PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)–You’ve heard the expression, a dog is man’s best friend. Geoffrey Ballance of Panama City knows this all too well. But now, he’s lost his best friend. His dog was allegedly stolen from him while he was shopping at a local convenience store. He tells us he’s willing to make any sacrifice as long as he gets his companion back.
“I’ve been driving my bike day and night looking for her. I crash out for about 2-3 hours to get some sleep here and there on friend’s porches and stuff but I’m not gonna stop until I find her,” said Ballance.
Last week, Ballance was running errands at the Dollar General in Millville when he says someone stole his dog which he left tied up outside the store.
“Then the customer said he saw him pick her up and throw her in the back of his black pick up truck and drove off,” Ballance said.
Ballance says his dog Sadie isn’t just any dog. While she isn’t a registered therapy dog, he says she performs similar actions and helps him with his health conditions.
“She helps with my Tourette’s and my seizures and stuff. Like goes backward over cracks for me and helps me with my OCD and stuff like that,” said Ballance.
Sadie has a black face and a white stomach. Without her, Ballance says he feels lost.
“I was really not like functioning. It was hard for me to get around and move and stuff and my dog has helped me through it,” said Ballance.
Now, he’ll do anything to get her back. Including offering a $500 reward straight from his disability check.
“I need her more than I need a paycheck, it’s more important to me,” said Ballance.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Panama City Police Department. If you know Sadie’s whereabouts, you can email fgraham@wmbb.com who will send your information off to Sadie’s owner.
