From Catherine Holland
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PHOENIX, Ariz. (KTVK, KPHO) – A Laveen family is desperate to get their dog back after escaping a veterinarian’s office in Phoenix nearly three weeks ago. Veronica Lowe said Sadie developed gastrointestinal problems on October 8th. Since her usual vet couldn’t see her quickly, Lowe decided to take Sadie to Alta Vista on 7th Avenue south of Camelback Road. That was Saturday, October 9th. Lowe says to leave Sadie, who had been in Alta Vista as a puppy, and the vet would contact her after they looked at the dog. When that call came, the vet had a whole bunch of suggestions, Lowe told Arizona’s family. She discussed the options with her boyfriend and they decided to do blood tests. She said she contacted Alta Vista around 5:20 am. Less than an hour later, Lowe said Alta Vista called them to explain that they had “a situation”.
“I thought the worst,” said Lowe. “I thought she might have died, or I don’t know. Everything, you know, was going on in my head. “Sadie hadn’t died. But she was gone.
Cyndi Jenkins, who has owned Alta Vista for nearly 40 years, said a kennel assistant took Sadie outside so another could clean her cage. “Sadie didn’t want to go back in, so he went to pick her up,” Jenkins explained, “she bit him, he let go and Sadie ran away.” While out of the office when it happened, she said she believed Sadie’s leash, which was wrapped around the assistant’s wrist, slipped off when he tried to pick her up. She also believes Sadie scared him when she bit him. “Human nature,” she said, is why he let go of her. The bite wasn’t serious, by the way, said Jenkins.
“What he did wrong – that has been corrected – is that we should never take our eyes off [the animals]”She explained.” He was supposed to stay out there, but he thought, ‘I’ll get someone to help me.’ “As he did, he lost track of Sadie so it was impossible to know which one The direction she might have been running.
Jenkins described the kennel assistant as “a nice young man” who has been with Alta Vista for a little over a year and “does a great job.” She said he felt terrible about what happened – all of the staff do – and that he spent “hours and hours and hours” looking for Sadie. She also said that he will have no consequences, but she will see that he is “better trained”.
Jenkins said she and her staff spent “several hours” that evening, the next morning, and the next few days looking for Sadie. Jenkins, like Lowe and her family, created and published flyers and posted them on social media. Jenkins also offered a $ 1,000 reward. “Whenever there is a possible sighting, regardless of time or location, a representative has gone to see it,” said Jenkins. The catch, she said, is that Sadie’s family told them she was a nervous dog and wouldn’t come out to call her name to strangers.
Lowe told the Arizona family that they were disappointed with the Alta Vista communications and were unable to speak to the person who was last with Sadie. “So we never really have a full story of them,” she said. “You know, they still claim that Sadie was taken out by a vet [and] that it is a common practice to take dogs for potty breaks. We initially spoke to the owner, Cindy, and she was great at communicating with us. And that just stopped. … No callbacks. ”Jenkins said she wasn’t sure what else to do. “I spoke to them on the phone several times … and met them,” she said. Jenkins said she wasn’t sure what else kennel assistant could say to Lowe and her family that they don’t already know.
But Lowe says she still has questions. “I didn’t realize that [Sadie] would be outside, especially with the symptoms she was having, ”she told Arizona’s family. But Jenkins said Sadie was “not that sick” and it wasn’t uncommon to take dogs outside while the kennels are being cleaned.
We asked Jenkins why Alta Vista doesn’t have a fenced area. She said she’ll have one installed this week. Until it’s done – because of what happened to Sadie – staff are not allowed to take small and medium-sized dogs outside.
Jenkins said they are still looking around for Sadie, but not as intensely now that almost three weeks have passed. She said she and her staff would keep their eyes peeled and review reported sightings.
Meanwhile, Lowe has teamed up with HARTT (Humane Animal Rescue and Trapping Team), which specializes in trapping lost and stray animals. HARTT has successfully reunited lost pets with their families in the past, including a cat that was lost for 13 months and a dog that was missing for two years.
Jenkins said Alta Vista lost “fewer than 10 dogs” in the time she owned the practice and all were found “within a day or two.” Losing a dog is relatively rare, but not uncommon. She also said she contacted her insurance company but wasn’t sure what would happen next. “I take it personally,” said Jenkins, who has eight dogs of her own. “I’m in business for my compassion and love for pets. I understand the pain the owner is going through (sic). I’m looking for Sadie as if she were one of mine. “
Lowe Says Her Family Want Sadie Back; she is part of her family. She explained that her toddler keeps calling for Sadie and then realizes that she is not there. Most of all, however, she wants to know that Sadie is fine. “That sounds awful, but as much as I want my dog back, if someone just called and said, ‘You know what? We have them. We like you. We won’t give it back to you. ‘ – just to know that she is safe. “
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