Texas mayor resigns over allegations she stole neighbour's dog; custody hearing set

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ^ | February 2, 2008

[george76]

A small-town Texas mayor accused of secretly keeping her neighbour's dog after telling them the pet died has resigned.

Grace Saenz-Lopez apologized Friday to Alice residents and said she believed her actions were in the dog's best interest.

A custody hearing Monday is expected to decide who gets "Puddles", who Saenz-Lopez renamed "Panchito" after taking the dog last summer.

A neighbouring family accuses Saenz-Lopez of refusing to return the dog after leaving it in her care while they went on vacation. A day after her neighbours left, Saenz-Lopez called to tell them Puddles had died.

Three months later, a relative of the neighbours saw the pet at a dog groomer. When Saenz-Lopez refused to return the dog, the family filed a criminal complaint and a civil lawsuit against her.

Saenz-Lopez, the city's mayor since 2003, was indicted Jan. 18 on two felony counts of tampering with evidence and concealing evidence.

[george76]

Near Corpus Christi ?

[Pontiac]

She must be nuts

First to steal the dog in the first place.

Second to refuse to return the dog after being discovered to be a lier.

[org.whodat]

I think you can leave the “must be” out and put in “is”.

[raybbr]

"She loves the little dog," said attorney Homero Canales, who represents the mayor and her twin sister, who was also charged. "She told me that if she were a single woman, she would not care if she went to jail for the rest of her life before she would give the dog back." From here.

Small town nuts.

[OCC]

Any dog named “Puddles” has a bad track record as a house pet.

[originalbuckeye]

No political party affiliation???

[texanyankee]

"Near Corpus Christi ?

Alice is about 35 miles west of Corpus.

[george76]

I was hoping that some local FReeper might know.

Sounds like a DUmmie ?

---

No political party affiliation???

[Tijeras_Slim]

I was hoping that some local FReeper might know.

AHEM! I am a New Mexican... that's like asking a Pole about Russians. :)

[george76]

Thanks.

8-)

[SwinneySwitch]

City mayors and councils are nonpartisan in Texas. I know one former Alice city councilman who is Republican. Most likely she votes democrat.

[george76]

Thanks.

What happened at the custody hearing to decide who gets “Puddles” ?

[SunkenCiv]

I canine figure out what she was thinkin’.

[george76]

Not sure that I would want a dog named “Puddles”

[SwinneySwitch]

No decision yet on Puddles

District judge reschedules civil case for April

[stainlessbanner]

You hear about the salesman traveling thru Texas? He spent the night between Alice and Victoria :)

[GulfBreeze]

1) If she votes Democrat then she is Democrat.

2) They are NOT non-partisan. There is just no official party endorsement on the ballot. It is perfectly ethical and 100% permissable to campaign as a “Democrat” or “Republican” or other during a city, schoolboard, mud board or any other race.