The trainer lacks credibility. If she truly had an emergency out of town, why wouldn't she just call Carolina and ask her (or a friend) to come pick up the dog? Or just make arrangements with a boarding facility in the Bay Area/close by? Instead, this woman drives the dog 5 hours (10 hours round trip) away to a friend's house? Nope, that doesn't make logical sense. And then she decides to trick the family by bringing ANOTHER dog to them in the hopes they would be duped into thinking that was their dog? Nope nope nope. Very shady story. The trainer should just come clean and tell the real story so she can give this family some peace and closure.

What a heartbreaking story. I think the dog was dognapped and sold for financial gain. This story doesn't make any sense which leads me to believe the trainer is an inexperienced thief. If you hire a trainer, hire a certified dog trainer. It lessens the chances of something like this happening. Or train your dog yourself if you have a valuable dog. Wherever Scott is, I hope he's okay.

The so-called trainer's name is Josie Ragland. Why would you leave the name off? What if there are other victims out there? I found one person that used her and her dog came back smelling of urine and having no training. Please if anyone has used this person step forward.

As a dog sitter, I am in disbelief that a sitter, tasked with the care of a dog, would leave the dog with another person. When a dog is in your care, you are responsible, period. I hope that Scout is found or at least the truth comes out, giving this family closure.

Jennifer's comment is spot-on. Josie Ragland's plan was to sell Scott if she could, and she had prepared an elaborate story ending with the dog's disappearance for that outcome. Unfortunately, she did sell Scott. I hope the police are able to penetrate her web of lies and find the dog. And then prosecute everyone involved in this miserable crime.

Given the increased Measure K funding, including for police I hope they spend the time to thoroughly investigate this crime and gather the evidence in this case. So far it looks Josie committed a felony.

The story that the real Scott vanished during the storm doesn’t make sense. If that were the case, how did Scott’s collar end up on this other dog?? It seems like the only consolation for the Bruchilaris is that the criminals probably did sell Scott for $5K to some family that will give him a good home. And I agree no reputable dog trainer would drive 5 hours and leave dogs in their charge to some other party. No way. This Josie Ragland character is a modern day Cruella DeVille.

I feel deeply for Scott's owner, but I have to play devil's advocate here. Who in their right mind entrusts their beloved dog to a complete stranger based on review ratings on a website? I know a couple whose one year old French Bulldog drowned at a ritzy doggie daycare because the attendants put him in the pool for large dogs then walked away. My friends had plenty of money, so instead of leaving their dog in their safe upscale home they dropped their dog off even though they were only going to be gone a few hours.
Long ago I left my own dogs at a concrete boarding kennel (for the price of a motel room at the time) and when I picked them up a week later my one very sensitive dog wasn't just glad to see me, she was emotionally traumatized. NEVER AGAIN.
In spite of my disbelief in the naivete of people like Scott's owner, I emailed the Palo Alto PD and questioned what kind of law enforcement agency they were for not pressing charges against the trainer. I encourage all of you who really care about Scott and the entire obscene situation to do the same.

My dog was likely with Scout—Josie had my dog from December 11 - 26. My dog, who is potty trained, came home covered in excrement after having “an accident” in the car with Josie. I took two videos of my dog upon returned home, as it appeared she was having a full-blown panic attack. Her hip was also hurt. I am terrified of what happened to my poor puppy and am so sorry for Scout’s family. This feels surreal. I’ve reached out to Thumbtack and have passed along all of my information to be shared with the police.

Having someone else train your dog is a bad idea regardless of how trustworthy the trainer seems. Here are big reasons why...

1) As in this case, you can't trust the trainer not to steal your dog when their interest in dogs is tied in with profit (I'll never forget the petsitter I once called who became hostile and humiliated me when I politely asked her rates).

2) You can't trust anyone's emotional self-restraint around your dog when you're not there to witness a behavioral problem in the dog triggering a behavioral problem in the trainer. Keep in mind the proper training of dogs is a challenging art form, and any trainer who hasn't mastered it is going to get frustrated and angry by their own lack of progress and blame it on the dog instead of themselves. Scary thought for a vulnerable loved one you've left in a trainer's care, especially considering that virtually all dog trainers are demanding, dominant personality types.

3) By not training your dog yourself, you're missing a great opportunity to bond further with your dog (think boot camp buddy) and save yourself a significant sum of money in the process.

4) Dog's brains are hyper-specific (see 'Animais In Translation' by Temple Grandin), so that training done by a different person likely won't transfer to your own commands, at least not for long. Your dog has become used to your being lax with their discipline, so why would they respond to your commands in the same way they responded to the commands of a very different, more forceful stranger's? (Ever witnessed one parent or teacher or supervisor being obeyed while the other one is ignored or rebelled against?).

My current dog is very independent yet he always listens to me. Did I train that into him? Not directly, no. He's learned to respond to me so well because I shower love on him while making it clear in natural, positive ways that I'm the Dad. Not the drill sergeant...the Dad. I trained MYSELF to be a more loving, independent and confident owner.

Carolina I urge you to hire an attorney to
sue the trainer and the company who provided you with an unthical trainer in this case Ragland. This is a heartbreaking story. Scott, your dog, is a family member now somewhere unknown. In the law Replevin is the procedure where you by legal means get your property returned to you. In this case your dog. My concern is the police alone will not be able to solve this case. Find an experienced lawyer right away.

This is terrible. I hope Scott is found soon, and safely. This is yet another case for animals needing rights and not merely regarded as property.

I wonder if Scott is microchipped, and if this might surface with a new owner. I hope everyone does the right thing and act immediately to return Scott to his home and person.

Dreadful situation and ridiculous backup story from (fake) trainer (when queried as to where the heck is owner’s actual dog…)
I urge law enforcement, media and consumer protection media 7 On Your Side to investigate immediately.

So much of this story makes little sense. Is Ragland based here or Humboldt County? If here, why didn't she just call the dog owner to arrange an earlier return instead of taking the dog to a distant dog sitter? If the trainer had the dog's welfare in mind, Bruchilari should have been contacted when the alleged emergency occurred. Also, how can Ragland claim that the issue is between Bruchilari and the 3rd party dog sitter? Is there a written contract that essentially transfers ownership rights from the owner to the trainer for the time that the dog is in the trainer's care? Is this trainer/sitter duo still operating?

It sounds like Barron Parker Too knows for sure that Scott was sold? If that’s so, have you given the police and owner the info you have?

I completely agree with Allison's comments. This sad story is shady with a capital S. I find it shocking that anyone would perform such a heartless scam on the owner (parent) of a beloved pet, and I hope the perpetrator of this outrageous and cruel injustice is located and spends a long time in prison because of her misdeeds. Society needs to be protected from the incompetent and/or evil vultures among us.

@Optimist etc

Barron Parker Too has no more information than anyone else. I just use common sense.

* Josie Ragnland returns a different dog wearing Scott's collar.
* The owner tells her it's not Scott.
* Ragland then relates an absurd story about taking Scott to someone 250 miles away, who proceeds to lose him.

Best case: Ragland sold Scott and he is OK. So, yes, I'm an optimist.

It should also be evident from the article and the comments that Ragland has Antisocial Personality Disorder, and it is likely that she has a history of doing similar things under different personal identities in multiple localities.

This is a Sad story. I had something similar happen to Me, 20yrs ago.
Our Fur Babies are a member of out family. This has gone on too long. The proper Authorities should have acted by now. They have enough information that shows, Carolina Bruchilari "Fur Baby" has been abducted and is somewhere wondering where "Mommy" is?
Ragland should have been in custody by now. If just for the simple fact that Scott was last scene in Her custody and Ragland hasn't return the property.
What am I missing? Is Training Money involved? This is suspicious?
There are Laws on the Books about "Dog-napping". The Police are treating this as a "Ha Ha" moment. A Civil matter.
Scenario: Dog Owner gives Dog to an alleged trusted Trainer willingly. And Trainer takes off? There are Laws about anyone leaving property in another person Care and it comes up missing.
Carolina Bruchilar has proven She left Scott, in Raglands Care.
This is factual. Ragland is Held responsible for Scott. Give back the property. If not get Sued or go to jail?
This is not just any old simple "Property Case". (Since my incident), there have been Laws created (mimicking) Child abduction, regarding animals. This is a Dog Kidnapping. Which is covered by Law! And like many have said in the post "Up above" Hire a Good Attorney. Sue the alleged Dog Trainer and The Police Dept. for being "In different". Sure the PD is now investigating. But if Ragland were incarcerated, She would be more cooperative.
Am not as optimistic as "Barron Park Too".
1. Ragland hasn't return the Fur-Baby on time.
2. Anti-Social Behavior? Doing a "Switch & Bait"? How Crazy is that? Ragland obviously lacks Mental capacity? As in majority of Human BabySit cases.
3.The Stories of mis-care of other Fur Baby's being returned in various damaged conditions?
My Theory is, Scott some how gets away, running away in fear and gets hurt? She removes the collar and transfers it ignorantly, devising a Bait & Switch scheme. Where did Ragland get the Other Dog?

It's important to note that dogs, like humans, can suffer extreme anxiety when they are moved between different living situations. My theory is that Scott was so anxious that he escaped whoever was watching him.

Ms. Bruchilari's post on nextdoor.com mentioned that she recently moved the dog from Brazil to the US. That, combined with the fact that Scott was allegedly passed between 2 different sitters in rapid succession, likely cause the poor dog to have a nervous breakdown.

A friend of mine imported a dog from China that had been rescued from a dog meat operation.
The friend then went on a month long vacation and ask 2 separate families including ours to dog sit. The dog repeatedly escaped out the door of our house and was eventually captured by animal control.

I certainly don't mean to victim-shame here but folks, if you adopt a nervous or otherwise anxiety prone dog, make sure you give them at least 6 months to 1 year of time to settle in.

I believe the dog was sold. 15 states have dognapping laws, and California is one of them. There are 10 purebred breeds that are sold for profit, and German Shepherds are one of these breeds. When Pit bulls are sold, they're sold for fighting purposes.

Suing the trainer makes sense, but will she get any money out of her? If the trainer had any money, would she be selling dogs illegally?

Where did Raglund get the other dog is a good question. Is someone else missing a dog, or did the dog belong to someone who might have Scott.

Since Scott was wearing an Apple Air Tag, the tracking information map should be accessed to see where the tag has been. The tag could have been removed prior to the trainer passing Scott off to someone else, but it might have some good information logged.