Man pays $15,000 reward to reunite with best friend

[Patriots Game]

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
TORONTO - A Toronto man has been happily reunited with his best friend after paying a $15,000 reward he promised for the safe return of his dog, Huckleberry.
The three-year-old chocolate Labrador was returned to Bert Clark, 37, late Sunday night after mysteriously disappearing Saturday morning.
"He's tired, he's sleeping. I think it's been a stressful time for him. Normally, he'd be the monkey that he is -- grabbing my mitts and keeping me on my toes," Mr. Clark said yesterday.
Mr. Clark feared Huckleberry -- named after Huckleberry Finn -- had been dognapped after he disappeared from outside a Yonge Street bakery early Saturday. Shannon Howard, Huckleberry's walker, had stepped inside for about five minutes, leaving him tied securely to a pipe. When she returned, the 39-kilogram dog was missing.
When he heard the news on Saturday, Mr. Clark quickly returned from a trip to Florida to lead a campaign to find his dog. Friends and family helped post 600 posters around the city, promising a $15,000 reward for Huckleberry's safe return.
A large colour advertisement in a Toronto newspaper, with a value of between $6,000 and $9,000, was taken out offering to pay the reward with "no questions asked."
"He's a member of the family," he said about offering a reward for the dog's return.
Police say Mr. Clark received a phone call on Sunday about his dog and arranged to meet the callers at the police station for his safety.
"When he's offering a reward, there are considerations for his safety. That is a substantial amount of money," Det. Rob Ermacora said. The $15,000 reward was paid as promised.
Richard Cassibo, the man who met Mr. Clark at the police station to return Huckleberry, said his two children found the dog tied to a park bench, shivering. He told Global News he didn't trust the humane society, and had planned on putting up flyers to find the owner. When asked why he accepted the reward instead of refusing the money, he said, "because I can use it."
Mr. Clark said he didn't pay much attention to the person who returned his beloved companion, saying at the time he was only aware of his dog. "It was all about Huckleberry."
A celebration, complete with champagne and orange juice, was held at a nearby park yesterday morning for the friends, neighbours and strangers, and the four-legged companions, who helped search for Huckleberry.
"A big community of people were very emotionally invested in this, and greatly relieved," Mr. Clark said.
Det. Ermacora said the case is still under investigation. He did not know whether the individuals who returned Huckleberry were the alleged dognappers. "They may be a third or fourth party who know who took the dog."
But he said criminal charges are unlikely. "More than likely this will be the end of it because it will be difficult to prove who actually took the dog. Nobody actually saw anyone take the dog."

[RanPicks]

I bet that dog gets dog-napped again... sad he should have to pay so much money... I guess he has plenty...

[Patriots Game]

Personally, I didn't think that dog-napping paid so well.

[skippy]

Originally Posted by RanPicks

I bet that dog gets dog-napped again... sad he should have to pay so much money... I guess he has plenty...

He could've started his own dog kennel with that much money.

He should've held out a bit longer....let his dog crap all over the dognappers' house and car.

[skippy]

Originally Posted by Patriots Game

Personally, I didn't think that dog-napping paid so well.

Only in Toronto......where Torontonians are stupid enough continues to overpay for things.....such as face value for tickets to see the Maple Laffs.....losing year after losing year.

[T100]

Originally Posted by skippy

Only in Toronto......where Torontonians are stupid enough continues to overpay for things.....such as face value for tickets to see the Maple Laffs.....losing year after losing year.

OWWWWWWW

LO BLOW SKIPSTER

LOL,Leave the Laffs oops leafs outta this (they`re` WINNIN lately)

[HAMILROCK]

Originally Posted by skippy

Only in Toronto......where Torontonians are stupid enough continues to overpay for things.....such as face value for tickets to see the Maple Laffs.....losing year after losing year.

[Patriots Game]

February 20, 2008
Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter

Richard Cassibo, the man who returned a chocolate brown Labrador retriever to its owner for a $15,000 reward, was taken into police custody yesterday morning.

Police officers arrived at Cassibo's home on Chisholm Ave., near Main St. and Danforth Ave., and escorted him and a friend to jail, said a man who identified himself as Cassibo's son-in-law.

In an interview last night at Cassibo's home, the young man said Cassibo called home yesterday afternoon and said he and a friend had been charged with theft and would be in police custody overnight. They were scheduled for a bail hearing this morning.

"There is an ongoing investigation so I cannot confirm or deny anything," said Staff Sgt. Glenn Gray of Toronto police.

What started out as a story about a missing dog has turned into a tale with more twists and turns than a tangled leash.

The drama kicked off on Saturday with Bert Clark posting the $15,000 reward for the return of his 3 1/2-year-old Lab, Huckleberry. Sources say Clark, 36, used to work at Queen's Park and now is with Scotia Capital, and that his father is the president of TD Bank.

Huckleberry was in the care of a dog walker, who tied the pooch briefly outside a Yonge St. café Saturday morning. She was inside for only a few minutes, but when she returned Huckleberry was gone.

To say Clark was distraught was an understatement. He suspected his "best friend" had been abducted. His family helped hang posters in Parkdale, the Eaton Centre and along Queen St. E. in Leslieville.

What happened next was straight out of a police drama. A highly anxious Clark fielded calls on his cellphone from people asking about the authenticity of the reward.

However, heartbreak turned to celebration at midnight Sunday when the pooch was returned by Cassibo, who pledged to give $5,000 of the cash to an animal hospital.

Now his goodwill is under suspicion. According to his son-in-law, the dog was actually brought to Cassibo's home by two teens staying with him at the time. The teens were the stepson and girlfriend of Cassibo's friend, he said. They said they found the dog in a local park, he said.

"They should have brought the dog to the cops as soon as they brought it in," he said.

The dog was at their home for a couple of days, he said.

[skippy]

Originally Posted by Patriots Game

February 20, 2008
Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter

Richard Cassibo, the man who returned a chocolate brown Labrador retriever to its owner for a $15,000 reward, was taken into police custody yesterday morning.

Police officers arrived at Cassibo's home on Chisholm Ave., near Main St. and Danforth Ave., and escorted him and a friend to jail, said a man who identified himself as Cassibo's son-in-law.

In an interview last night at Cassibo's home, the young man said Cassibo called home yesterday afternoon and said he and a friend had been charged with theft and would be in police custody overnight. They were scheduled for a bail hearing this morning.

"There is an ongoing investigation so I cannot confirm or deny anything," said Staff Sgt. Glenn Gray of Toronto police.

What started out as a story about a missing dog has turned into a tale with more twists and turns than a tangled leash.

The drama kicked off on Saturday with Bert Clark posting the $15,000 reward for the return of his 3 1/2-year-old Lab, Huckleberry. Sources say Clark, 36, used to work at Queen's Park and now is with Scotia Capital, and that his father is the president of TD Bank.

Huckleberry was in the care of a dog walker, who tied the pooch briefly outside a Yonge St. café Saturday morning. She was inside for only a few minutes, but when she returned Huckleberry was gone.

To say Clark was distraught was an understatement. He suspected his "best friend" had been abducted. His family helped hang posters in Parkdale, the Eaton Centre and along Queen St. E. in Leslieville.

What happened next was straight out of a police drama. A highly anxious Clark fielded calls on his cellphone from people asking about the authenticity of the reward.

However, heartbreak turned to celebration at midnight Sunday when the pooch was returned by Cassibo, who pledged to give $5,000 of the cash to an animal hospital.

Now his goodwill is under suspicion. According to his son-in-law, the dog was actually brought to Cassibo's home by two teens staying with him at the time. The teens were the stepson and girlfriend of Cassibo's friend, he said. They said they found the dog in a local park, he said.

"They should have brought the dog to the cops as soon as they brought it in," he said.

The dog was at their home for a couple of days, he said.

Now you know they are overpaid for what (little) they do at Queen's Park.

So cops are now custodians of lost dogs????