BRANDON, Fla. — Seven-year-old Kalo is a border collie/Australian shepherd mix, and she is Sasha Whittington's whole world.
"She’s my lifeline, she’s my family," said Whittington.
Whittington rescued Kalo as a puppy from the Hillsborough County Pet Rescue Center and she hasn’t left her side since.
"She's been by my side through moves, and boyfriends, and the craziness of life," said Whittington.
But that all changed on Wednesday morning when Whittington took Kalo to Banfield Pet Hospital at the PetSmart on State Road 60 in Brandon.
Whittington says she took Kalo in for a routine teeth cleaning.
She says while in the care of a vet tech, Kalo slipped out of her collar and ran out the automatic front doors.
"I’m beyond frustrated and sad. For her to just run away like that is devastating," said Whittington.
Since then, Whittington says she has spent nearly every moment putting up signs and searching for Kalo.
"It's crazy that a pet can mean so much to you. I didn’t realize how much I relied on her for everything," said Whittington.
Banfield says they have staff and a trapper helping to search the wooded areas nearby.
We reached out to Banfield Pet Hospital. They sent us this statement:
“As a practice full of pet lovers and owners, we understand the distress of dealing with a lost pet, and our hearts go out to Kalo’s family during this difficult time. At Banfield, we place the well-being of our patients above all else, and we have strict policies in place regarding the handling of pets in and around our hospital to help prevent a pet from escaping. We remain committed to offering Kalo’s family any assistance we can until she is found, and we are working to fully understand how she got loose to prevent future situations such as these.”
– Banfield Pet Hospital spokesperson
Whittington says she wants people in the Brandon area to keep their eyes out for Kalo and she is hoping for the best.
"I will do anything to get her back," said Whittington
If you have any information that could help find Kalo, call Sasha Whittington at 813-777-7627 or email her at sashawhittington@yahoo.com
