A woman is going to court after a Kanas City animal shelter is refusing to return her stolen dog to her. She claims someone stole the animal from her family's backyard. Her family was watching her best pal Jaxon while she was in the hospital. Fortunately, Courtney Baird realized that Jaxon ended up an animal shelter. But it's refusing to give the animal back to her.
"Wayside Waifs, in so many words, told her to get lost," said Alex Sprenger, the attorney who represents Baird in a lawsuit. "They would not tell her anything about where her dog was, who had the dog, would not return the dog to her."
When she discovered Jaxon missing, Baird put up posters and ads searching for the dog. Thanks to social media and an open records request, she was able to track him across three states. She tracked him to a Waffle House in Oklahoma. Then he went to an animal shelter in Arkansas and finally to an animal shelter in Kansas City called Wayside Waifs.
The animal shelter refused to help saying that a family with kids adopted Jaxon. The animal shelter explained its side in a social media post.
Animal Shelter Refuses To Give Back Dog
"We feel for all parties involved in Jaxon's (sic) situation," that post began. "Wayside Waifs has followed all state and local laws in this matter. We have been in communication with all parties, including law enforcement, the original owner, the previous animal shelter that Jaxon received care at, and the adoptive family. We have followed all protocols, and no further action is needed."
Baird filed a motion to ask for the judge to overrule this and give her back her dog.
"She was pleading with, I think, one of the directors over the phone," Sprenger said, "and when she mentioned that Jaxon was basically her kid, they were very harsh on her. They brought up the fact that she didn't have kids, and so the dog was probably happier living in a family with kids."
Wayside Waifs President Kathryn Mahoney spoke out about the allegations. "We empathize with all pet parents that have lost their pet at some point," she wrote. "We will be cooperating with all parties to come to a solution. At this time we have no further comment."
The lawsuit alleges that the animal shelter may be reluctant to get the dog back because it sold Jaxon for a premium price. "This breed of dog is highly desirable and easily sold for profit due in part to their capacity to learn and desirable personality," the lawsuit says.
