Panhandler Begs For Lost Pooch, his 'Best Friend'

A Chicago panhandler has gone from begging for loose change to asking after a lost pal, the Chicago Tribune reports. Sixty-nine year-old Tom Finley says he last saw his canine "best friend" outside a McDonald's, and believes someone took her in the hope of giving the dog better care. Now locals and an animal cruelty society are rallying to support the itinerant pooch lover.

Finley says he scrapes together enough cash to pay for his dog Reba's medicine and a monthly bag of food. "She's got a big fluffy bed waiting for her," he laments. The city's Anti-Cruelty Society is offering 12-year-old Reba free veterinary care for life - but so far Chicago's big shelters haven't caught sight of the limping husky/terrier. (More dog stories.)