Little Girl Reunited With Dog After Christmas Eve Dognapping
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A little girl has been reunited with her Ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Marley who police said was dognapped off the street in Washington Heights on Christmas Eve.
After being reunited with her best friend, Mia Bendrat, 7, announced her big plans for Christmas night.
1010 WINS' Gary Baumgarten reports
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"I'm going to play with Marley no matter what," Bendrat said of her Christmas miracle.
Marley made it through harrowing 30 hour adventure that saw him stolen off the street and unloaded by the dognapper downtown.
Tina Cohen happened to be passing by near Union Square when she sensed something was shady, CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported.
"No dog should be sold on Christmas, it's not right," Cohen told CBS 2's Carlin.
"The guy was selling him for $220 and it was terrible to see that little guy like that and they didn't look like they belonged together," Cohen told 1010 WINS' Gary Baumgarten. "There was a guy standing with a dog, a beautiful dog, saying 'I'm selling this dog,' you know it's not his dog, you know it's a stolen dog."
Cohen shelled out the cash to rescue Marley and brought him to her veterinarian's office.
The fact Marley is microchipped definitely helped in the happy reunion, Carlin reported.
"Oh my God, thank you so much, because without you this moment wouldn't happen," Mia's mom Angie Estrada told Cohen.
Marley's owners said they tied the dog to a post outside a food store at Broadway at 176th Street in Washington Heights while they did their Christmas Day shopping, but said in hindsight it was a mistake that will never be repeated.
For little Mia who sleeps with Marley, this has been a restless Christmas.
"I couldn't sleep, it was too hard," Mia told Baumgarten.
The suspected dognapper was caught on surveillance video untying Marley's leash and swooping up the dog, even as Marley cowered and tried to backpedal.
Police arrested Brad Bacon, who they say committed grand larceny.
"This was the best present ever," Estrada said of the reunion with Marley.
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