After a burglary, two false alarms and plenty of anxiety, a Philadelphia woman was finally reunited with her stolen dog.
“I knew I would get her back,” said a relieved Nia Kora. “I just had to keep trying and keep looking.”
On July 30 at midnight, two men entered Kora’s home on the 1900 block of West Girard Avenue.
The suspects stole her 4-year-old Pomeranian dog Chispa aka Chi Chi, as well as a flat screen television and a Microsoft X-box 360.
Kora immediately notified police as well as the community, posting signs and asking around. As the weeks went on with no sign of her dog, Kora began to keep a low profile, fearful for her pet’s safety.
“I didn’t know if the people who had her were mad enough to hurt her,” Kora said. “That was the toughest part. Not being able to ask about it.”
After her dog’s disappearance, Kora was contacted twice by people who believed they found Chi-Chi.
“The first time my friend heard somebody found a Pomeranian,” Kora said. “But it wasn’t her because she didn’t weigh the same. The second time they found another one that was a boy. It was just hard coming home and she wasn’t running up to the door.”
Little did Kora know, her dog was not only safe but in the home of a man she already knew, Henry Collins, owner of the Mecca Unisex Salon on North Broad Street.
“In the summertime a student came in saying he was going home for the summer,” Collins said. “He wanted to sell the dog for $550 since he couldn’t take the dog on an airplane. He said the dog’s name was Candy.”
Wanting to get a pet for his 3-year-old son, Collins bought the dog and even got her the proper shots at the veterinarian’s office. Yet while his son loved the dog, Collins knew there was something a bit strange about the newest edition to his family.
“She wouldn’t respond to the name Candy,” Collins said.
Collins’ suspicions became even greater when he first read reports about Kora’s dog being stolen.
“There was a big article about a Pomeranian dog missing,” Collins said. “That caught my attention since I had one. Then they said the dog had been missing since the summer and I knew we had gotten her during the summer.”
After finding out the stolen dog’s name was Chi Chi, Collins decided to conduct a little test.
“I said, ‘Chi Chi.’ Then the dog stuck her head in the air, as if it was the first time in three months she had heard her name,” Collins said.
Collins found Kora ‘s contact information and spoke to her on Facetime. When Kora mentioned the word “calm,” was on the dog’s collar, he knew he found the rightful owner.
“I didn’t tell her it said ‘calm.’” Collins said. “That’s when I knew for a fact that this was her dog.”
Kora knew it was Chi Chi just by looking at her through video.
“I saw the charm that she had,” Kora said. “I just knew it was her.”
Despite paying hundreds of dollars for the dog, Collins didn’t think twice about returning Chi Chi to Kora.
“It was the right thing to do,” Collins said. “You get blessings from God if you do the right thing, even if you’re put in difficult situations.”
Kora was overjoyed not only by Collins’ good deed but also how well he and his family took care of her beloved pet.
“She looked great, got her shots and everything,” Kora said. “And I actually met him[[Collins]] two weeks ago and didn’t even know. I’ve been coming to his shop for a long time actually.”
Collins told NBC10 he hasn’t broke the news to his son yet and knows he’ll be disappointed.
“It’s going to be real sad for my son,” Collins said. “The dog really got attached to the family. I can’t think of a way to tell him without him crying.”
Thankful for everything Collins and his family did for her, Kora said she’s more than willing to allow Chi Chi to visit her second home.
“We’re going to do joint custody,” Kora said with a smile. “It’s a happy joint custody.”
Despite the happy ending, the investigation is far from over. Police continue to search for the two men who burglarized Kora’s home. They have not yet revealed a detailed description however or confirmed whether the student who sold Chi Chi to Collins was involved.
If you have any information on the suspects, please call Central Detective Division at 215-686-3093/3094.
