They're in a dogfight
Two families dispute over who actually has ownership rights to chihuahua; battle goes to Nassau Supreme Court
BY KARLA SCHUSTER
STAFF WRITER
March 21, 2005
Barely a year old, he is all big brown eyes and boundless energy with a weakness for liver treats and warm laps, oblivious to the bitter custody battle raging over his future.
Meet Taco, also known as Rocco, the 5-pound Chihuahua with two names and two families locked in one very nasty court case to answer this question: Whose dog is it, anyway?
So far, the canine custody fight has been chewed over in Nassau County small-claims court and even "The People's Court," which has yet to air the episode. The case has even prompted a pair of police complaints alleging harassment.
The next chapter begins in Nassau Supreme Court this morning, where Justice Daniel Martin will preside.
On one side, the Workmans of Lynbrook, who took in the dog they call Taco eight months ago and who say he has blossomed from a sickly, skittish puppy into a playful, self-assured pooch.
On the other, the Galantes of Mastic, the original owners, who say that what began as dog-sitting has become dog-napping, and are suing to get the pint-sized pup they named Rocco back, along with $100,000 for mental anguish.
On this much, the two families agree:
Robert Galante, his wife and five children moved to New York from Louisiana in August, were unable to find housing and ended up in a shelter that didn't allow pets. So Galante's stepson, Alex Linguiti, 20, who works with Heather Workman, 25, asked her to take the puppy until the family found permanent housing.
After that, the tales wag the dog.
Workman contends the Galantes told her they might consider giving up the dog, which she said required treatment for parasites. Galante, who found permanent housing in the fall, says he never agreed to give away the puppy that his daughter, Samantha, got last year for her 11th birthday.
"If I have to give up my house to afford a lawyer to fight this, I will," Robert Galante said. "I won't stop. My kids are torn apart over this."
Samantha hopes she'll get Taco / Rocco back by the time she turns 12 next month.
"I love my dog," she said. "I don't understand why someone would take him."
The Workmans, meanwhile, say they quickly fell in love with the dog and became convinced by the dog's medical troubles that it was better off with them.
"When Taco first got here, he would just shake in the corner," Heather Workman said. "He's a normal dog now and I can't send him back there."
In Lynbrook, Taco / Rocco has two dogs to romp with, a steady diet of organic food and treats, and an endless supply of affection from a family devoted to their pets, the Workmans say.
"Taco has bonded with us," said Heather's mother, Debbie. "This is his home and we are his family now."
In Mastic, the Galantes argue, Taco / Rocco would be well cared for, surrounded by five children who adore him, and wouldn't have to compete with other dogs for attention.
"How selfish can you be?" Galante said of Heather Workman. "You have dogs already. She's just a girl with issues who wants to steal my dog."
Despite the $100,000 lawsuit, Galante says he doesn't care about the money.
As proof, he notes that "The People's Court" gave the family a choice: take a $1,000 judgment, or turn down the cash for a chance to sue for the dog's return in county court.
"All they have to do," he said, "is give me my dog back."
