Woman trying to sell puppies on Craigslist is shocked that she gets robbed instead

FLORIDA -- A Daytona Beach man who stole two dogs faces felony animal cruelty charges after police recovered one of the dogs during an undercover buy and found it to be emaciated, documents show.

Lethario Haddocks, 25, who was out of jail on his own recognizance under pretrial supervision for domestic battery on Aug. 22, was arrested again on Wednesday and charged with felony cruelty to animals, grand theft of $300 but less than $5,000 and resisting an officer without violence. He was being held Thursday on $8,500 bail, records show.

According to Daytona Beach police, Haddocks responded to an ad on Craigslist advertising two toy poodle puppies for sale and met with the seller, Catherine Ash, of Cocoa, at Samuel Butts Park on Bellevue Avenue after agreeing to pay $800 for both dogs.

On Dec. 1, Ash went to the park and had the dogs running around while waiting for Haddocks. Ash saw Haddock pass by her several times before he approached her and gave her a handful of cash, police said.

As Ash counted the money, Haddocks ran away with the two puppies. Ash was only given $150, reports state.

“It’s not so much about the money, but I was nervous since it had gone down like that, that possibly there [were] some sketchy things that were going on with the puppies after the fact,” Ash said.

Ash then called police after seeing the dogs advertised again on Craigslist. She called the number and heard Haddocks and called police, reports detail.

Police made contact with Haddocks on Dec. 9 and offered to buy a dog for $400 and Haddock agreed to meet the detectives at a gas station. When Haddocks first showed up, he asked a detective if she wanted to buy marijuana. When the undercover officer said she was not there to buy drugs but to get the dog, Haddocks rode off on his bicycle and returned carrying a backpack, reports said.

Once several police unmarked vehicles arrived, Haddocks ran, but was caught as he crossed Nova Road with the backpack. When the bag was checked to see if he had any weapons, police discovered a toy poodle dog stuffed in the bag. The puppy appeared to be dehydrated and deprived of the proper care, police said.

Reached by telephone, Ash said she is happy to have back at least one of the 11½-week-old puppies stolen from her 10 days ago. Ash said police are working on determining where Haddocks has the second puppy. Ash said it was the first time she had tried to sell something on Craigslist and said she will be more cautious in the future.

"She (the puppy) is a bit shaken maybe because of how she was recovered, but she is doing very well," Ash said. "She was very hungry and very thirsty when we got her back."

She also hopes that her story prompts others to take precautions when they meet up with a stranger.

“I was victimized and I was very unintelligent in the way I handled [the sale]," she said. "But the fact that he went back on Craigslist and tried to sell [the dogs] a week later… I just don’t even have words."

I think Animal control needs to investigate this woman. NO REPUTABLE BREEDER sells puppies on craigslist. NO REPUTABLE BREEDER meets strangers in parking lots to sell puppies. 

(News Journal Online - Dec 10, 2015)