Custody battle for dog leaves New York City man bankrupt

SAN PEDRO, LOS ANGELES

For Craig Dershowitz, it's more than just puppy love. It's a love worth fighting for.

"'Knux' is my puppy," Dershowitz says."In a lot of ways, he's like my son. He's absolutely the cutest dog in the entire universe.

When Dershowitz and then-girlfriend Sara Brega split up, he says Brega dognapped his pup, "Knuckles," and took him with her to California.

Dershowitz says legal expenses have left him bankrupt and he's gone online to raise money. He says he's $60,000 in the red.

Brega says Knuckles is hers, and calls her ex-boyfriend "misguided." She says the custody battle is revenge on her.

"He's just really fixated on this whole thing, he doesn't get the dog is mine, too," she said.

"All I want is my dog back, he's mine," Dershowitz says. "He really is my son."

Brega contends that the pair split expenses for Knuckles.

The legal fight continues Wednesday in a San Pedro courthouse, where the next status conference will be held.

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