Pet Store Owner David Dietz Gets Valuable Puppy Back
In a story to rival the best of James Bond, David Deitz, owner or the Puppy Paradise pet shop in Marine Park was able to recover a valuable stolen puppy after a bizarre series of events unfolded.
Thieves Caught But No Sign of Dog
The seven-week old purebred Yorkshire terrier, valued at a cool $1,400, was stolen from the store on February 16. Despite the fact that two 15-year-old boys were arrested and charged with grand larceny, the dog’s whereabouts remained a mystery. Since the puppy requires special food and vitamins, Deitz was worried.
Mysterious Caller
Then last Wednesday, March 7 a woman called the pet store, speaking to Dietz’s partner Merri Weinstein, saying she wanted to return the dog and would call back the next day at about 12 noon.
Deitz was by the phone anxiously awaiting the expected call, when the phone rang at 12:10pm. The female voice intoned on the line:
“I don’t want any trouble. If you want the dog back, go to [East] 87th and Farragut Road, there’s a note on the tree.”
When Deitz asked the caller to identify herself, she hung up the phone.
Note on a Tree
Deitz then drove at top speed to the designated intersection, and after a short search, found the note pinned to a tree. While reading the note, Dietz bowed his head in prayer:
“This has got to happen. This has got to happen” he implored. The note stated the following:
“Sorry I don’t want any trouble. I am given dog back” it read. “Maybe for reward. Dog is at Flatbush Ave. triangle by new Walgreens store. Got this dog from boy. Don’t want any trouble so I put dog in box at food store.”
Deitz raced to the place, feeling stressed out, worried and excited all at once.
“I feel like I’m on a search for my 6-year-old son who has been kidnapped” Dietz said. “I can’t believe that my life has become like a novel.”
Reached Meeting Place At Last
When he got to the drop-off point, Dietz saw the owner of the Floridian Diner, Steve Zaharakis, who was working outside. Dietz immediately asked him if he had seen anyone with a box.
Zaharakis took the nervous Dietz into the diner, where he found an equally nervous Yorkie puppy running about within the confines of a box. Dietz immediately picked up the frightened puppy and calmed him down.
Dietz was pleased to see that the puppy looked healthy saying that, “Whoever took him did a good job.”
Dietz is considering giving a reward to the woman that returned the dog, if he can find her. He was certainly relieved that the episode ended well, exclaiming that,
“It is possible for miracles to happen! Someone did the right thing” he said.
