Pet Owners Say Man Stole Puppies Advertised In Paper
District Attorney To Investigate
POSTED: 3:10 pm CDT September 28, 2005
UPDATED: 9:59 pm CDT September 28, 2005
HOUSTON -- Several Houston-area pet owners accused a man of stealing puppies they had listed for sale in the Greensheet, the KPRC Local 2 Troubleshooters reported Wednesday.
Tramaine Baker said Chris Woodmansee took off with his four pit bull puppies in July.
"In my opinion, it's theft," he said. "We were expecting $300 from each dog."
Lonnie Tweed said the same man took his two shih tzu puppies in August.
"These puppies slept with us on the bed. They were becoming part of the family," Tweed said.
Both owners posted their puppies for sale in the Greensheet, and the ads caught the attention of Woodmansee.
"He calls me and says, 'You know, I'd like to buy all your dogs from you. I run a pet shop,'" Baker said. "It says on (the receipt), 'This is a legal, binding agreement.'"
Woodmansee agreed to sell the animals on consignment, keep the profit and give the owners their asking price.
But after Woodmansee picked up the puppies, he stopped picking up his telephone.
"I got his information -- the address of where his pet shop was supposed to be," Baker said.
But the pet shop is no more.
Local 2 learned that Woodmansee moved out the Almeda-Genoa strip center more than a year ago to sell pets on the side of the road.
The Troubleshooters caught up with him in court, where a judge ordered him to appear in an unrelated criminal case.
"We'd like to ask you a couple questions about taking people's animals. You took their animals and never gave them the money," Local 2's Amy Davis asked.
"No, ma'am. That's all worked out through the customers," Woodmansee said.
"OK, this is one of your customers here and you owe him $1,000. You never called him back," Davis said.
"On what?" Woodmansee said.
He claimed he could not remember Baker or details about the other half-dozen families that said he took their pets.
"People say you stole their animals. What did you do with the puppies?" Davis asked.
Woodmansee did not respond.
While he may not answer Local 2's questions, he will have to answer in court. The Troubleshooters learned the Harris County District Attorney's Office is taking the case.
If you believe Woodmansee took your pets, contact prosecutor Valerie Turner with the Harris County District Attorney's Office at (713) 755-5836.
If you have a news tip for the Local 2 Troubleshooters, drop them an e-mail or call their tipline at (713) 223-TIPS (8477).
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Of course through this whole thing the only ones who really suffer are the animals, but I feel these people got what they deserved for using their pet's as commodities. Hopefully this will make them think twice about breeding irresponsibly again.
