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Burglary Victims Worry About Lost Dog, Not Missing TVs

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Kaiser, a 4-year-old male Basenji, apparently got out of Lauren Lewis' house on Lambright Street in Seminole Heights during a burglary Tuesday. The family is hoping for his safe return.

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TBO.com

Published: January 22, 2009

TAMPA - Lauren Lewis can't help but think of her dog, Kaiser, out in the cold.

"I'm hoping somebody has him inside their house," she said this morning.

Kaiser, a 4-year-old male Basenji, escaped from Lewis' house on Lambright Street in Seminole Heights during a burglary Tuesday. The thief took a 40-inch Toshiba television and a plasma television and left the doors open.

"Thank goodness my cat decided to scoot to one of the rooms and just hide," said Lewis, 27.

Lewis said she and her husband, Mikel, bought the 40-inch television for a Super Bowl gathering. They put out the box that morning for the garbage collection, not wanting to leave it outside longer than necessary to advertise the purchase.

By about 1:30 that afternoon, the box was still at the curb, but Kaiser was gone. A neighbor called police to report the house doors were open.

Kaiser is black, tan and white, and has long legs and a curly tail. He is implanted with a microchip, Lewis said. He doesn't bark – Basenjis are a "barkless breed" – but he does howl.

The Basenji Club of America says a purebred male Basenji measures about 17 inches from the top of the shoulders to the ground and weighs about 24 pounds.

Friends have seen Kaiser near Bo's Ice Cream in the 7100 block of North Florida Avenue. The Lewises contacted veterinarians and Hillsborough County Animal Services about Kaiser and placed fliers along Florida and Nebraska avenues, advertising a reward for the dog's safe return. The reward started at $100 and is now $300.

"He's our life," Lewis said. "I don't care anything about the TV. I just want my dog back."

Have you seen Kaiser? If so, call Lauren Lewis at (813) 323-0988.

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