MIAMI — Hanna Bustos, a mother of five, tried to comfort her children on Saturday at their home in Miami. Busto’s three daughters and two sons miss their one-year-old puppy terribly.

Bustos said she hired a dog sitter to care for “Lucy” temporarily, and when they said they no longer needed her services, she refused to return her.

“She was not willing to remove ‘Lucy’ from her pack ... I am not giving her up,” the dog sitter said, according to Bustos.

The poodle was initially a gift for her 14-year-old son, who said “Lucy” was his “best friend. Bustos said it has been seven months since the kids last saw their dog.

“I felt like instant betrayal because I know that my son trusted me to trust her, and I made a judgment call that was not helpful for my family, and I could only think about him,” Bustos said through tears. “That’s the truth. How was I going to tell my son?”

Feeling powerless, Bustos said she has filed two reports with the Miami Police Department, hired an attorney for help, and started a campaign to “Bring Lucy” home.

Bustos said the dog sitter has a dog breeding company and came highly recommended as a boarder.

Temporary dog sitter refuses to return Miami family dog, tearful mother says

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Jeff Derderian

Andrea Torres