy. I am very grateful for the good care she received at their home. They are good people who saved her life.

I realize that my actions in creating this entire confrontation, including the petition, internet postings and other publicity which targeted Cindy professionally made a bad situation worse. I was in attack mode, as were my friends and family. I fully understand why Cindy and her husband felt besieged by my actions.

With hindsight, I can see I should have done things very, very differently, and I apologize to Cindy and Mark Hill for that.

Rachel Herring

Tasha, a 7-year-old yellow Lab, shown here with owner Rachel Herring before the dog went missing from her East Mountains home, has been returned to Herring after a mediation with a woman who adopted the lost dog.

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