Jersey City Woman Finally Gets Son's Dog Back After Pleading

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jessyca Palafox's son Alejandro, 10, wouldn't stop crying after his shih tzu dog Bailey ran out of their Jersey City home on June 19, during loud fireworks.

For a week, she posted photos on Facebook of her son crying, and kept sharing missing posters around the city.

She had moved to her current home in the Greenville neighborhood of Jersey City only five months earlier, so neighbors weren't familiar with her or the dog. Animal enthusiasts in the Facebook group Lost And Found Pets Of Central Jersey reached out to help her search, as did a group of dog-lovers in Hoboken.

"I can't even do anything to make him happy again," Palafox said last week, in an interview with Patch. "The only thing he wants is his dog."

She finally got the dog back this week, on Monday afternoon — but not without a fight.

Despite the flyers, social media posts, and a Patch story, Palafox only hit dead ends. But she kept talking to people in her new neighborhood.

One man who knew a lot of people had information for her, she said.

As it turned out, a close neighbor of Palafox had found the dog shortly after it went missing, and gave it to a friend who'd moved away from the neighborhood, but was visiting.

The friend-of-a-friend brought the dog to her new home in the Vauxhall section of Union, a 35-minute drive.

Jessyca contacted the friend of a friend, who didn't want to give the dog up.

"She said, 'It's so cute; it's a beautiful dog,' " Jessyca said.

Jessyca exchanged several messages with the woman, pleading.

On the advice of other animal lovers, she talked to the police, but the police at first said they couldn't help her, she said. After another friend talked to the police, they took her report.

Jessyca contacted the woman again.

"I said, "Listen, I don't want to get the police involved,' " Jessica said Tuesday. " 'As a mother, I ask you, as a favor, please give me the dog. "

Jessyca had said earlier that the family bought the white dog, Bailey, as a puppy 2.5 years ago in Pennsylvania because her son — an only child — kept asking for a pet. Jessyca is a single mom.

On Monday afternoon, Jessyca drove 35 minutes to get the dog and gave the woman $300.

"I think she was crying when we left," Jessyca said. "I was crying. My son was crying. Everyone in was crying in the car."

She added, "I got lucky. I never would have found her so far away. I'm going to buy a lottery ticket. It's like 1 in 1 million."

She also said she learned some lessons. She's going to register the dog, put tags on him, and get him microchipped.

"I'm never going to let my dog out, wherever I go," she said. "Even work. He's part of my family. I want to see him when I wake up in the morning."

Kevin Ranallo, a volunteer with the Central Jersey pet group who helped create Jessyca's signs, has worked with people before who've lost pets. He gave some tips to pet owners:

• Microchip with current contact info.
• Always call the chip company to confirm the chip is active and that they have the correct information on the account.
• Have your vet check for the chip at your pet's annual physical. Chips can often migrate.
• A collar with up-to-date tags and a license.

Meanwhile, Jessyca posted a video of her son's reunion with Bailey the Central Jersey pets group on Tuesday.

"Finally I get my dog back," she wrote. "Thank you my people to share with me...And show love. I have to drive 30 min to get my dog but nothing more value...The happiest and my son smiles again thank you."

She received dozens of comments. One woman wrote, "Yay!!! I hope I find mine."

Jessyca responded, "Don’t lose your hope.... I was so depressed but I never lose my hope and I find Bailey 40 min away from my house in another town.... I hope you can bring your baby back too."

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