Man pays $100,000 to get back dog

February 16, 2018
Kaya (foreground) has been united with her friend Peanut after a woman turned her over to Steve and collected her $100,000 reward.

An American man, who has made Jamaica his home for the past 15 years, paid a woman $100,000 for the return of his dog on Valentine's Day. 

Steve Weinstein's dog went missing two weeks ago, and despite using visiting a 'spiritualist' and engaging the services of a town crier to drive around the resort town of Negril, he was only reunited with Kaya, six, after this newspaper published his story.

Weinstein had previously offered a $20,000 reward for Kaya, a dachshund cocker spaniel dog. However, after THE STAR published his story on Tuesday indicating Weinstein was prepared to pay $100,000 for the return of his beloved dog, a woman came forward.

Weinstein said that $20,000 of the reward money came from his pocket, and $80,000 came from donations.

"I don't think I should have had to pay for my own dog, but I wanted her back and the offer was made already and I keep my word," he said.

Weinstein said that while volunteering his services at the Negril Spay and Neuter Clinic on Valentine's Day, he received a call from the woman who said she had Kaya.

“I got a call from an unknown number. The female caller told me that she was trying to get in contact with me since I offered the $20,000 reward, but she didn’t get the correct number. She told me she had Kaya and she was willing to give her up for the $100,000 reward,” he said.

Weinstein said the caller agreed to meet him with the animal only if he promised not to get her into any legal tanglings.

“All I wanted was Kaya, and I told her that. She told me she was from Hanover and that she was going to get a ride and meet me at the clinic with the dog at a particular time, but she didn’t,” he said.

Weinstein said she later called and told him to meet her at a point with the reward to collect Kaya, but things didn’t go without a little drama.

“We went on the beach, but the guy that came with her in the car was a bit hesitant to hand over Kaya so I assured him that they would get the money, so they took the reward and I took my dog,” he said.

“Before leaving she told me that she found Kaya on the road in Negril. It may be possible because she likes to wander a little bit at times. But she won't be wandering anymore because at this point people know how valuable she is to me so they might try something again, so I can't let her out of my sight,” he added.

Weinstein told THE WEEKEND STAR that his family is now complete that Kaya has been returned home safely.

 

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