The Queens woman who claims a dog-sitter stole her Yorkie is an absentee owner who barely housetrained the pet — and recommended swatting the tiny terrier when he tinkled inside, according to court documents.
Poor little Panda the pooch was so terrified of getting whacked for whizzing, he took to hiding underneath the bed every time he had an accident, dog-sitter Leandro Rohde claims in an affidavit filed in Queens Supreme Court.
Panda arrived at Rohde’s tony home on East 86th Street near Fifth Avenue in January with his coat full of knots and missing crucial vaccinations, Rohde claimed.
Panda missed a time-critical rabies vaccination, says Rohde, who provided a copy of a $680 veterinarian’s bill.
In addition to those bills, Rohde bought Panda health insurance and registered it with the city, said Rohde’s lawyer, Michael Posner.
“If he’s trying to say I abused the dog, he’s thoroughly wrong,” alleged owner Ravely Arias said yesterday.
Last month, Arias asked a judge to order Rohde to give Panda back.
Arias said Rohde agreed to shelter the dog until her workload decreased.
Rohde said Arias gave Panda to him permanently because the pooch interfered with her social life, and her newfound ardor is spurred only by her reunion with the boyfriend who bought her the dog.