The owner of Affordable Animal Care Clinic in Fort Myers is speaking out after a grand theft complaint was filed against her business.
In a phone interview, Gina Brashear spoke with Fox 4 about an allegation her clinic refused to return a missing therapy dog to its owner.
"I can't give a dog up that I don't have," said Gina Brashear.
Brashear told Fox 4, May 9th was the last time her clinic was aware of the dog's whereabouts.
According to Brashear, the 13 year-old Shitzu was brought to her clinic on May 6th by a woman, who told Fox 4 she only wanted to go by Betty. Betty says she took Toby to the Clinic after she found him wandering the street.
Brashear says Toby was handed over to Betty on May 6th after AACC was unable to verify Toby's information through his micro chip.
"I had him for 4 days and I took him back on the 4th {day}," said Betty.
Brashear agrees that Betty had the dog for four days; however, their stories differ from that point on.
"Monday around 11:30 I took him over," said Betty.
Betty says she dropped Toby off after receiving a voice mail from the clinic on May 9th, demanding she return the dog.
However, Brashear says her clinic never received the dog, nor did they hear from Betty.
"You know where the proof is that it never made it our clinic? my voicemail," said Brashear.
Toby's owner told Fox 4 she has been to Betty's home and she is confident Toby isn't there.
"Betty does not have the dog. Betty returned the dog on Monday as they demanded," said Ro, Toby's owner.
