Families battle over custody of dog
The Associated Press
DOYLESTOWN -- A New Orleans family that lost its dog in Hurricane Katrina is in a custody battle with a Doylestown family that adopted him.
Sheila Combs, who lost virtually everything she owned in the hurricane, said she wants Rocket, her 10-year-old son's chow-Finnish spitz mix, returned home.
Lynne Welsh took in the now 2-year-old dog from a local shelter last November. The Welshes have renamed him Rusty. Welsh said she made attempts to find the dog's owner last year, calling the phone number on his dog tag, sending letters and putting information on Internet sites.
Welsh said late last week she was willing to return the dog to Combs if she was willing to come and get him. Combs, a single working mother trying to rebuild her house in New Orleans, said it would be "unreasonable" to expect her to fly to Pennsylvania, but she is willing to have someone visit Doylestown and retrieve the dog. Welsh said she now plans to keep the dog and has hired an attorney to represent her.
Combs said she will do the same. "I will not give up," she said. As determined as Welsh is, Combs said, "I am just as determined to get the dog back.
The Associated Press
DOYLESTOWN -- A New Orleans family that lost its dog in Hurricane Katrina is in a custody battle with a Doylestown family that adopted him.
Sheila Combs, who lost virtually everything she owned in the hurricane, said she wants Rocket, her 10-year-old son's chow-Finnish spitz mix, returned home.
Lynne Welsh took in the now 2-year-old dog from a local shelter last November. The Welshes have renamed him Rusty. Welsh said she made attempts to find the dog's owner last year, calling the phone number on his dog tag, sending letters and putting information on Internet sites.
Welsh said late last week she was willing to return the dog to Combs if she was willing to come and get him. Combs, a single working mother trying to rebuild her house in New Orleans, said it would be "unreasonable" to expect her to fly to Pennsylvania, but she is willing to have someone visit Doylestown and retrieve the dog. Welsh said she now plans to keep the dog and has hired an attorney to represent her.
Combs said she will do the same. "I will not give up," she said. As determined as Welsh is, Combs said, "I am just as determined to get the dog back.