A family from South Florida (United States) tries to recover their dog even though the person to whom she was entrusted refuses to return her, reports NBC6 Miami.
In November 2025, Hanna Bustos was going through a particularly difficult period. She was in the middle of moving, had to take care of her sick mother and, above all, she learned that she had cancer. Unable to properly care for his dog Lucy in her conditions, she had asked a pet-sitter, to whom she had already entrusted her in the past, to look after her for free until her situation improved. The latter had accepted.
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“ There is no document establishing that she became the owner in any wayassures Hanna Bustos. And I know from our text messages, our conversations, the witnesses and everything else, that this situation was not meant to be permanent. »
“ I am currently undergoing cancer treatment and chemotherapy. », Continues the mother.
She last saw her dog in February 2026. Shortly after, she received her cancer diagnosis.
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“I was fighting for my life, but now I'm ready to fight for Lucy”
In August, approaching the end of her treatment, she contacted the pet-sitter to agree on the gradual return of Lucy within her family, but she was shocked by her interlocutor's response. “ When I contacted her to offer this, she replied that she would not return the dog because she said she did not want her to leave her pack. “, noted Hanna Bustos.
“ We had entrusted our dog to him and we hoped to be able to get her back “, she said. I'm sad. I'm angry. I feel betrayed,” confides his son Rogerwhile his daughter Chloe said that playing with Lucy and he misses feeding her.
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Hanna Bustos hired a lawyer, who sent the pet-sitter an official notice. She also filed a complaint with the police. “ I was fighting for my life, but now I'm ready to fight for Lucy », she concludes.
Woopets advice: how to prevent temporary custody from turning into conflict?
When a relative or pet-sitter looks after an animal for an extended period, it is better to formalize the conditions from the start:
- Specify in writing that this is temporary custody, without transfer of ownership
- Indicate the expected duration and terms of restitution
- Ensure chip credentials are up to date
- In the event of disagreement, do not attempt to recover the animal by force, instead opt for a legal approach.
A clear writing – which has not been established in the case of Lucy – can thus prevent a simple custody solution from leading to a dispute that is difficult to resolve.