The battle over Benny: Why microchipping your dog could spare you a hassle and heartache

A young woman hopes her story will raise awareness, sparing other dog owners the hassle and heartache she recently endured trying to recover her lost dog.

Valeria Torres, of Mesquite, reached out to NBC 5 last week asking for help in getting her dog back from a local rescue group dedicated to saving dogs that end up in animal shelters.

The task of retrieving her beloved pug Benny was almost impossible because the teen had not microchipped her pet.

“I really do regret not doing it,” admitted Torres.

The back and forth left both Torres and the owner of the dog rescue group in tears before the dog was given back to Torres on Friday.

“We’re so happy to reunite the owner with the dog,” said an emotional Tina Austin, owner of Cody’s Rescue which adopted the dog. “Everyone’s saying we stole the dog. We didn’t. It was our dog, but we’re so happy and so grateful that we got the dog, we saved the dog and the rightful owner has it.”

Torres said Benny got out of his kennel and ran out of an open door of their Mesquite home on May 20. Her father, she said, was unable to find the pug by the day's end.

Torres checked with the Mesquite Animal Shelter but was told her dog was not there. She said she had no idea Sunnyvale, near her home, has its own animal shelter.

By the time she realized the dog was indeed at the Sunnyvale Animal Shelter, it was too late.

“They ended up telling me ‘We’re not allowed to give you information. Your dog went off to a rescue. We’re not allowed to give you that,’” she said.

NBC 5 asked the city of Sunnyvale to provide information about the case. A spokesperson for the city said an animal control officer picked up the pug on May 20. The animal did not have a collar and was not microchipped and the shelter held the stray for four days.

Since the owner never called, the pug was posted online to be adopted.

Tina Austin owns Cody’s Rescue in Addison and said she was surprised the pug had not already been adopted and went through with the process two days later.

“The ownership changes to Cody’s at that point,” said Austin. “We got the dog, neutered, microchipped, heartworm tested and completely vetted and put it up for adoption. We even found a home for it.”

Meanwhile, Torres desperately took to social media to try to find Benny and finally heard from someone who spotted a pug on Cody’s website.

She was elated and immediately recognized the white mouth and how the dog lay on the ground in photographs online.

Torres went to the shelter in hopes of getting Benny back.

“I was like, 'Hey, like, you have my dog,'” she said. “She was nice at first, but then she started catching an attitude telling me that dog was no longer mine. She took it from the shelter so she had legal paperwork. She also took him to the vet and spent $600 on him.”

Torres said she offered to pay the cost to no avail. She said she was told the dog had already been adopted, although it still appeared on the group’s website.

Austin disputed hearing the teen’s willingness to pay the costs and said Torres would not immediately provide documents proving the dog had belonged to her.

Austin admitted she has always been ‘ferociously passionate’ about saving dogs, strays, or those that end up in area animal shelters.

Her group’s focus is also spaying, neutering and preventing potentially deadly diseases like heartworms or parvo.

In a conservation with NBC 5 last week, Austin said she would be willing to help Torres get the dog back if she could educate the teen about the importance of keeping up with shots and neutering. Austin said she could "guarantee" the teen did not know any of it before.

Austin said Torres would have to apply to adopt the dog from Cody’s Rescue and a decision would be made by their board.

Asked why she felt it was her place to "educate" any dog owner, Austin said, “It’s not easy being a parent to a dog, a cat, or a child if you don’t know what you’re doing. I feel like that’s my responsibility and I certainly didn’t mean to come across like I was her educator.”

After NBC 5’s involvement and after Torres provided proof the dog was hers, Austin opted to give Benny back at no cost and invited NBC 5 to the happy reunion last Friday.

A weary Torres drove to Addison with her little brother for the reunion and sprinted toward her dog as soon as she saw him.

Austin also provided Torres a gift basket full of items for the pug and a year’s worth of heartworm prevention medication.

Torres also agreed to walk back negative social media posts about the rescue group and offered to pay some of the costs associated with the pug’s care.

“I’m really happy because he’ll be able to attend my graduation,” said Torres as she put a bow tie on her pup.

It was a happy homecoming and a lesson for all.

“I haven’t slept in three nights. I’m so glad it’s over,” said Austin after Torres drove away with her dog. “Spay and neutering, microchipping is the most important because this would’ve never taken place.”