Service dog stolen, abandoned Sarasota, FL (US) Incident Date: Monday, Nov 20, 2006 County: Sarasota Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Geoffrey W. Kinne

Case ID: 10861 Classification: Theft, Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

The owner of an assisted living facility stole a deaf resident's service dog and told her it died, deputies say.

Geoffrey W. Kinne, owner of the McIntosh Manor Assisted Living Facility, didn't want the animal -- which was old and sick -- in the ALF.

So he snuck into Joan B. Gurland's room while she slept one night in November and took the dog, sheriff's reports say. Gurland, 64, had owned the dog for 12 years and originally paid $2,000 for it.

According to the reports, Kinne couldn't figure out what to do with the animal once he had it out of the facility, and tried for several days to get rid of it.

He tried to take the dog to the Sarasota County Humane Society, but they said he didn't have the proper paperwork, according to a report. They gave him adoption papers to fill out and bring back.

Then Kinne took the dog to a home he owns in the 5500 block of Antilles Drive, where a friend of his, Anthony "Tony" Stadler, was staying. Kinne tied the dog to the back door and left it without food and water, the report stated.

"The friend saw the dog and called Kinne and asked what it was doing there," said Sgt. John Walsh, of the Sheriff's Office.

Stadler said he didn't want the dog.

So Kinne filled out the paperwork, using a fake name, and took it back to the Humane Society, sheriff's reports say.

The Sheriff's Office investigation started with an anonymous tip, reports say.

Kinne found he was being investigated and tried to get the dog back, but its new owner refused to give it up, according to sheriff's reports.

After an investigation that lasted several weeks, Kinne, 64, was arrested Tuesday and charged with forgery, burglary and grand theft with a victim 65 years and older, all felonies. He was also charged with misdemeanor confinement/abandonment of an animal.

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References

Herald Tribune - Feb 22, 2007

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