At Flory’s Cottages and Camping, the Korzniecki’s may own the business, but it’s Duke, their 12 year-old Cairns Terrier, that ran the show.
“He was just the CEO. He used to sit on that chair. Every time a camper came in, he would come down, they would give him a dog bone. This is was his business,” said Claudette Korzniecki, Duke's owner, and owner of Flory's Cottages and Camping.
Which makes coming to work this week for the Korzniecki’s that much harder, because Duke’s office is now empty.
“That dog did not deserve to die the way he died,” said Claudette.
Claudette was at the Rockvale Diner in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, on Friday night with her husband, and left Duke in the locked car, with the air conditioning running, while they grabbed a quick bite.
That’s when she saw a man get in the car, and drive off with duke in the back seat.
“He looked right at me. I hollered to him, ‘Give me back my dog!’” said Claudette.
To no avail.
Duke was found dead on the side of Noble Road in Christiana the next day, and the car was found in Coatesville.
Police were able to arrest 30 year-old Bryan Devoe of Oxford in connection with the crime.
“He’s a career criminal. He’s not going to change. A dog, a child, obviously differentiating between the two may not be in his realm,” said Shelly Korzniecki-Delinger, Claudette's daughter.
The family is calling for justice so they can say goodbye to their dog with the closure they need.
“I just hope that we get an additional tip in regards to what happened from when he left Rockvale to when he was actually found,” said Shelly.
The family is hoping if they can get those details, they will be able to bump the charge from cruelty to animals, to aggravated animal cruelty, which is a felony.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the “Justice for Duke” Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/JusticeforDuke/