There are two strongly opposing sides as to who has ownership of the dogs Willow and Pharoah. Jo-Lynn Estrada adopted the dogs from Second Chance Rescue NYC. Unfortunately, in December 2017, her living situation changed dramatically when she broke up with her boyfriend.
During the six-months the dogs were in foster care, Jo-Lynn claims she kept in regular contact with the foster. Pictures were sent, they had video conferences, and Jo-Lynn states she even sent gifts for the dogs. Overall, the relationship was pleasant.
On August 16, 2018, Jo-Lynn moved back to the east coast and wanted to reunite with her dogs. She reached out to the foster on August 14 and August 15, 2018 via phone and Facebook messenger asking to arrange transport to get Willow and Pharoah back to her. The foster said “no.”
On August 21, Jo-Lynn spoke directly to Jennifer Brooks, the President of Second Chance Rescue, NYC requesting to get her dogs back from foster. Brooks asked Jo-Lynn if she was employed, if she was living in a pet approved apartment and would the dogs have veterinarian care? Jo-Lynn sent an email to Brooks from a reference stating that she did have verified employment and could live on a property with her dogs.
“Per our verbal agreement I would like a date to receive my dogs back into my care. As you know, I have been requesting reunification since August 17, beginning with a Facebook Messenger message to Judy. I am hoping to resolve this without legal recourse. Please feel free to contact me if there is anything else you require, as I have fulfilled my end of the agreement by securing employment, dog and cat friendly housing, and returning within the six-month agreed upon time frame.”
On August 27, 20118 Jo-Lynn received an email from Jennifer Brooks stating she would not be getting her dogs back. This decision was based on allegations that when Pharoah and Willow arrived at their foster home in February, they had many health issues and that Jo-Lynn did not respond to any requests from the foster to pay for the medical bills and did not maintain any contact with her regarding the dogs. According to the rescue, Willow had a serious tooth infection and gum disease, an undiagnosed lump, and a torn leg ligament. Willow also suffered from overgrown nails which had been neglected to the point that the current vet is concerned the quicks would never return to normal condition.
Pharoah, was suffering from recurring ear infections, which were evidently never treated. Furthermore, when they were picked up both dogs’ ears were very dirty and neither appeared to have been groomed for some time.
Here is a segment from the email sent to Jo-Lynn from Jennifer Brooks:
“There have been long periods of time in the last six months, however, without contact from you inquiring about the condition or welfare of Willow and Pharaoh. Moreover, while you represented upon your surrender that you would make payments toward their medical care, no payments in even nominal amounts were ever submitted by you. Instead, the payments for Willow and Pharoah’s respective medical care were borne by their foster family and Second Chance Rescue.
Second Chance Rescue appreciates the love you express for Willow and Pharoah. As you are well aware and as I’m sure you understand, our philosophy is that we will not home a dog if we have reason to believe the dog will not be adequately cared for. “
When Jo-Lynn asked for evidence proving their attempts to contact her be sent to her attorney, the rescue referred her to their own attorney. Second Chance Rescue stated they do have the necessary documentation and it will be “produced during the discovery period in the appropriate manner
Jo-Lynn states she has veterinary records, photographs, all the Facebook messenger conversations between the foster parent and herself showing that she told her if she needed money just to ask, health certificates, rabies shot certificates. She also has multiple videos and pictures of her and the dogs showing she is an engaged and loving dog parent, and showing their great condition
When this author reached out to Second Chance Rescue NYC, this was the response received from Jennifer Brooks on October 15, 2018
“Thank you for making contact regarding Willow and Pharaoh.
After Jo-Lynn Estrada requested to take possession of Willow and Pharaoh in August, Second Chance Rescue staff and veterinary professionals spent several weeks evaluating the situation and concluded that the welfare and safety of the dogs would be at risk if we delivered them to her at this time.”
At this time, both parties have secured the assistance of attorneys to resolve the case of Willow and Pharoah. A court date has not yet been determined.
In the interim, Jo-Lynn Estrada has created a petition to get her dogs back.
As well as a GoFundMe to raise money for legal costs.
More news: The one dog who nobody wanted to meet at adoption event – more about Zeus here.
Treats please!!
Oh my his deep voice! So cute.
You guys have no case give her back her dogs, i would never bring my dogs to you after reading this and im going to share it
What a mess, you try to do what is right and trust the Rescue you do it with and then this happens. I have always supported Second Chance Rescue NYC but after seeing this, I will think twice before I contribute to them in the future. I think Jo-Lynn Estrada should get her dogs back it the rescue thinks she hasn’t paid her fair share then present her with the vet bills and at least give her the opportunity to pay for them to get her pets back.
Hard call to make, but I would give the owner the benefit of the doubt and whatever care was noted by the foster, should have been made not only to the owner, but the original rescue. This is somewhat similar to Jim Martin in Texas with his dog Olaf. Medical issues in the owners eyes may not have been noticed on a daily basis, and a new foster may see something so small that a normal owner would take care of when needed. This owner has followed all the guidelines set forth in her initial request for a foster for 6 months, and medical issues may or may not have been as severe as the foster has said (embellishment of things have been known to happen all the time). The Rescue could return the two dogs to the owner and make spot checks within the next 3-6 months. I would never trust this rescue again. Not even trying to work with the original own within the agreed time period is wrong. Please keep us up to date.
So typical–pets pay the sad price for human behavior!
Second chance rescue is doing the right thing. It is good to see a rescue with the courage and passion for the Dogs they save to protect them against adopters who act neglectfully. It sounds like this woman should not have adopted those dogs in the first place if she couldn’t care for them properly. Loving your dogs means that you take care of them!
Are you out of your mind? Where is the PROOF of neglect? All the pictures shown were taken at Jo-Lynn’s house BEFORE went to the foster. Unless you can see GHOST, there is NOTHING showing any negligence on those dogs whatsoever. Get your fact straight prior commenting.
I just looked at the Facebook page for Jo-Lynn Estrada to see the pictures this commenter is referring to and research the facts more carefully as the commenter suggested. First, it is impossible to tell the health of the dogs from those pictures or even to know when those pictures were taken. The commenter is obviously seeing what they want to see. Second, in her own Facebook posts, Ms. Estrada admits she has a drug problem, an inability to maintain an apartment, and an ex-boyfriend who abused her while the dogs were living with her and obviously witnessing the abuse.
After spending six months doing God-knows-what while her dogs were returned to the custody of the rescue she adopted them from, Ms. Estrada somehow lands at a temporary apartment in a kennel with a lot of dogs. But wait, this story gets worse! When I looked up the person who runs the kennel where Ms. Estrada is living, it turns out to be Cecelia Pierce Blake, the same Cecelia Blake who was implicated in the Pamela Smart murders. This story is ridiculous and the people supporting Jo-Lynn Estrada are obviously just her friends, not objective people who care about the dogs. Of course the rescue should keep the dogs! No brainer here!
I just looked at the Facebook page for Jo-Lynn Estrada to see the pictures this commenter, Regina, is referring to and to research the facts more carefully as the commenter suggested. First, it is impossible to tell the health of the dogs from those pictures or even to know when those pictures were taken. The commenter is obviously seeing what they want to see. Second, in her own Facebook posts, Ms. Estrada admits she has a history of substance abuse, an inability to maintain an apartment, and a live-in ex-boyfriend who abused her while the dogs were living with them and presumably witnessed the abuse.
After she returned the dogs to the custody of Second Chance Rescue, where she adopted them from in the first place, Ms. Estrada went on a six month excursion doing God-knows-what. When she was done with her travels, Ms. Estrada somehow lands at an apartment that she admits on Facebook is temporary and that is located in a kennel in New Hampshire with a lot of dogs. She claims to work there too. But wait, this story gets worse! When I looked up the person who runs the kennel where Ms. Estrada is supposedly living and working, it turns out to be Cecelia Pierce Blake–the same Cecelia Blake who was implicated in the Pamela Smart murders.
This story is ridiculous and the people supporting Jo-Lynn Estrada are obviously just her friends, not objective people who care about the dogs. Of course the rescue should keep the dogs! No brainer here!