Stolen puppies sought
CENTER TWP — Joyce Buchanan claims her 11 German Shepherd puppies have been stolen.
“I want my babies back,” said the 52-year-old breeder on Jamisonville Road.
Buchanan's puppies, valued at $7,700, are “somewhere in New York” having allegedly been taken by Pamela J. Vito, an East Syracuse woman who owns a pet supply store and animal rescue.
Buchanan said Vito told her she wanted the puppies — two litters worth — to sell to police officers to be trained to sniff out bodies and bombs, drugs and suspects.
But after allegedly writing Buchanan a $3,000 bogus check in July, Vito left with the puppies and hasn't paid for the dogs, returned the puppies or even told Buchanan where they are.
Vito, 45, has been charged in Butler County Court with writing bad checks and felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. A warrant for her arrest has been issued.
“She has stolen my puppies,” Buchanan said.
Buchanan's story begins in 1994, when she was working for an armored car company. A 450-pound load of coins shifted and fell onto her, fracturing her pelvis, damaging the nerves in her legs and discs in her back.
Now with lifelong mobility issues, Buchanan said she first tried walking with a cane, but fell often.
Then in 2010 after the death of a pet, Buchanan decided to switch from a cane to a service dog. She bought a German Shepherd, Zeus, and had him trained to help her stabilize or get up if she falls.
Buchanan said she is so endeared with Zeus that she bought a female, Navarra, to breed with Zeus.
“He's too phenomenal to let his bloodline run out,” Buchanan said.
Zeus and Navarra had their first litter two years ago and of the 11 puppies, three went on to become service dogs, Buchanan said.
In March and April, Buchanan welcomed her second and third litters. Eight puppies from now 3-year-old Navarra and another four puppies from a second female, 6-year-old Sassy.One of the puppies was promised before Vito allegedly made arrangements to get the whole lot. Buchanan said Vito told her she is affiliated with the state police in New York and they were looking for dogs to train into service.Over a course of months, Buchanan said a deal was brokered where Vito would get the money from the police for the dogs and give it to Buchanan.Before making this agreement, Buchanan said she did a little research on Vito, who is the owner of Happy Tails Dog Boutique in New York. She even met Vito once when the New York woman brought a tracker dog to West Sunbury to help a pet owner attempt to locate two missing dogs, Buchanan said.In July, Vito took the puppies and gave her a $3,000 “hold check,” Buchanan claims.But in the months that followed the happy relationship ended. Buchanan said Vito made a litany of excuses about why she could not reimburse Buchanan for the puppies. And then, Buchanan said when she tried to cash Vito's check it bounced. According to court records, Vito did send Buchanan $600 through Pay Pal.“She gave me a good song and dance,” Buchanan said.The state trooper who filed the charges against Vito could not be reached for comment.However, according to the criminal affidavit: “The dogs were not sent to New York State Police ... This officer has filed an inquiry with the New York Attorney General's Office who have begun a civil process against (Vito) and issued subpoenas for her to appear and explain her business practices.”The affidavit goes on to say the trooper received an e-mail sent by Vito to Center Township Dog Officer Eugene Henry, alleging the puppies had been in “deplorable condition and she needed to rescue (them).”Buchanan wasn't surprised that Vito now is alleging her puppies were in bad shape. She already knew that Vito had claimed on her Facebook page that Buchanan's puppies were ill and poorly cared for.However, Buchanan defends the condition of the puppies and said they already had been seen by her veterinarian and given all treatments. They had been seen at the Butler County Humane Society, where she had the younger litter microchipped.Henry had visited her home earlier without ever citing her for anything. And her dog trainer had already started working with the puppies.Henry confirmed having visited Buchanan's home when the puppies were still there. He said he saw food and water in the yard and the puppies were properly licensed and not underweight or overweight.However, he also acknowledges, “I never went into Buchanan's home, where Vito says the problems were. So I cannot answer what was inside.”Buchanan said she kept the puppies' AKC papers and she has alerted the microchipping company. If one of the puppies is treated by a vet, it will alert her to its whereabouts.Buchanan said she wants the dogs back, but wonders where they are. They are not in any pounds or shelters that she has checked.“It would be hard to keep 11 puppies at her house,” Buchanan said. “But what if she truly found them good homes? How are we going to rip them out of their homes?”
