Katrina evacuee would like his dog back (Nevills REFUSES to return Shuma to owner of 14 years)

The Examiner ^ | September 24, 2005 | Andre Riley

[Former Military Chick]

A chance meeting at an Independence animal shelter has left a relocated Hurricane Katrina victim without his longtime pet.

John Wyrick, who moved to the area from Mississippi following the hurricane, had taken his German Shepherd to the shelter approximately two weeks ago after learning he would not be able to keep it at a temporary residence.

He released his pet of 14 years to a stranger while searching for a place to live. After finding a home, he has learned he can't have his dog back.

Wyrick met with an unidentified woman visiting the shelter, said Amy Wells, shelter manager.

"He wanted the animal shelter to take the dog. They started talking," Wells said. "He decided he wanted to give the dog to her. I told them you cannot do the transfer on our property."

After that point the story becomes unclear. What is known is Independence resident Lynn Nevills eventually ended up with the dog. Wyrick could not be reached Friday.

City of Independence spokesperson Irene Baltrusaitis said the shelter believes Nevills is not the woman who spoke with Wyrick because she differs in body type and description. Nevertheless, at some point Nevills took possession of the dog. After Wyrick found a permanent residence, he approached Nevills about recovering his pet of 14 years.

Nevills reportedly has refused to return the dog. Nevills was at her home Friday afternoon but would not respond to requests for comment. The sound of a dog could be heard outside of her north Independence home.

Residents throughout the area have offered Nevills money or puppies as an incentive to return the dog to Wyrick after seeing the story on television.

Nevills is not a shelter volunteer. She has volunteered with the Independence Police Department's K-9 unit, according to Baltrusaitis.

Nevills and her husband have done grass and landscape work, as well as raised money for the department's K-9 program.

"We don't have volunteers who take care of dogs," Baltrusaitis said." The volunteers take care of other things."

To reach Andre Riley, e-mail andre.riley@examiner.net or call (816) 350-6362.

[Former Military Chick]

A local station in the greater KC area did a story on this and I posted this thread yesterday Shuma the German Shepard service dog - MO gal will not return beloved pet (I am pissed off) .

The behavior of this woman is beyond the pale and frankly evil. To keep a pet because her family has bonded with the pet after 3 weeks verses the 14 years the pet spent with the original owners. What rational is that. What type of example is instilling in her kids.

Shuma has also been classified as service pet, helping his owner who is disabled. It appears that "service" is in the eye's of the beholder of some. Whether this is a service dog or pet, the man found housing that would allow Shuma, she should allow him his beloved friend back.

This article gives an update on who she is ... I think it is time to send email to all who she is affiliated with.

[Former Military Chick]

PING

[Salamander]

14 years is very old for a GS.
The dog is going die away from his beloved family.
Nothing could possibly be crueler to the dog or his owner.
Haven't -enough- dogs died awaiting the return of their owners because of Katrina, already?!?

This woman is a monstrous, heartless, souless !$%#, IMNSHO.

I would say worse of her but God is already miffed at my thoughts, I'm sure....>:-[

[Salamander]

"She has volunteered with the Independence Police Department's K-9 unit"

Fine.
Let's start mass-emailing -them-.
She's their "buddy", apparently.

[rawhide]

I remember years ago my wife and I adopted a dog at the local animal shelter. It was the first dog my wife ever had. She lovingly bathed it, and pampered it. About 2-3 weeks later, while I was out of town, she called my company, who had to search me down. I called my wife and it seems the animal shelter called, and told my wife the story of the owner of the dog coming in looking for his dog. They told my wife that the man wanted his dog back, apparently the man was also disabled, but they also told me because the dog had remained in the shelter for the required time before we adopted him, that my wife was under no obligation to return it. My wife was crying and crying about it. I emphasized with her, but I asked her what was the right thing to do in this case? I told her, yes, she had fallen in love with the dig, but the dog had an owner who was also crying because he wanted his dog back. My wife told me she knew she had to return it, but maybe I would convince her not to do so. Boy, was so sad about it all. The animal shelter offered to come and get it, but my wife told them, no she would bring it back to the shelter, saying the final goodbyes from there. It broke her heart to do this, and my heart was broken for her.
A few months later we found another dog, a cocker spaniel/golden retriever mix that brought much joy into my wife life.

[rawhide]

dig=dog

[Salamander]

http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/police/contact.stm

[sourcery]

Bailment

[Salamander]

When I was -very- young [maybe 4 or 5] I saw this black and white short movie about a little orphan boy who finds a stray dog in the streets of Paris.
[It was silent and there was absolutely no dialogue]

The child is overjoyed with his new friend and his pitiful life now has meaning and joy because he has something to love and someone to share it with.

Long story short, the boy eventually discovers that the dog had gotten separated from its owner....a blind, crippled beggar.

Although it tore him apart, he did the right thing and gave the dog back.
Through his own tears of sorrow and loneliness, he watched the *other* tears of joyous reunion between the little dog and the blind man.

I cried like a fool over that and apparently it really stuck with me because I have not forgotten the story in 40 years.
[and probably, in ways I'll never comprehend, made me the way I am, today]

[Racehorse]

Third or fourth version of the story I've read. Maybe I've missed it, but I'm curious as heck to know if this woman has offered any kind of reason why she will not give up the dog? Is there a reason, other than meanness?

[Ken H]

Had a friend at work tell me his kids were mad at him because he was dead set against having a dog. I promptly reeled off the reasons why his family should have a dog; such as teaching respnsibility, companionship, protection, etc. He just stared at me like he was stunned. A week later, they had a dog.

[Salamander]

The universal social toxin; pure spite.

Either that or she's one of those liberal "I know what's best" types who assumes the dog will automatically be happier with a "better" person.

[DoughtyOne]

Humans can be angelic or demonic. Evidently this lady has opted for the second of the two options. How very unfortunate.

The police should take custody of the dog and return it to it's long term owner.

[Salamander]

A kid without a dog is a crime against humanity....:)

[Salamander]

She -volunteers- for the cop's K9 program.

They're not gonna take the old man's side when he can offer them nothing that benefits them.

[DoughtyOne]

If she keeps this up, I would hope she is not affiliated with the police K-9 program for much longer.

[Salamander]

I wonder if cops care about "bad PR"?.....:)

[DJ MacWoW]

This article says approximately two weeks ago not 3. The guy had the dog 14 years and she bonded with it more in 2 or 3 weeks? I find this womans attitude disgusting. And the other article claimed when she spoke out she said the guy hadn't been in the hurricane. But she was proved wrong. Something in her head doesn't work correctly.

[DoughtyOne]

The cops generally build a bond with their K-9. I would be surprised if they didn't find it highly objectionable for someone to take another person's dog. We'll see how this plays out.