According to reports from US news outlets WPLG and NBC 6, Hanna Bustos, a mother of five, hired a pet sitter in early 2026 to care for Lucy, a Poodle bought for her 14-year-old son.
Hanna was in the middle of moving house, caring for her own mother, and had just been diagnosed with cancer. To help manage things, she arranged for Lucy to stay with the sitter temporarily in February 2026, until her family's situation stabilised.
A heartbreaking standoff
In August, Hanna tried to get her dog back. However, she claims the pet sitter refused, saying she did not want to "remove Lucy from her pack". In messages Hanna says she received, which were shared by WPLG and NBC 6, the sitter allegedly wrote: "She is now part of our family, and we aren't ready to let her go."
Taking the battle to court
Hanna insists she never signed any paperwork giving up ownership of Lucy. She maintains that the pet sitter knew from the very beginning that this was only a temporary arrangement. For Hanna and her husband, Roger, the dog was also a vital source of emotional support for their children during her cancer treatment.
So far, the family has filed two police reports and hired a lawyer to take the matter to civil court. No decision has been reached yet.
Translated from the FR Wamiz website using artificial intelligence
