The Seattle Police Department is currently seeking assistance from the public to help locate "Buddy," a nearly three-year-old Micro Bully Dog stolen from his family's yard earlier this summer. Buddy's disappearance has become more than a lost pet case; it involves a repeat offender with 17 prior convictions now facing charges for the theft of this family's beloved canine.
In a strange twist of events, a neighbor, initially seeing Buddy escape, promised to return him to his rightful owners. Yet, when confronted, this neighbor, identified as Jose Antonio Haughton, denied ever having the dog in his possession. However, video footage from Haughton's residence, a transitional housing facility, clearly showed that at some point, Buddy was indeed inside. Further evidence captured on camera suggests the dog was possibly concealed with a blanket and carried to a vehicle. This incident has led to Haughton's arrest on July 28 for an unrelated crime, and subsequent theft charges filed by the King County Prosecutor’s Office on August 21, as detailed in a report from the SPD Blotter.
Seattle residents are now being asked to remain vigilant and report any sightings or information related to Buddy. "The owner is heartbroken. We don't know where he left the dog, if he sold it, gave it to someone, we just want to bring this owner’s dog home," explained Michelle Barker, the lead investigator on the case, as per the SPD Blotter. The Seattle community is urged to report any information directly to the police or by calling 911, in a bid to safely return Buddy to his family.
