‘The best dog there ever was’: Family mourns death of dog allegedly stolen by sitter in Trafford

TRAFFORD BOROUGH, Pa. — It is a pet family’s worst nightmare.

”I’ve felt every emotion, I’m angry, I’m heartbroken,” Eva Hodgdon said.

It is the outcome no one wanted to hear, especially the Hodgdon family.

”She’ll forever live with us. She was the sweetest, the best dog there ever was,” Hodgdon said.

Their beloved German Shepherd, Nani Nyx, was found dead near train tracks in Braddock after being missing for two weeks.

It was a friend in Minnesota who shared the post and brought in the tip.

”One of her friends saw it and they work for the railroad, and they called in and made a report because they had seen a black dog on the side of the railroad,” Hodgdon explained.

Dog sitter Molly Bureau took the dog on July 1 while the family was out of town.

They returned on the Fourth of July to pick Nani up, but Bureau and Nani were nowhere to be found.

Then came the devastating news.

”The officer in Trafford, he came up to my house and brought Nani’s collar that still had her little tag on it with her name (that) said ‘if I’m lost call my mom,’” Hodgdon said.

They don’t know how Nani was killed, but were told it was not in a humane way.

The hardest part will be telling her kids Nani is not coming home.

”Tomorrow is my twins’ 6th birthday, so it’s just going to be a really hard weekend,” Hodgdon said.

While police continue to investigate, an autopsy and X-rays will be done on Nani to figure out how she died.

Despite the grief, Eva said she is grateful for the outpouring of community support.

”It’s given me strength when I didn’t have strength. And it’s continuing to give me to strength today, in such an awful day.”

Channel 11 tried reaching out to both Trafford and Braddock police departments to see if any more charges could be coming or where the investigation stands, but have not heard back.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

2 dogs killed after they were shot in Armstrong County; 3rd fighting to survive

©2022 Cox Media Group