Elderly Couple Gifted Puppy After Pet Chihuahua Killed By Dogs
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WEST MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A heart-broken, elderly West Miami couple whose beloved 3-year-old, 5-pound Chihuahua was mauled to death by another dog received a special gift on Friday.
There were truly emotional moments as family friend Bina Fink Kohl delivered a tiny, quivering, 9-week-old Chihuahua to the home of 89-year-old Miguel and 83-year-old Ada Rojas at 370 Tamiami Canal Road.
Miguel Rojas sobbed uncontrollably as the puppy was handed to him by his daughter Ada Rojas.
As he wept, Ada said, "Mira Papi. Look Papi. He is yours. Hold him."
Miguel cradled the puppy around his neck and cried, "Contento."
"I am happy," he told CBS4's Peter D'Oench in Spanish. "And I am sad."
It was just one day after his precious puppy named Gucci ran into two American Bulldog mixes near his home and was attacked by the female, according to Miami-Dade Animal Services.
Miguel was hospitalized with high blood pressure after having to recover Gucci. His daughter said he suffered a heart attack. She also said her mother was also hospitalized and had to have 100 stitches after trying to stop the attack.
Her mother said she too was overjoyed by the gift.
"We felt Gucci's death very big and this dog made us want to continue to live," said Ada Rojas. "We did not feel like living. God has given us a gift."
Mario Cambo, who spoke with D'Oench through telephone facetime, said he donated the puppy after seeing the news reports Thursday on television.
"I saw the story yesterday and right away I said I needed to do something and I did something because this broke my heart," he said. "From the bottom of my heart, this story broke me up."
Lynn Broderick of We Puppy Paws Kennel in Homestead sold the puppy for $300, which was half price, because she wanted to help.
"It just broke my heart and I wanted to do something," she said through telephone face time.
Ada Rojas, the daughter, said, "I am numb with happiness and I am numb with pain to see my father suffering tremendously since the puppy deceased yesterday. They are family. They are not animals. They are family."
She said, "If someone came and offered me a million dollars, I don't want it. I don't want the $700 million lottery. We don't want any of it. We just received unconditional love for my parents. I don't want any money. To me what is going on right now I am already a winner."
Lillian Bohorquez, a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department, said the male American bulldog mix has a microchip but the Department has not been able to make contact with his owner and the owner has not come forward.
She said only the female dog attacked Gucci. That dog has no microchip and the owner has not come forward. She will be quarantined for 10 days and could be euthanized.
Miguel and Ada Rojas say they will not take their new puppy outside on to the street or sidewalk. They will restrict him to their home and backyard and dog parks and say they will cherish every moment they have with him.
