Tampabay: 'I'm never giving up' dogs

The legal saga over ownership of two dogs that were rescued after Hurricane Katrina and adopted returned to court Monday, with the sides trying to resolve several issues before the scheduled April trial.

By day's end, Circuit Judge Henry Andringa dismissed one claim by the defense and is expected to rule on other motions in the next few days.

Steven and Dorreen Couture, of St. Bernard Parish, La., sued in July to reclaim two dogs displaced during the hurricane and adopted by Hillsborough prosecutor Pam Bondi and Rhonda Rineker of Dunedin. The Coutures eventually tracked the dogs - a St. Bernard and a shepherd mix - to the Tampa Bay area. But by then, Bondi had adopted the St. Bernard and Rineker the shepherd mix.

The Coutures were in court Monday, making the trip from Louisiana with their two grandchildren. "I never expected this to go on like this," Steven Couture said after the hearing. "But I'm never giving up. They're my dogs."

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by katrinapetvolunteer	06/12/07 06:11 PM
AND GRANDPA DIDN'T GIVE UP - Look at this happy scene - turn up your volume to hear the children! This grandpa made a promise, what a guy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOUBiEe-_Vg

by Dawn	05/22/07 05:47 PM
As of TODAY I guess the ignorant Rhonda Rineker and Pam Bondi have to give the dogs back. Hooray! We wish Master Tank and Nila the best now that they're back with their family.

by priscilla	05/14/07 10:47 AM
This is sick . Haven't the families endured enough and now you have to take a dog? For gods sake buy another dog, give back the thing that would give something of what is left for that poor family. People are so selfish.

by Jenn	05/06/07 01:58 AM
Are Rhonda Rineker and Pam Bondi single women? Maybe they need to get themselves a man to keep them company instead of STEALING other people's dogs!

by Linda	05/01/07 10:50 PM
I think Bondi and Rineker SHOULD give the Coutures there dog's back.. those people have been thru enough... shame on those two.

by thedivinemissm	05/01/07 04:40 AM
hi tegan, do you mean back to their real family in Louisiana? You're right to say that no one should keep dogs that aren't theirs. And I'm sure they are missing each other as well. They had been together since they were both puppies! It's very sad :

by tegan	04/28/07 10:26 AM
You cant just keep dogs that arnt yours its reidiculous they should really go back to the owners who bought them as long as the dogs are happy

by Jenn	03/01/07 06:50 PM
Rhonda Rineker & Pam Bondi are shameless people. Why don't their families knock some sense into them? GIVE THE COUTURES THEIR DOGS BACK! This is not a case of "Finders Keepers".

by William	02/08/07 09:25 PM
This was from an earlier post:Coutures "are just as irresponsible with the grandkids they are raising". This sounds familiar. That is the defense that Barry Cohen uses to attack victims in a case.when a mother had her kids killed he said she was bad

by Pam	02/01/07 10:15 PM
Per Kim "Your arguments are based on stories you read on the internet by people not even remotly connected to either side". What makes you think everyone here is an outsider lurking in? Educated only by "stories" of the unknowing?

by Evelyn	02/01/07 03:52 PM
I am so tired of Biondi using her position to advance her cause. As an officer of the court she needs to be investigated for misuse of public office. She is purposely spreading lies.

by Kim	01/31/07 03:39 PM
None of you have all the facts.Your arguments are based on stories you read on the internet by people not even remotly connected to either side.It is foolish for you to argue when you do not know what either side said in their court depositions. Stop

by R.	01/31/07 02:53 PM
Why isn't anyone suing the shelter who was entrusted with the dogs'care? Horrid thought-if I place my pets in a shelter for safe keeping, I take a chance of losing them? What's next? Kids being left late at Daycare being given away or SOLD?

by janice	01/31/07 01:12 PM
Bondi and Rineker should be shamed of themselves. To put the Couture family through such nonsense to reclaim their own property is ridiculous. Would we even have this discussion if any other "property" had been appropriated from the owners?

by Lorraine	01/31/07 11:40 AM
Know this case, dogs were not chained, were taken to shelter for safe-keeping, not abandoned. Shelter needed room and mistake-sent to dogs to Fl. Tank had heartworm when the C's got him and was being treated by vet. Fla shelter adopted out owned dogs

by Magoo	01/31/07 05:26 AM
Kim, How dare u say you're sure the Coutures "are just as irresponsible with the grandkids they are raising". Clearly there are a few commenters here who are AWARE OF THE WHOLE TRUTH - the rest are ostriches w/their heads in the sand... or elsewhere!

by Magoo	01/31/07 05:17 AM
emma, you need to borrow my glasses! The pic of Tank taken by the temp shelter (AND clearly marked as being owned by the Coutures) doesn't show a "pitiful dog in horrible condition" which is the spin Bondi tries to sell. All she wants is a photo op!

by Magoo	01/31/07 05:00 AM
BTW Carole, speaking of a waste of court time & judges salaries, you should be referring to Ms Bondi & Rineker who are the ones who keep wasting taxpayers money by continuing this flagrant charade & shameful display of selfishness for over a year!

by Magoo	01/31/07 04:51 AM
For all the CLUELESS who insist the dogs were abandoned, PLZ do some research before you make such inane comments. MrC STAYED with their dogs, which were then were left w/a shelter as clearly being OWNED -- Not:"Please take us to FL & Adopt Us Out!"

by Charity	01/30/07 11:34 PM
This situation is so sad. So much love for these dogs is bringing such ill will of people against each other. I vote to proceed the same way we went with Elian Gonzalez, give them back to their original owners.

by Tarpon	01/30/07 10:23 PM
Reality check: 1)Highest incidence of heartworm->FLORIDA! 2) Most times pets needed post-hurricane rescues->FLORIDA. And where did the 'chain' come in? How dare u make those assumptions--SHAME! And my taxes have to pay for these attitudes!!

by Sandra	01/30/07 09:39 PM
Common phrase,usually uttered with a sanctimonious air, "I would never leave my pets behind." All well and good, but guess what: your self-centred hypothetical statement is irrelevant.

by Marilyn	01/30/07 09:34 PM
These dogs have been stolen twice. First by the shelter and then by the adopters. Pinellas wanted to show off Katrina dogs and the adopters must not care for the dogs because they hold them up as trophies, not family members that belong together.

by Lisa	01/30/07 02:06 PM
I would never leave my pets behind. I have a plan that includes them. Not difficult at all. Foster care? Give me a break. Most of you probably do not have plans either and would let the same thing happen to you. The rightful owners have the dogs now.

by Ann	01/30/07 01:58 PM
Glad to hear you won't give up on YOUR dogs! Those that adopted your dogs should truly be ashamed of themselves!!

by Carole	01/30/07 01:26 PM
With so much rampant crime isn't it a waste of court time and judges salaries. The new owners adopted the dogs in good faith let them keep them - the original owners should be grateful good homes were found!!!!

by Belinda	01/30/07 12:56 PM
I heard this morning they may throw this case out and let the current, MORE RESPONSIBLE, owners keep the dogs. WOO HOO

by John	01/30/07 12:44 PM
LA new the hurricane was coming, so there was time to make preperations for the dogs. The owners failed to do so. If not for pinellas county charity these dogs would be dead and the LA owners wouldn't get them back anyway. The dogs should stay here.

by George	01/30/07 12:17 PM
None of this would be happening if a disaster hadn't befallen the owners. The shelter did the wrong thing in making these animals available for adoption when they knew their owners. Give them their dogs back! What's wrong with these two ladies?

by Mary	01/30/07 12:14 PM
It is me again, it is easy to say "I wouldn't leave my pets behind" but the truth is YOU didn't have to. Given the situation with kids will you save the kids first or the dogs? No room for all at the time of emergency. Their city was not prepared!

by Mary	01/30/07 12:05 PM
Pets are part of the Family. Think of the situation as being in foster care for awhile, now the original owners are prepared to take the dogs home where they belong back with the rightful owners.

by GM	01/30/07 11:56 AM
Bondi and Rineker did the right thing , they adopted pets that no one wanted. The Coutures abandoned them. Heartworms and being chained outside, that is no way to live. The Coutures have another dog. How many mouths are they going to feed?

by Sandra	01/30/07 11:50 AM
"Because the (dog) came with heartworms, it doesnò019t mean a veterinarian or the owners were negligent."quote from Dr. Lynn Buzhardt, a Louisiana veterinarian on the board of the American Heartworm Society.

by Rachel	01/30/07 11:44 AM
It's easy for people to think about the should have/could have scenarios because it already happened, however, NEITHER of us knows TRULY what they would have done-WE were not there,so don't judge. Bottom line-they tracked them down-they DO care.

by Sandra	01/30/07 11:44 AM
The dogs were not abandoned, they were delivered by family to temporary shelter for safekeeping until a new home could be found where they all could live. They were never abandoned willingly. Anyone who says so is a liar.