Woman who tried to air mail puppy wants him back

By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

First she asked for her money back. Now the Minneapolis woman who attempted to air-mail a poodle to a 11-year-old relative in Atlanta wants the puppy returned.

Stacey Champion, 39, was charged with animal cruelty after postal workers discovered the 4-month-old puppy inside a sealed package she tried to ship, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The canine was placed in a city kennel, costing Champion $250 in fees.

The paper says she will try to convince an administrative hearing officer on Monday to return custody of the Schnauzer mix, named Guess.

Champion told a postal clerk the box, which had no air holes, contained a toy robot. A Minneapolis police spokesman said the puppy would not have survived the trip.

Champion refused to tell police why she chose to mail the canine. She didn't appear very repentant either, returning to the post office earlier this week and demanding she be refunded the $22 priority mail fee, according to the Star Tribune. Her request was denied.

"It was supposed to be a birthday gift for a family member. It would have been kind of traumatizing to get a dead puppy," Minneapolis Police Sgt. Angela Dodge told the newspaper.