Max, black lab

Manlius family reunited with its missing puppy
Sarah Moses / The Post-Standard
Monday, May 03, 2010, 9:31 PM

Talia Cavalline, 6, pets family dogs Max (left) and Sophie on Monday at their Manlius home. Six-month-old Max disappeared from Blue Ribbon Kennel while the family, including father John Cavalline, mother Darcy Cavalline, Bella, 9, and Victoria, 5, was vacationing in Florida. Max was found 10 days later.

Manlius, NY -- A Manlius family, whose black Labrador retriever was taken from a kennel in Canastota last month, never gave up the search for their missing puppy, Max.

After 10 days of talking to neighbors and hanging missing posters, an anonymous tipster led Darcy Cavalline and a Madison County Sheriff’s deputy to Max at a home in the town of Sullivan on Friday.

“We are very happy to have him home,” John Cavalline said. “Our girls couldn’t be more excited.”

John and Darcy Cavalline and their daughters, Bella, 9, Talia, 6, and Victoria 5, were all vacationing in Orlando when Max, their 6-month old black lab, disappeared from Blue Ribbon Kennel, on Southerland Drive, in Canastota.

The family put out a $500 reward for information leading to Max’s return and Jeff Aquino, the kennel’s owner, offered an additional $500 reward. “On Friday my wife got a anonymous call from a man who said that he knew who took her dog,” John Cavalline said.

When Darcy Cavalline and the deputy went to the address that the tipster provided they found Max, but no one was home at the time. “The door was open a little bit and when Max saw my wife he ran out to her,” John Cavalline said “He was very excited to see her.”

John Cavalline said Max, who weighs about 50 pounds, was in good condition. “He just gets a bit more excited now, but he’s the same old Max,” he said.

The family’s other dog, Sophie refuses to let Max out of her sight.

The Cavallines filed a complaint with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. They were unaware if anyone has been charged yet. The sheriff’s office was unable to be reached for comment.

“If something like this happens to you don’t just sit back and wait,” John Cavalline said. “Try to generate as much awareness as possible. If we would have done nothing more than hope for Max’s return than we wouldn’t have him home with us now.”

Source: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/manlius_family_reunited_with_m.html