A 37-year-old Florida woman has been arrested after demanding $1,000 to return a lost dog to its owners.
Reports indicate that the dog, named Teddy, escaped from his family home, prompting his owners to turn to Facebook after failing to locate him.
The family came across a social media post by a woman named Spence Reid stating that she had found Teddy.
The family contacted Reid in the hope of retrieving their pet.
Reid called the owners and demanded a payment of $1,000 for the dog's return.
The two parties arranged to meet, but Reid refused to hand Teddy over after learning the family had not brought the money.
Reid subsequently messaged the family again to ask when she would receive the money, prompting the owners to contact the police.
Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office visited Reid and questioned her regarding the complaint.
Reid admitted to owning the social media account and sending the messages, claiming she requested the money to confirm the family's ownership of the dog.
Unconvinced by her explanation, deputies arrested Reid for grand theft before she was later released on a $2,500 bail bond.
Teddy the dog has since been reunited with his family.
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