JUSTICE FOR DIVA - CHAPTER 19 - The Husband Speaks....
My name is Craig, a retired Sheriff and I am Debi's husband. We moved from California to what we believed to be peaceful Idaho where the dogs can run free and be dogs. My wife for many years enjoyed sitting out on the porch with a cup of coffee in hand and her camera in the other watching the sun come up and the dogs romping around on the acreage we have. Given the crazy careers we both had in California, living in Idaho was a dream come true.
I don't know much about the dog world because I am a horse guy. I have learned a lot in the past 700 plus days about the in's and out's of dog ownership, dog shows, and how supportive people have been towards my wife. In my 30 years in law enforcement I have not seen a crazier set of people who believe they're entitled to someone else's property.
That property also belongs to me. I purchased my wife a puppy in 2013 as a wedding anniversary gift. I purchased this puppy. In the communityproperty State of Idaho, my name doesn't have to be on property for me to have a vested interest in it. I own fifty percent of any property of my wife's simply because I am her husband.
My wife and I named the dog I purchased as a gift - Angel. Unfortunately this puppy came from a poorly bred background. From what I know now about forged paperwork on Diva, and forged health clearances on Diva's Sire, my wife, the "incredible investigator" looked into Angel's background. I was told that the hip and elbow clearance belonging to Angel's mother could have belonged to any dam because there was no permanent identification of the dog when the x-rays were taken. These clearances which includes a Fair hip rating could have and probably do, again given the fraudulent history belong to some other dog.
When my wife returned from the Mid-West with Angel, she told me not to pick up Angel because the breeder had dropped Angel from the grooming table during some puppy presentation, or evaluation and developed a slight limp. My wife, the former Humane Investigator with a back ground as a veterinary technician said to just let Angel be.
Soon this puppy was running around and enjoying life in Idaho with her fur family. Again, not knowing much about the dog show world, Angel was sent to the breeder to obtain her AKC championship. I really missed her absence because her and I bonded from day one. My wife and I joke that Angel is my dog because she's with me 24/7 as we go about our daily ranch chores.
My wife has been an animal rescue for as long as I have known her. My wife wears her compassion on her sleeve. I had to redo the horse barn to make life EVEN BETTER for my horses. My wife flew from Idaho to Kentucky to rescue an 11 year old Jack Russell Terrier from a shelter because she was afraid the elderly dog who was dumped in December wouldn't get adopted. That dog, Lacey is one lucky dog to be owned by my wife. A black kitten made it's way to our property and you guessed it - my wife kept it. My wife even made a house out of a priority mail box for a stranded mouse who got caught on our front porch in the snow storms of last year. My wife purchased food for this mouse all winter long. Yes, my wife loves animals - all animals - and I love her for that compassion.
Angel didn't pass her hip clearance. Angel was mild in one hip which according to my wife a result of the "drop" that happened when the breeder dropped the puppy (Angel) on a cement floor. It also could be because of poor fraudulent clearance history that my wife and others discovered.
What was upsetting to me and something I didn't understand. If I purchased property that was defective, you would think a responsible respective breeder would offer a replacement puppy or a refund. It happens in the horse world, but apparently not in dogs or it doesn't happen with this dog breeder. My wife offered to re x-ray the hips because of the subjectiveness in reading the x-rays. The breeder who claims to love and care about this dog never paid a dime refusing to pony up the money.
Then Diva disappeared. I can certainly understand why my wife never pursued having Angel's hips redone. If the hips proved to be a Fair, WE (my wife and I) would still own Angel with the breeder who at the time was refusing to send back our other dog DIVA.
We were lead to believe for over a year that Diva had died because the two people who were in possession of Diva never contacted us to inform us differently. Our telephone number has remained the same since moving to Idaho. The same telephone number that is publicly on my wife's Sherwood Golden Retriever website.
We were burned $1000 for the purchase of a defective dog we call Angel. We paid $1000's more for this championship, burned again for $1000's more in paying for clearances - for a dog, although loved and is happy being a ranch dog, has no reproductive use for my wife. Never once did this breeder step up and offer a replacement show dog. Instead stole Diva for her own agenda.
My wife rescues dogs, cats, mice and oh yes, almost forgot about the squirrel she was feeding in the loft one winter because according to my wife - "he had no food." There is no way in hell that my wife would get rid of any animal - defective or not.
You know that meme of the little girl shrugging her shoulders with the saying "My reaction when my husband asks where this new dog came from?" Well, that's my wife.
In May of 2016, my wife came to me crying saying she feared something was going on with Diva. Diva was sent to two dog show handlers for the purpose of obtaining her AKC championship. I saw the deductions for dog show entries, handling fees, veterinary fees, and show win photographs being deducted from our bank account.
I told my wife to simply ask for Diva to be returned and I offered to drive through multiple states making the seven day round trip to get Diva. Hey, a happy wife is a good wife and makes life here run more smoothly. Men can relate to this.
My wife did just that in May of 2016 - Return Diva. My wife informed me that the numerous requests were being ignored which just up'd the investigative mode of my wife. WHY? WHY? WHY was there no word coming from either of the two responsible for Diva's care.
My wife had sent an airline crate to the two people. My wife has made several airline reservations to have Diva returned. Hell, I even called the lead person responsible for Diva and told her I would drive to pick up our dog Diva and was... hung up on.
After I was hung up on, I reluctantly turned to my wife and told her - "we have a problem" which of course sent my wife spinning.
A friend of my wife who happens to be an attorney sent a letter for them to contact her regarding the return of Diva - property in the legal system.
My wife filed a criminal felony theft complaint.
My wife covered every angle she could think of in an attempt to get Diva back.
Silence...
Then someone told us about a RV accident where Diva was injured. We were not informed of the injury when it occurred. From my investigation it was a hit and run accident involving another damaged RV when a canopy left open hit the other RV. The person driving who had Diva in her possession left the fairgrounds without stopping.
Two weeks later, unknown to us, Diva had what was told to us as an "eye infection." Again, I overheard my wife calling in our credit card to a veterinary practice to insure proper care for Diva. practice to insure proper care for Diva.
Come to find out that Diva was injured in the RV hit and run and the money spent at the veterinary practice was to treat an injury not an infection. The first telling story about deception.
My wife for months hammered away on the Justice for Diva page asking "WHERE IS DIVA?"
Nothing. Not a word from the people who had possession of Diva.
Fearing the worst and not hearing otherwise, my wife made the decision seven months later to file a civil case against both people. This was done to force the truth if Diva was dead or alive - not to obtain a money judgment. We simply wanted and asked for our dog back.
Not knowing if Diva was dead or alive, the attorney we hired filed several causes of action against the two people who had possession of Diva that would eventually flush out the truth. Dead or Alive, there would be accountability within that civil complaint that would come to light.
Not all the causes of action contained within the civil complaint were applicable because Diva couldn't be dead and alive but numerous causes of action would apply once we found out the truth. Diva had to be dead or alive. Negligence if Diva was dead, conversion (theft) if Diva was alive.
You have to understand civil law to know you can't apply several causes of action (double dipping) but once the discovery determines the dog is dead or alive one or more causes of action will apply. You have to file your civil complaint applying whatever causes of action you believe at the time could be applicable and they can be dismissed as the truth unfolds. You certainly do not want to leave out any causes of action at the beginning because you cannot add them at a later point in time.
From May 2016 to the day my wife flew into Missouri December 2018 for the court ordered inspection on Diva we had no idea if Diva was dead or live. We were tortured from May 2016 to December 2018 with ZERO word coming from the two people that had knowledge about Diva. Neither picked up the telephone to say one way or the other - or that either had any reasons to hold Diva using my wife's word - HOSTAGE. Our household was not a happy place - trust me. One thing you do not do to my wife is STEAL ANIMALS. Her career was devoted to helping animals and these two wing nuts stole our dog. Oh hell...
Never in my 30 years in law enforcement have I heard of such directed spitefulness and direct hatred towards another party. These two women definitely knew what they were doing and I suspect we were not the first victims. This was not either parties first rodeo in dog theft.
From my understanding those that support these two dog thieves also had their hands on dog leashes that didn't belong to them. Where do these people get their sense of entitlement to the point they just take property that doesn't belong to them?
A "Sandra" who contacted my wife to buy a puppy, actually wanted to buy Diva. Instead this Sandra drove to Florida and helped herself to a second puppy from Karen under the ruse of "helping" her during a back surgery recovery - but instead helped herself to a puppy. Karen had to hire an attorney to get money from Sandra who paid for neither puppy.
A "Julie" who strong armed her way into taking a puppy out of the owners home while the owner was away but claims it was negotiated.
Then you have a "Jennifer" whose dog is the mother of Angel. This dog named "Stop the Madness" who was born in January 2010, but didn't have an elbow clearance until 31 months of age without a permanent identification, then x-rayed again at 41 months of age for a fair hip rating. My understanding is you have clearances done around the age of 24 months WITH permanent identification. Again, I am a horse person but I don't understand the logic to getting a health clearance and not abiding my the rules of presenting a dog with a permanent identification unless the rules don't suit you - and you're presenting another dog to pass for the dog you own. Well played but pretty transparent now that I understand the fraudulent agendas of some of these people. This dog is being bred over and over again.
I was forced to stand by and watch my wife go into investigator mode for the upcoming trial simply because of the refusal to send Diva back home to us. These two brought this on themselves and will have to live with their wrongs. I believe in GOD and I believe GOD controls Karma and people who are pure evil for whatever reason will be touched.
My wife spent endless hours on the computer, with her attorney and others to insure the positive outcome in the trial. I sat home protecting the ranch and the animals here as the threats were presented to bring a known stalker who made my wife's life hell in California while doing her job to protect and help other people's animals. My wife was subjected to civil lawsuits in California while doing her job and the court system history will show my wife will not be bullied - she will fight back with all she has. This Diva theft case was no different.
My wife spent endless hours talking to her attorney, friends and experts to make damn sure the positive outcome on the Diva theft case would shed light on the two thieves who held Diva captive.
I was subjected to a short and ridiculous waste of my time being deposed by the other party’s attorney. I don't have anything to do with my wife's breeding other than to support her endeavor and protect her from the obvious bull shit of others. I will stand and hackle next to my wife over this theft of Diva. Where I come from - they hang horse thieves.
The same month that the jury trial was to take place (December of 2017) my wife's attorney filed a motion to conduct an inspection of Diva as well as take both defendant's deposition in Missouri. The trial was moved to January 2018 because the defendants finally stopped the silliness of representing themselves as a stall tactic and hired themselves legal representation.
My wife flew with her attorney to Missouri. My wife was told to not be emotional with Diva because it was an inspection - my wife could not take Diva home if discovered it was Diva, because the claimed ownership coming from the defendant. I am a strong-minded man, but I have to give my wife credit, the woman who wears her animal emotions on her sleeve for subjecting herself to not only being in the same room with the woman who stole her dog, held it captive for over 600 days but to look into the eyes of the dog she bred, loved and owned and suck it up enough to be able to walk away. My wife wasn't going to throw herself on the floor and cry or upset Diva who clearly wondered why she was sent away from a wonderful free life in Idaho to live in a kennel run. My wife isn't stupid. She got through that horrific experience with her head held high.
The trial lasted four days. I knew about the forged co-ownership agreement the defendant presented in a failed attempt at gaining an advantage in the civil suit. I also know my wife and chuckled when David Moore, the forensic handwriting expert from California was brought on board. What I don't understand is the defendant and her attorney KNEW ahead of the trial what Moore's testimony would be. Did they believe my wife was bluffing? You don't know my wife.
I am not surprised about the guilty verdict for conversion, trespass of chattel and disparagement of title. I am not surprised the jury awarded $48,000 judgment. What I am surprised is that the defendant's continued refusal to return Diva after the jury award.
I know now, that Diva was held longer to get her into condition because I know my wife, and others do to, including the defendants. There was going to be a video of the reunion and Diva was groomed for the presentation.
The photographs and video of Diva presented is not how my wife would present any of her dogs. We feed a high-quality dog food, and my wife makes sure they eat their vegetables and additives. Our dogs are healthy. The dog presented in the photos and video was not a healthy dog, and the video clearly showed a dog not mentally healthy. Drugged as my wife suspects or not, that dog was not a healthy minded Golden Retriever.
As expected, after the jury verdict, my wife, again was correct. The appeal was filed. The conversation with the "Diva's fabulous Attorney" was one of disappointment. Even though the jury awarded $48,000.00 and there was a guilty verdict, an appeal meant another year of legal wrangling and most importantly NO DIVA. There was a court date on calendar to file for attorney fees.
It was my wife's decision to use the guilty verdict, the $48,000 judgment already filed in Missouri (property owned by defendant already liened) and the pending motion for attorney fees as leverage.
My wife, bless her kind compassionate soul offered to walk away from $48,000.00 and attorney fees (an amount she refuses to disclose to me) in exchange for the return of Diva. My wife told me the money doesn't matter, but sleeping soundly with her head on the pillow with Diva returned back to us was the most important thing.
I agreed.
I am not bound by the confidentiality of the release and settlement agreement prepared by both attorneys. I was not a party to the lawsuit. I did not sign the agreement, and I certainly an entitled to my first amendment right.
Frankly, I think it's bull shit my wife had to give up anything and sign a bunch of documents to get her dog back, but it is what it is. My wife wanted Diva home. It took her 700 days to accomplish that goal. A goal which to me felt like 7000 days.
Diva was flown home on Good Friday, April 6, 2018. A month short of two years when my wife first asked for Diva to be returned.
Now for what you don't know...
Diva was booked for a flight from Missouri to Idaho on April 5, 2018.
Diva was never put on that flight. My wife called the cargo department of Delta airlines right at the two-hour cut off when Diva was supposed to be dropped off. NO DIVA. Just as my wife turned to me and said, Diva wasn't dropped off at Delta Cargo, the phone rang. My wife pushed telephone speaker and it was "Diva's Fabulous Attorney." My wife blurted out, "Diva wasn't dropped off at Cargo."
There was a conversation presented to my wife from the defendant -
The defendant offered to drive Diva to Idaho (how nice of her right?) to avoid the airflight with a catch.
The defendant wanted "VISITATION RIGHTS" to Angel.
I know my wife... there is no way in hell my wife would allow this convicted dog thief anywhere near any of my dogs.
Apparently, there was a conversation between the defendant and her attorney. The defendant required her attorney to call "Diva's Fabulous Attorney" and ask this question -
"My client (the defendant) wants to know if your client (my wife) would be willing to SELL the defendant DIVA?
Me, being a smart man, I am - walked out of the room.
All I heard was... Beep...Beep... Beep... NO!!
My wife checked her email and was forwarded a message from the defendant's attorney. Diva wasn't put on a plane because it was my wife's fault for sending an "insufficient" crate back in 2016 when Diva was still a young dog.
The air bill forwarded to us from the defendant's attorney stated Diva weighted 94 pounds and the crate weighed 22 pounds bringing the total weight to 116 pounds. Well, if Diva now weighs 94 pounds, a 33 percent increase from the dog presented at the inspection, the dog crate my wife bought and paid for two years ago would be "insufficient."
Yet - another delay because the defendant again trying to KEEP Diva. 700 days and counting...
The crate my wife sent was sufficient. The crate Diva was sent in was dimensionally a few inches off because of a different manufacturer. What was disturbing was the bag of dog food taped to the crate. Dog food that was different colors and had a horrible greasy substance to it. So greasy you couldn't see through the bad. The tainted dog food was tossed in the garbage.
What we discovered was Diva wasn't vaccinated - ever - while in the possession of the two women who held her.
The health certificate stated that Diva received a 1-year vaccination for Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella. My wife, because she can, called the veterinarian who issued the health certificate to make sure the health certificate wasn't another "cut and paste" job. According to the veterinarian, the rabies certificate was issued to the defendant at her insistence. The veterinarian kindly offered to mail my wife a new rabies tag with a different number and a rabies certificate in her name. SMFH.
My wife spent Easter weekend celebrating the return of Diva. After 700 days - my wife was successful in her endeavor never wavering in her quest to right a wrong and expose those who played a part in it. My wife took Diva to a licensed veterinarian for a health exam. Part of that exam exposed the truth that Diva was in fact bred. No surprise to my wife, but that fact violates the settlement agreement that Diva "be returned in the same condition as seen at the December inspection - UNaltered AND Unbred.
Maybe this was why my wife signed the settlement agreement knowing the agreement would be void because of the fraudulent cover up by the defendants. Perhaps they thought my wife couldn't prove Diva was bred. Perhaps they once again like hiring forensic handwriting expert David Moore to proved the co-ownership agreement was nothing more than a "cut and paste" fraudulent document, my wife wouldn't go to the ends of the Earth to prove Diva was factually bred. Go ahead and under estimate my wife's tenacity in proving the right from the wrong.
You would think this would end here right?
Laughing as I am writing this - The defendant formed a "secret" Facebook group and joined people to it - to tell her side of the Diva story. A story the defendant won't make public and hasn't fully explained in her secret group. A story that was never a defense in the civil case. A story that wasn't told to us. A story inside this woman's head which she is trying to convince other purple Kool-Aid drinkers is real. For the few who drink the Kool-Aid, you're in the minority. Most of us do not and will never condone dog theft.
The settlement agreement has a disparagement clause. Both parties are to refrain from talking crap about the other. My wife has her dog Diva back. My wife prevailed in the civil case on three relevant counts pertaining to DOG THEFT. My wife has not and probably will not release the judgment of $48,000.00 that is now filed in Missouri based upon the fact Diva was bred and the whereabouts of the puppies are unknown. My wife exposed these people for who they are. The video of the reunion between my wife and Diva at the airport was viewed close to 15,000 times. My wife did what she set out to do - JUSTICE FOR DIVA.
What my wife won't do is tolerate bullying. My wife will never back down to bullying tactics. . She will fight back like she always has. My wife was a stalking victim in California where there were numerous civil actions taken to not only protect my wife, but to protect her animals and her career in rescuing other animals.
The settlement agreement has a desparagement clause. Both parties are to refrain from talking crap about the other. My wife has her dog Diva back. My wife prevailed in the civil case on three relevant counts pertaining to DOG THEFT. My wife has not and probably will not release the judgment of $48,000.00 that is now filed in Missouri based upon the fact Diva was bred and the whereabouts of the puppies are unknown. My wife exposed these people for who they are. The video of the reunion between my wife and Diva at the airport was viewed close to 15,000 times. My wife did what she set out to do - JUSTICE FOR DIVA. What my wife won't do is tolerate bullying. My wife will never back down to bullying tactics. She will fight back like she always has. My wife was a stalking victim in California where there were numerous civil actions taken to not only protect my wife, but to protect her animals and her career in rescuing other animals.
My wife has forwarded concrete evidence to her attorney that links written proof that the defendants disparaging remarks made AFTER her signature on the settlement agreement against my wife in an attempt to bully her violates the terms of the settlement agreement.
Concrete proof that the defendant once again claims her innocence, wants others to believe she is a victim of circumstances only known to her, while hiding behind what she thought was a layer of protection from exposure. Just like in the Wizard of Oz, the great OZ himself was exposed when the curtain dropped. Fraud and deception will always come to light.
There is a credible threat from reliable Justice for Diva supporters that the defendant will travel to Idaho to attend the Lewiston Spring Cluster of dog shows in Lewiston Idaho under the ruse (confirmed by the defendant’s own attorney) that the defendant NOW feels an entitlement to visit with Angel, a dog she sold to me and my wife under a co-ownership puppy sales agreement that gives her nothing but the piece of paper it's written on.
I listened to my wife explain to me how the American Kennel Club registration form is nothing but a piece of paper to enter AKC events and how that piece of paper is not a legal form of ownership.
NOW comes the second offer (well after the signatures appeared on this settlement agreement and arrival of Diva back home) to my wife through the attorneys -
"Would your client (my wife) be willing "FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT" sell the defendant her interest in Angel and send Angel back to the defendant?
I, being the smart man, I am - stood next to my wife as she responded to her attorney via email answering that question about selling this wing nut Angel.
From my view point, I could read, &^%*&$(^&^(* NOOOOOOOOOO ($#^&%*& WAY!
It went on and on as my wife once again had to hammer away at her computer keyboard. I feel bad for my wife being subjected to this continued BS and I wouldn't want to be that computer keyboard because it has taken a hell of a beating!
No - we are not selling Diva.
No- we are not selling Angel.
Anything else?
Days later as my wife was sitting on the porch enjoying her coffee, camera in hand, watching our fur family frolic around the property enjoying life, my wife's phone starts to ring and ring. We could hear her computer ping and ping...
Life interrupted once again.
Threats are real.
The defendant believes she can come to Idaho to steal Diva again and this time include Angel.
Don't under estimate my wife...
My name is Craig, a retired Sheriff and I am Debi's husband. We moved from California to what we believed to be peaceful Idaho where the dogs can run free and be dogs. My wife for many years enjoyed sitting out on the porch with a cup of coffee in hand and her camera in the other watching the sun come up and the dogs romping around on the acreage we have. Given the crazy careers we both had in California, living in Idaho was a dream come true.
I don't know much about the dog world because I am a horse guy. I have learned a lot in the past 700 plus days about the in's and out's of dog ownership, dog shows, and how supportive people have been towards my wife. In my 30 years in law enforcement I have not seen a crazier set of people who believe they're entitled to someone else's property.
That property also belongs to me. I purchased my wife a puppy in 2013 as a wedding anniversary gift. I purchased this puppy. In the communityproperty State of Idaho, my name doesn't have to be on property for me to have a vested interest in it. I own fifty percent of any property of my wife's simply because I am her husband.
My wife and I named the dog I purchased as a gift - Angel. Unfortunately this puppy came from a poorly bred background. From what I know now about forged paperwork on Diva, and forged health clearances on Diva's Sire, my wife, the "incredible investigator" looked into Angel's background. I was told that the hip and elbow clearance belonging to Angel's mother could have belonged to any dam because there was no permanent identification of the dog when the x-rays were taken. These clearances which includes a Fair hip rating could have and probably do, again given the fraudulent history belong to some other dog.
When my wife returned from the Mid-West with Angel, she told me not to pick up Angel because the breeder had dropped Angel from the grooming table during some puppy presentation, or evaluation and developed a slight limp. My wife, the former Humane Investigator with a back ground as a veterinary technician said to just let Angel be.
Soon this puppy was running around and enjoying life in Idaho with her fur family. Again, not knowing much about the dog show world, Angel was sent to the breeder to obtain her AKC championship. I really missed her absence because her and I bonded from day one. My wife and I joke that Angel is my dog because she's with me 24/7 as we go about our daily ranch chores.
My wife has been an animal rescue for as long as I have known her. My wife wears her compassion on her sleeve. I had to redo the horse barn to make life EVEN BETTER for my horses. My wife flew from Idaho to Kentucky to rescue an 11 year old Jack Russell Terrier from a shelter because she was afraid the elderly dog who was dumped in December wouldn't get adopted. That dog, Lacey is one lucky dog to be owned by my wife. A black kitten made it's way to our property and you guessed it - my wife kept it. My wife even made a house out of a priority mail box for a stranded mouse who got caught on our front porch in the snow storms of last year. My wife purchased food for this mouse all winter long. Yes, my wife loves animals - all animals - and I love her for that compassion.
Angel didn't pass her hip clearance. Angel was mild in one hip which according to my wife a result of the "drop" that happened when the breeder dropped the puppy (Angel) on a cement floor. It also could be because of poor fraudulent clearance history that my wife and others discovered.
What was upsetting to me and something I didn't understand. If I purchased property that was defective, you would think a responsible respective breeder would offer a replacement puppy or a refund. It happens in the horse world, but apparently not in dogs or it doesn't happen with this dog breeder. My wife offered to re x-ray the hips because of the subjectiveness in reading the x-rays. The breeder who claims to love and care about this dog never paid a dime refusing to pony up the money.
Then Diva disappeared. I can certainly understand why my wife never pursued having Angel's hips redone. If the hips proved to be a Fair, WE (my wife and I) would still own Angel with the breeder who at the time was refusing to send back our other dog DIVA.
We were lead to believe for over a year that Diva had died because the two people who were in possession of Diva never contacted us to inform us differently. Our telephone number has remained the same since moving to Idaho. The same telephone number that is publicly on my wife's Sherwood Golden Retriever website.
We were burned $1000 for the purchase of a defective dog we call Angel. We paid $1000's more for this championship, burned again for $1000's more in paying for clearances - for a dog, although loved and is happy being a ranch dog, has no reproductive use for my wife. Never once did this breeder step up and offer a replacement show dog. Instead stole Diva for her own agenda.
My wife rescues dogs, cats, mice and oh yes, almost forgot about the squirrel she was feeding in the loft one winter because according to my wife - "he had no food." There is no way in hell that my wife would get rid of any animal - defective or not.
You know that meme of the little girl shrugging her shoulders with the saying "My reaction when my husband asks where this new dog came from?" Well, that's my wife.
In May of 2016, my wife came to me crying saying she feared something was going on with Diva. Diva was sent to two dog show handlers for the purpose of obtaining her AKC championship. I saw the deductions for dog show entries, handling fees, veterinary fees, and show win photographs being deducted from our bank account.
I told my wife to simply ask for Diva to be returned and I offered to drive through multiple states making the seven day round trip to get Diva. Hey, a happy wife is a good wife and makes life here run more smoothly. Men can relate to this.
My wife did just that in May of 2016 - Return Diva. My wife informed me that the numerous requests were being ignored which just up'd the investigative mode of my wife. WHY? WHY? WHY was there no word coming from either of the two responsible for Diva's care.
My wife had sent an airline crate to the two people. My wife has made several airline reservations to have Diva returned. Hell, I even called the lead person responsible for Diva and told her I would drive to pick up our dog Diva and was... hung up on.
After I was hung up on, I reluctantly turned to my wife and told her - "we have a problem" which of course sent my wife spinning.
A friend of my wife who happens to be an attorney sent a letter for them to contact her regarding the return of Diva - property in the legal system.
My wife filed a criminal felony theft complaint.
My wife covered every angle she could think of in an attempt to get Diva back.
Silence...
Then someone told us about a RV accident where Diva was injured. We were not informed of the injury when it occurred. From my investigation it was a hit and run accident involving another damaged RV when a canopy left open hit the other RV. The person driving who had Diva in her possession left the fairgrounds without stopping.
Two weeks later, unknown to us, Diva had what was told to us as an "eye infection." Again, I overheard my wife calling in our credit card to a veterinary practice to insure proper care for Diva. practice to insure proper care for Diva.
Come to find out that Diva was injured in the RV hit and run and the money spent at the veterinary practice was to treat an injury not an infection. The first telling story about deception.
My wife for months hammered away on the Justice for Diva page asking "WHERE IS DIVA?"
Nothing. Not a word from the people who had possession of Diva.
Fearing the worst and not hearing otherwise, my wife made the decision seven months later to file a civil case against both people. This was done to force the truth if Diva was dead or alive - not to obtain a money judgment. We simply wanted and asked for our dog back.
Not knowing if Diva was dead or alive, the attorney we hired filed several causes of action against the two people who had possession of Diva that would eventually flush out the truth. Dead or Alive, there would be accountability within that civil complaint that would come to light.
Not all the causes of action contained within the civil complaint were applicable because Diva couldn't be dead and alive but numerous causes of action would apply once we found out the truth. Diva had to be dead or alive. Negligence if Diva was dead, conversion (theft) if Diva was alive.
You have to understand civil law to know you can't apply several causes of action (double dipping) but once the discovery determines the dog is dead or alive one or more causes of action will apply. You have to file your civil complaint applying whatever causes of action you believe at the time could be applicable and they can be dismissed as the truth unfolds. You certainly do not want to leave out any causes of action at the beginning because you cannot add them at a later point in time.
From May 2016 to the day my wife flew into Missouri December 2018 for the court ordered inspection on Diva we had no idea if Diva was dead or live. We were tortured from May 2016 to December 2018 with ZERO word coming from the two people that had knowledge about Diva. Neither picked up the telephone to say one way or the other - or that either had any reasons to hold Diva using my wife's word - HOSTAGE. Our household was not a happy place - trust me. One thing you do not do to my wife is STEAL ANIMALS. Her career was devoted to helping animals and these two wing nuts stole our dog. Oh hell...
Never in my 30 years in law enforcement have I heard of such directed spitefulness and direct hatred towards another party. These two women definitely knew what they were doing and I suspect we were not the first victims. This was not either parties first rodeo in dog theft.
From my understanding those that support these two dog thieves also had their hands on dog leashes that didn't belong to them. Where do these people get their sense of entitlement to the point they just take property that doesn't belong to them?
A "Sandra" who contacted my wife to buy a puppy, actually wanted to buy Diva. Instead this Sandra drove to Florida and helped herself to a second puppy from Karen under the ruse of "helping" her during a back surgery recovery - but instead helped herself to a puppy. Karen had to hire an attorney to get money from Sandra who paid for neither puppy.
A "Julie" who strong armed her way into taking a puppy out of the owners home while the owner was away but claims it was negotiated.
Then you have a "Jennifer" whose dog is the mother of Angel. This dog named "Stop the Madness" who was born in January 2010, but didn't have an elbow clearance until 31 months of age without a permanent identification, then x-rayed again at 41 months of age for a fair hip rating. My understanding is you have clearances done around the age of 24 months WITH permanent identification. Again, I am a horse person but I don't understand the logic to getting a health clearance and not abiding my the rules of presenting a dog with a permanent identification unless the rules don't suit you - and you're presenting another dog to pass for the dog you own. Well played but pretty transparent now that I understand the fraudulent agendas of some of these people. This dog is being bred over and over again.
I was forced to stand by and watch my wife go into investigator mode for the upcoming trial simply because of the refusal to send Diva back home to us. These two brought this on themselves and will have to live with their wrongs. I believe in GOD and I believe GOD controls Karma and people who are pure evil for whatever reason will be touched.
My wife spent endless hours on the computer, with her attorney and others to insure the positive outcome in the trial. I sat home protecting the ranch and the animals here as the threats were presented to bring a known stalker who made my wife's life hell in California while doing her job to protect and help other people's animals. My wife was subjected to civil lawsuits in California while doing her job and the court system history will show my wife will not be bullied - she will fight back with all she has. This Diva theft case was no different.
My wife spent endless hours talking to her attorney, friends and experts to make damn sure the positive outcome on the Diva theft case would shed light on the two thieves who held Diva captive.
I was subjected to a short and ridiculous waste of my time being deposed by the other party’s attorney. I don't have anything to do with my wife's breeding other than to support her endeavor and protect her from the obvious bull shit of others. I will stand and hackle next to my wife over this theft of Diva. Where I come from - they hang horse thieves.
The same month that the jury trial was to take place (December of 2017) my wife's attorney filed a motion to conduct an inspection of Diva as well as take both defendant's deposition in Missouri. The trial was moved to January 2018 because the defendants finally stopped the silliness of representing themselves as a stall tactic and hired themselves legal representation.
My wife flew with her attorney to Missouri. My wife was told to not be emotional with Diva because it was an inspection - my wife could not take Diva home if discovered it was Diva, because the claimed ownership coming from the defendant. I am a strong-minded man, but I have to give my wife credit, the woman who wears her animal emotions on her sleeve for subjecting herself to not only being in the same room with the woman who stole her dog, held it captive for over 600 days but to look into the eyes of the dog she bred, loved and owned and suck it up enough to be able to walk away. My wife wasn't going to throw herself on the floor and cry or upset Diva who clearly wondered why she was sent away from a wonderful free life in Idaho to live in a kennel run. My wife isn't stupid. She got through that horrific experience with her head held high.
The trial lasted four days. I knew about the forged co-ownership agreement the defendant presented in a failed attempt at gaining an advantage in the civil suit. I also know my wife and chuckled when David Moore, the forensic handwriting expert from California was brought on board. What I don't understand is the defendant and her attorney KNEW ahead of the trial what Moore's testimony would be. Did they believe my wife was bluffing? You don't know my wife.
I am not surprised about the guilty verdict for conversion, trespass of chattel and disparagement of title. I am not surprised the jury awarded $48,000 judgment. What I am surprised is that the defendant's continued refusal to return Diva after the jury award.
I know now, that Diva was held longer to get her into condition because I know my wife, and others do to, including the defendants. There was going to be a video of the reunion and Diva was groomed for the presentation.
The photographs and video of Diva presented is not how my wife would present any of her dogs. We feed a high-quality dog food, and my wife makes sure they eat their vegetables and additives. Our dogs are healthy. The dog presented in the photos and video was not a healthy dog, and the video clearly showed a dog not mentally healthy. Drugged as my wife suspects or not, that dog was not a healthy minded Golden Retriever.
As expected, after the jury verdict, my wife, again was correct. The appeal was filed. The conversation with the "Diva's fabulous Attorney" was one of disappointment. Even though the jury awarded $48,000.00 and there was a guilty verdict, an appeal meant another year of legal wrangling and most importantly NO DIVA. There was a court date on calendar to file for attorney fees.
It was my wife's decision to use the guilty verdict, the $48,000 judgment already filed in Missouri (property owned by defendant already liened) and the pending motion for attorney fees as leverage.
My wife, bless her kind compassionate soul offered to walk away from $48,000.00 and attorney fees (an amount she refuses to disclose to me) in exchange for the return of Diva. My wife told me the money doesn't matter, but sleeping soundly with her head on the pillow with Diva returned back to us was the most important thing.
I agreed.
I am not bound by the confidentiality of the release and settlement agreement prepared by both attorneys. I was not a party to the lawsuit. I did not sign the agreement, and I certainly an entitled to my first amendment right.
Frankly, I think it's bull shit my wife had to give up anything and sign a bunch of documents to get her dog back, but it is what it is. My wife wanted Diva home. It took her 700 days to accomplish that goal. A goal which to me felt like 7000 days.
Diva was flown home on Good Friday, April 6, 2018. A month short of two years when my wife first asked for Diva to be returned.
Now for what you don't know...
Diva was booked for a flight from Missouri to Idaho on April 5, 2018.
Diva was never put on that flight. My wife called the cargo department of Delta airlines right at the two-hour cut off when Diva was supposed to be dropped off. NO DIVA. Just as my wife turned to me and said, Diva wasn't dropped off at Delta Cargo, the phone rang. My wife pushed telephone speaker and it was "Diva's Fabulous Attorney." My wife blurted out, "Diva wasn't dropped off at Cargo."
There was a conversation presented to my wife from the defendant -
The defendant offered to drive Diva to Idaho (how nice of her right?) to avoid the airflight with a catch.
The defendant wanted "VISITATION RIGHTS" to Angel.
I know my wife... there is no way in hell my wife would allow this convicted dog thief anywhere near any of my dogs.
Apparently, there was a conversation between the defendant and her attorney. The defendant required her attorney to call "Diva's Fabulous Attorney" and ask this question -
"My client (the defendant) wants to know if your client (my wife) would be willing to SELL the defendant DIVA?
Me, being a smart man, I am - walked out of the room.
All I heard was... Beep...Beep... Beep... NO!!
My wife checked her email and was forwarded a message from the defendant's attorney. Diva wasn't put on a plane because it was my wife's fault for sending an "insufficient" crate back in 2016 when Diva was still a young dog.
The air bill forwarded to us from the defendant's attorney stated Diva weighted 94 pounds and the crate weighed 22 pounds bringing the total weight to 116 pounds. Well, if Diva now weighs 94 pounds, a 33 percent increase from the dog presented at the inspection, the dog crate my wife bought and paid for two years ago would be "insufficient."
Yet - another delay because the defendant again trying to KEEP Diva. 700 days and counting...
The crate my wife sent was sufficient. The crate Diva was sent in was dimensionally a few inches off because of a different manufacturer. What was disturbing was the bag of dog food taped to the crate. Dog food that was different colors and had a horrible greasy substance to it. So greasy you couldn't see through the bad. The tainted dog food was tossed in the garbage.
What we discovered was Diva wasn't vaccinated - ever - while in the possession of the two women who held her.
The health certificate stated that Diva received a 1-year vaccination for Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella. My wife, because she can, called the veterinarian who issued the health certificate to make sure the health certificate wasn't another "cut and paste" job. According to the veterinarian, the rabies certificate was issued to the defendant at her insistence. The veterinarian kindly offered to mail my wife a new rabies tag with a different number and a rabies certificate in her name. SMFH.
My wife spent Easter weekend celebrating the return of Diva. After 700 days - my wife was successful in her endeavor never wavering in her quest to right a wrong and expose those who played a part in it. My wife took Diva to a licensed veterinarian for a health exam. Part of that exam exposed the truth that Diva was in fact bred. No surprise to my wife, but that fact violates the settlement agreement that Diva "be returned in the same condition as seen at the December inspection - UNaltered AND Unbred.
Maybe this was why my wife signed the settlement agreement knowing the agreement would be void because of the fraudulent cover up by the defendants. Perhaps they thought my wife couldn't prove Diva was bred. Perhaps they once again like hiring forensic handwriting expert David Moore to proved the co-ownership agreement was nothing more than a "cut and paste" fraudulent document, my wife wouldn't go to the ends of the Earth to prove Diva was factually bred. Go ahead and under estimate my wife's tenacity in proving the right from the wrong.
You would think this would end here right?
Laughing as I am writing this - The defendant formed a "secret" Facebook group and joined people to it - to tell her side of the Diva story. A story the defendant won't make public and hasn't fully explained in her secret group. A story that was never a defense in the civil case. A story that wasn't told to us. A story inside this woman's head which she is trying to convince other purple Kool-Aid drinkers is real. For the few who drink the Kool-Aid, you're in the minority. Most of us do not and will never condone dog theft.
The settlement agreement has a disparagement clause. Both parties are to refrain from talking crap about the other. My wife has her dog Diva back. My wife prevailed in the civil case on three relevant counts pertaining to DOG THEFT. My wife has not and probably will not release the judgment of $48,000.00 that is now filed in Missouri based upon the fact Diva was bred and the whereabouts of the puppies are unknown. My wife exposed these people for who they are. The video of the reunion between my wife and Diva at the airport was viewed close to 15,000 times. My wife did what she set out to do - JUSTICE FOR DIVA.
What my wife won't do is tolerate bullying. My wife will never back down to bullying tactics. . She will fight back like she always has. My wife was a stalking victim in California where there were numerous civil actions taken to not only protect my wife, but to protect her animals and her career in rescuing other animals.
The settlement agreement has a desparagement clause. Both parties are to refrain from talking crap about the other. My wife has her dog Diva back. My wife prevailed in the civil case on three relevant counts pertaining to DOG THEFT. My wife has not and probably will not release the judgment of $48,000.00 that is now filed in Missouri based upon the fact Diva was bred and the whereabouts of the puppies are unknown. My wife exposed these people for who they are. The video of the reunion between my wife and Diva at the airport was viewed close to 15,000 times. My wife did what she set out to do - JUSTICE FOR DIVA. What my wife won't do is tolerate bullying. My wife will never back down to bullying tactics. She will fight back like she always has. My wife was a stalking victim in California where there were numerous civil actions taken to not only protect my wife, but to protect her animals and her career in rescuing other animals.
My wife has forwarded concrete evidence to her attorney that links written proof that the defendants disparaging remarks made AFTER her signature on the settlement agreement against my wife in an attempt to bully her violates the terms of the settlement agreement.
Concrete proof that the defendant once again claims her innocence, wants others to believe she is a victim of circumstances only known to her, while hiding behind what she thought was a layer of protection from exposure. Just like in the Wizard of Oz, the great OZ himself was exposed when the curtain dropped. Fraud and deception will always come to light.
There is a credible threat from reliable Justice for Diva supporters that the defendant will travel to Idaho to attend the Lewiston Spring Cluster of dog shows in Lewiston Idaho under the ruse (confirmed by the defendant’s own attorney) that the defendant NOW feels an entitlement to visit with Angel, a dog she sold to me and my wife under a co-ownership puppy sales agreement that gives her nothing but the piece of paper it's written on.
I listened to my wife explain to me how the American Kennel Club registration form is nothing but a piece of paper to enter AKC events and how that piece of paper is not a legal form of ownership.
NOW comes the second offer (well after the signatures appeared on this settlement agreement and arrival of Diva back home) to my wife through the attorneys -
"Would your client (my wife) be willing "FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT" sell the defendant her interest in Angel and send Angel back to the defendant?
I, being the smart man, I am - stood next to my wife as she responded to her attorney via email answering that question about selling this wing nut Angel.
From my view point, I could read, &^%*&$(^&^(* NOOOOOOOOOO ($#^&%*& WAY!
It went on and on as my wife once again had to hammer away at her computer keyboard. I feel bad for my wife being subjected to this continued BS and I wouldn't want to be that computer keyboard because it has taken a hell of a beating!
No - we are not selling Diva.
No- we are not selling Angel.
Anything else?
Days later as my wife was sitting on the porch enjoying her coffee, camera in hand, watching our fur family frolic around the property enjoying life, my wife's phone starts to ring and ring. We could hear her computer ping and ping...
Life interrupted once again.
Threats are real.
The defendant believes she can come to Idaho to steal Diva again and this time include Angel.
Don't under estimate my wife...