Dog sitter won’t give my dog back

I am an Animal rescuer. While doing some rescue work In Tuscon Arizona in  may 2013, while in a shelter checking the status of another dog, I stumbled upon a very distraught Mama German Shepherd and her 9 little puppies in a kill shelter there. It was Mother's Day. I had planned to return home soon BUT I just couldn't leave this poor Mama and her babies there to surely die in that shelter. With the help of the woman I was  doing some work with, we managed to get them out a few days later and safely back at the small rescue whereby  the garage was made into a makeshift nursery. It was tedious work and very nerve wracking as the PRIMARY caregiver for them all and to make matters worse, they were also sick with the standard Kennel Cough and upper respiratory disease that is commonly seen with dogs in shelters. I loved the little puppies and after just a few short days I bonded with their Mama so closely that I just fell in love with her. She had flattened ears and a tail that just hung down, her swollen teets almost dragging on the ground, mangy looking,scared, nervous, and tired is what she was, but our connection just continued to blossom and grow with every day and she was  in my eyes  the just the cutest, sweetest shep I had ever seen~ 

I  named her MAMA LAUDA as she had a Lota babies!! I would meet her sometimes in the early morning 2 am even on the little stone walkway that led from the house to the garage,and say" ready to go see your babies?" and off we would go together,, she knew... she just knew that I was trying to help her. I spent all my time with her and her puppies every single day, as the other woman was dealing with other dogs there... and that just cemented the bond we had that much more~ I was commited to the little family and when the puppies were healthy and weaned I decided to return home to Vancouver canada and committed to taking her with me as her legal guardian. That meant I would take full responsibility for her, and I knew that I could not leave her behind, as I had to have her in my life forever so I made the arrangement to ensure she would come home with me. I also had rescued a male German Shepherd months earliar from Georgia and flew him there to bring him home  as well But never expected what transpired. He proudly took on the role of Papa to the little puppies and  that made MAMA LAUDA smitten with him. I had already decided to adopt one of the puppies, so  with the cheers and prods from  My facebook rescue community and friends they all encouraged me to take the new little family home with me and that was Not a difficult decision as it became this lovely little love story and the thought of leaving her behind was not going to happen despite the sacrifices and adjustments I would have to make to accomodate them all.

I had been contacted by a woman  from Vancouver,that saw the posts on my wall for the puppies and she expressed a desire to possibly adopt one. After an interview I had her fill out an adoption agreement,  I approved her mostly on the recommendation of a mutual friend, but agreed to  bring  that puppy home as well as my dogs with the help of a mutual acquaintance to us both. Knowng I had been looking for a temporarily dog sit for MAMA LAUDA as I desperatly needed time to fence in my yard to make is safe and secure for her ( she was a jumper) this woman, perhaps to repay me for my kindness allowing her to adopt a puppy,? offered to dog sit My dog mama lauda for me until such time I could safely enclose in a section of my yard and add a gate for her won protection.

Then after just 5 days... this lovely rescue story took a terrible turn when upon my request to visit my dog  LAUDA and bring her a harness and food, I was denied access to her with a deliberate attempt to appear that they were not home and when I left a note on the door and was preparing to leave and return  home,  the door flew open and the womans senior mother proceeded to angrily tell me I was Not welcome. she did not want me visiting my dog and that she was angry at me that I would not let them adopt her IF repeat If they wanted to,yet at the very same time she complained about the huge sacrifice they were making to accomodate her for ME. That made it apparent to me that this arrangement was Not going to work out, as I had to be able to visit her, and it scared me that they may attempt to take her from me.  With my puppy in my left arm I suggested that i take my dog home with me, as the arrangement was clearly noit going to work out, I gently reached for Laudas collar and began walking her to my car. Instead of letting me go the woman hit my hand, pounded on my back and screamed  that I couldnt take her,, and would Not allow me to take my own dog home. I pleaded for her to stop as she was  visibly SCARING LAUDA.. DESPITE ME BEGGING HER TO BE REASONABLE.. SHE WOULD NOT STOP YELLING.!!! I was forced to let go of her collar for Lauda's sake, and the woman yanked her back inside her home slammed the door...

THAT was the single worst moment of my life.  sigh*The police came, quickly deemed it a civil matter despite my volunteering to go home and return with all the proof of My ownership which I obviously had, I had just brought her from the USA  days earliar, but instead I had to drive away without her, my heart sank, I sobbed all the way home,and the next day I called a lawyer and its been a 4 month struggle to lawfully get her out of there! and back home with me where she belongs. DESPITE 2 DEMAND LETTERS. SHE STILL REFUSES TO SURRENDER HER BACK TO ME, AND THEREFORE i HAVE TO GO TO COURT. I AM CONFIDENT I WILL WIN BUT SO ANXIOUS  TO GET HER OUT OF THERE!

This is where you come in. I have already spent almost $3000.00 in legal fees thus far, and that doesn't include what costs I already incurred to transport her home! add another $1000 plus to that to total and Im well over $4000.00 plus dollars for LAUDA thus far. I need help raising money to cover the cost of taking her to court. Supreme Court is what has to be done, then I can file an Injunction to get my dog out NOW  . That said, my lawyer has attempted via 2 demand letters to get her to willingly and amicably return her back to me, but she refuses. That  means I have to take legal action , file and let a judge hear this case. Please help me with any  donation, THE LEGAL FEES ARE HUGE and I NEED help in order to pay the costs and get her back Please help me, I know my friends and fellow rescue people understand frist hand how much sorrow I feel Over this. I was trying to do something really good, and I did that. and this story should have a happy ending, but~~~

~~until I have her back with me, I will forever have this hole in my heart~