BRATENAHL, Ohio — A local woman is desperate for her two French Bulldogs to come home.
“I’m not looking for justice. I’m not looking to prosecute. I’m a dog mom who just wants the safe return of two of her dogs,” said Leslie Yerkes.
Even though Yerkes is facing an uncomfortable reality, she said she’s not giving up until her two French Bulldogs come home.
“This is not as serious as some of the things that are happening in the world, but for me it’s pretty tragic. I’m not going to sleep until they come home,” said Yerkes.
Just before 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Yerkes said her six dogs escaped from her fenced-in backyard.
Yerkes said four of her dogs stayed in the yard. But she said a police officer saw her brown-and-black male puppy, Fatty Patty, and his tan Aunt Ellie run east.
“We engaged dog walkers, walkers, bikers, walking the length of two hours. I don’t know who opened my gate. I don’t know. They didn’t physically take the dogs then,” said Yerkes.
Still, Yerkes said she knows they were picked up because she got a call.
“They could identify the dogs. They could name the dogs because of their collars. They could call me on my cellphone because my number is on their collars,” said Yerkes.
As the caller described the dogs, that person directed Yerkes to East 118th Street and Seller Avenue in Cleveland, where Yerkes said she went.
According to a police report, Bratenahl Police said Yerkes called Cleveland Police for an escort to the 500 block of East 118th Street.
But Bratenahl Police said Cleveland officers were unable to make contact with the residence, so they left.
Meanwhile, Yerkes said she stayed until she was approached by a man with information, who she does not believe stole her dogs.
“I am putting my absolute faith into people,” said Yerkes. “He’s given me his name, his given me his phone number. I’ve met his grandmother.”
After speaking with the man, Yerkes said she continued looking for her dogs in that area, and eventually filed an incident report with Bratenahl Police, who reported they checked flock cameras but did not come up with anything.
Now, Yerkes said she waits as police continue working the case.
“Take them to a shelter, to a rescue, to a kennel, to a vet. Leave them behind and ask that they be scanned. That’s how they come home and they don’t have to deal with me ever again,” said Yerkes.
As Yerkes waits for her dogs to return, she hopes whoever has them will step up.
