Chaos at a Dearborn Heights pet store results in an 8-year-old's missing puppy

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) - Christina Romaine’s daughter has been in tears all week over her missing puppy.

Romaine has been telling the little girl that Roxie, a black and white sheltie-mix, is sick and will hopefully come home soon. She bought the dog at the Pet Station in Dearborn Heights Saturday. 

However, the pet suddenly came down with some type of illness.  “Diarrhea, vomiting… I did not know what to do,” said Romaine.

Easter Sunday, she brought the dog back to the Pet Station where she claims she was told by the owner Ramzi Dakhlallah that the dog suffered from puppy stress. She was told Roxie was taken to the breeder to get well.

That was the last time Romaine saw the pet she paid $300 for.

Wednesday The Pet Station was raided by the Humane Society for animal abuse.

Dakhlallah is now charged with a long list of animal abuse charges and faces multiple counts of pet shop violations. Twenty dogs were seized along with dozens of other animals.

The case took a bizarre twist when 7 Action News learns Roxie was not one of the dogs seized in the raid and was never in the Human Society’s care.

“I don’t know if she is alive,” said Romaine.

Taking action for Romaine, 7 Action News spoke to Dakhlallah by phone.  He eventually said he remembered Roxie and confirmed he took her to her breeder.

While Dakhlallah would not reveal the breeder’s identity he wanted to clarify the allegations against him are not true. He said he administered shots to all of the dogs that were in his store.

What exactly happened to Roxie remains a mystery. Stay with 7 Action News on this developing story as we work to get answers for Romaine and her daughter.