On February 5, 2006 my son and 2 young grandchildren (who live approx. 400 miles away) were involved in a terrible domestic incident. High on cocaine, my son's ex-wife and her boyfriend assaulted my son, injuring him severely and terrifying the children. The ex and boyfriend, it was later determined, were under the influence of cocaine.
I am disabled and live alone. I have both physical and emotional disabilities stemming from 15-years in a violently abusive marriage and the terrible strain of the divorce process of these last two years. My only companion was my poodle, Baby.
My son called me on Feb. 6 and related the incldent of the previous day. Extremely upsed, but unable to go to them, I spent these last several weeks constantly on the phone and internet, keeping in touch. He and the children are still involved (of course) in the legal process, and the constant strain of concern and staying in touch wore on me terribly, both in terms of physical pain and emotional distress to the point that my poodle began to avoid me and just lie around. Of course, he was picking up on my emotions and it was having an adverse affect on him, too.
I called the lady who had given the poodle to me just over a year ago. I met her when she came to my aunt's to pick up a couple of free kittens. I mentioned that I'd like to have a dog. She told me she'd "rescued" a poodle and that I was welcome to have him. She gave me directions and I picked him up at her house. He's been with me ever since.
With everything that was happening, I called this lady around the end of February. I had not seen or spoken to her since getting Baby, but both my aunt and I believed her to be a nice person.
I told her a little of what had happened and asked her if she'd mind taking Baby back because of the effects things were having on him. She said, "Sure." and we arranged for her to pick him up at my home that evening.
When she arrived, she displayed kindness and concern, asking if I was okay. I shook my head, saying, "Not really," and started to cry. She told me not to worry, that she would keep Baby at her house and, even though she knew a couple that was looking for a dog, she promised not let anyone have him.
Working out the arrangement, she said, "Just call and let me know when you want him back," she said. "Even if you just need somebody to talk to, call."
I thanked her with my heart breaking as she left with Baby.
About two weeks ago, I called to let her know that I wanted Baby back. She was very rude on the phone, saying that she didn't know about that. She said she'd have to talk to her husband because their son slept with Baby and was used to him. I asked her what time her husband came home and she said it would be about an hour. She said she'd call me back.
She didn't call. The next evening, I went back to her house. As I pulled into her drive alongside a fenced in area where she keeps dogs she's "rescued" to give to others (she claims), there was Baby inside the enclosure.
The moment he saw my car, he began to bark and yip, trying to climb the fence. I got out, said sadly, "Oh, my Baby!" and his efforts just intensified to get to me. I walked to the front door. The lady refused to talk to me and a young teenaged girl told me to go around to the carport where the lady's husband would talk to me.
I told him the situation as I'd told it to her when she picked him up. I told him of her promise to return him when I was ready. I told him I'd even buy back my own dog, but to no avail. He said he didn't care to hear anything I had to say. I begged him to give Baby back. He said, "Give me 24 hours to think about it and talk to my son. Call me tomorrow night at 8:00."
I agreed and left.
I called the next night and he informed me that they'd decided to keep the dog. He said, "Look, I've got a lot of money tied up in this dog. I paid $150 for him."
I said, "Your wife told me when she first gave him to me that she had rescued him from one of these "trailers parks" you guys run."
"No," he said. That's not right.
I said, "The one of you is not telling the truth. You'll be hearing from my attorney."
I DON"T STILL HAVE AN ATTORNEY! I LIVE ON SSA DISABILITY; there's no money for an attorney. What I do have is my sister who was given Durable Power of Attorney (still in effect) at the onset of my divorce.
I called her. She refused to help. While she has the authority to even tell these people that I legally had no right letting them take the dog, she refuses to do so.
While talking to her, the woman called me after being filled in by her husband. She was vicious, calling me all kinds of names and screaming at me. I called my sister back. Still no go. She has a wealthy friend in Italy where she spends at least 12 weeks every year and is leaving again Friday. So she doesn't care at all what I may or may not need. (Loyalty, right???)
Help me, PLEASE!!! I realize it was a stupid, emotionally-based mistake, but I have suffered with PTSD symptoms which developed during my marriage, and with the other events topping off the just-finished two-year nightmare divorce, I just couldn't think straight. That's the reason for my sister's appointment as my attorney-in-fact. But, she refuses to perform the duties.
I am disabled and live alone. I have both physical and emotional disabilities stemming from 15-years in a violently abusive marriage and the terrible strain of the divorce process of these last two years. My only companion was my poodle, Baby.
My son called me on Feb. 6 and related the incldent of the previous day. Extremely upsed, but unable to go to them, I spent these last several weeks constantly on the phone and internet, keeping in touch. He and the children are still involved (of course) in the legal process, and the constant strain of concern and staying in touch wore on me terribly, both in terms of physical pain and emotional distress to the point that my poodle began to avoid me and just lie around. Of course, he was picking up on my emotions and it was having an adverse affect on him, too.
I called the lady who had given the poodle to me just over a year ago. I met her when she came to my aunt's to pick up a couple of free kittens. I mentioned that I'd like to have a dog. She told me she'd "rescued" a poodle and that I was welcome to have him. She gave me directions and I picked him up at her house. He's been with me ever since.
With everything that was happening, I called this lady around the end of February. I had not seen or spoken to her since getting Baby, but both my aunt and I believed her to be a nice person.
I told her a little of what had happened and asked her if she'd mind taking Baby back because of the effects things were having on him. She said, "Sure." and we arranged for her to pick him up at my home that evening.
When she arrived, she displayed kindness and concern, asking if I was okay. I shook my head, saying, "Not really," and started to cry. She told me not to worry, that she would keep Baby at her house and, even though she knew a couple that was looking for a dog, she promised not let anyone have him.
Working out the arrangement, she said, "Just call and let me know when you want him back," she said. "Even if you just need somebody to talk to, call."
I thanked her with my heart breaking as she left with Baby.
About two weeks ago, I called to let her know that I wanted Baby back. She was very rude on the phone, saying that she didn't know about that. She said she'd have to talk to her husband because their son slept with Baby and was used to him. I asked her what time her husband came home and she said it would be about an hour. She said she'd call me back.
She didn't call. The next evening, I went back to her house. As I pulled into her drive alongside a fenced in area where she keeps dogs she's "rescued" to give to others (she claims), there was Baby inside the enclosure.
The moment he saw my car, he began to bark and yip, trying to climb the fence. I got out, said sadly, "Oh, my Baby!" and his efforts just intensified to get to me. I walked to the front door. The lady refused to talk to me and a young teenaged girl told me to go around to the carport where the lady's husband would talk to me.
I told him the situation as I'd told it to her when she picked him up. I told him of her promise to return him when I was ready. I told him I'd even buy back my own dog, but to no avail. He said he didn't care to hear anything I had to say. I begged him to give Baby back. He said, "Give me 24 hours to think about it and talk to my son. Call me tomorrow night at 8:00."
I agreed and left.
I called the next night and he informed me that they'd decided to keep the dog. He said, "Look, I've got a lot of money tied up in this dog. I paid $150 for him."
I said, "Your wife told me when she first gave him to me that she had rescued him from one of these "trailers parks" you guys run."
"No," he said. That's not right.
I said, "The one of you is not telling the truth. You'll be hearing from my attorney."
I DON"T STILL HAVE AN ATTORNEY! I LIVE ON SSA DISABILITY; there's no money for an attorney. What I do have is my sister who was given Durable Power of Attorney (still in effect) at the onset of my divorce.
I called her. She refused to help. While she has the authority to even tell these people that I legally had no right letting them take the dog, she refuses to do so.
While talking to her, the woman called me after being filled in by her husband. She was vicious, calling me all kinds of names and screaming at me. I called my sister back. Still no go. She has a wealthy friend in Italy where she spends at least 12 weeks every year and is leaving again Friday. So she doesn't care at all what I may or may not need. (Loyalty, right???)
Help me, PLEASE!!! I realize it was a stupid, emotionally-based mistake, but I have suffered with PTSD symptoms which developed during my marriage, and with the other events topping off the just-finished two-year nightmare divorce, I just couldn't think straight. That's the reason for my sister's appointment as my attorney-in-fact. But, she refuses to perform the duties.
