EVERY night, for 6½ years, Maltese shih tzu-cross Coco has curled up on a pillow in bed next to Shanee Hope.
In all that time, Coco has played with dog pal Beau, has been walked on the beach, and has sat at Ms Hope’s feet as she recovered from hip surgery.
But on Friday, Ms Hope, 47, was summonsed to court by the woman who left Coco with her all those years ago, claiming she was just pet-sitting all this time.
Ruth Johnston filed papers with the Adelaide Magistrates Court, demanding Ms Hope return Coco immediately, as well as $6558 in costs.
Ms Johnston, who declined to speak with the Sunday Mail, states in her claim that when she left Coco with Ms Hope in 2012 so she could travel overseas with her young son, it was with the understanding that she would return for the dog.
Ms Johnston’s claim states that she had decided to leave Coco – who had been given to her son as a Christmas gift in 2010 – with Ms Hope after meeting Ms Hope’s mother through a church group.
Having travelled the world for the past six years – a journey which she documents extensively on her blog exploramum.com – Ms Johnston and her son returned to Australia in March and demanded Ms Hope return Coco.
Ms Hope – who said she would never have agreed to pet-sit as she becomes attached too easily – refused.
“Since then, I’ve had council turn up on my doorstep, then a strange man turned up with a letter of demand to return Coco to a vet surgery, and then a pet detective with two cops and a cage came threatening to take Coco for a welfare check,’’ Ms Hope, of Port Noarlunga, said.
“I would never have agreed to pet-sit as I get attached too easily. It’s why I don’t foster a greyhound.
“There was nothing that made me think, at any time, that this was a temporary situation.” Ms Hope said Coco has separation anxiety if they were apart too long.
“I had to go to Melbourne at the start of the year for work and she stayed with a friend,’’ Ms Hope said.
“Coco ate her way through a door to try to get back to me.”
Ms Hope said she wanted what was best for Coco.
“All I’ve done is take a dog in and love her,’’ she said. “I’d love to do the whole Eat, Pray, Love thing. I can’t do that because I have animals.”
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