Dog Sitter Sold Pooch on Craigslist, Cops Say

A South Florida woman and her 4-year-old shih-teese, Fluffy, enjoyed an excited reunion at the Boynton Beach Police Department Monday.

Another woman, however, kicked off her week with a trip to the Palm Beach County Jail. Shamari Patrick, 23, has been accused of grand theft after Boynton Beach Police say she agreed to pet sit the dog and then turned around and sold it to a Wellington woman on Craigslist.

Fluffy’s owner also used Craigslist in her effort to find a pet sitter for Fluffy. The owner needed someone to care for the dog while she vacationed out of the country. After meeting with Patrick, who used the name Keyana Morales, twice, the owner decided to leave the dog in her care, the Palm Beach Post reported.

When that owner returned Aug. 4 and tried to pick up her pooch, Patrick and Fluffy were nowhere to be found.

A search was launched for the two earlier this month.

“Some great news this morning,” the Boynton Beach Police Department’s Facebook page read Monday. “Fluffy has been found and returned to her rightful owner.”

The department credits Det. Brent Joseph for clearing up the dognapping case.

As for Patrick, she was arrested Aug. 17 on grand theft charges and remained behind bars Monday on $5,000 bond, according to Palm Beach County jail records.

Photo Credit: A Boynton Beach officer comforts Fluffy, and Shamari Patrick’s booking photo/Boynton Beach Police Department Facebook