Dog organization wondering where its $1 million prize is

By Ryan Dean

KSDK -- Randy Grim said May 22, 2008 was the happiest day of his life. His organization Stray Rescue won a national contest. Stray Rescue takes dogs off the streets and puts them up for adoption. The organization was presented with a $1 million check from Zootoo that was going to be used for a new dog shelter.

"I thought it was our miracle, I thought it was our dream was going to come true," Grim said.

But nearly a year after winning the contest, Grim now finds himself sitting in a law office, wondering how he got to this moment.

"Sitting here right now, this is probably one of the least happiest days of my life," Grim said.

Since winning the contest, Grim said Stray Rescue has spent $170,000 of its own money that it received from grants and donations on the new facility.

He said Zootoo hasn't paid a dime until recently when it made its first contribution, just $3,000.

"I won a million dollar makeover but how come there is no money and how come I have to beg everyone for every thing, I wouldn't need a contest to do that," he said.

The contractor on the project has walked off the job and all work on the new shelter has stopped because Stray Rescue doesn't have money to pay for it.

NewsChannel 5 was able to contact Zootoo founder Richard Thompson by phone for comment.

"Doing my best to resolve this and trying to resolve this in a very meaningful way but there has to be some communication because this is about helping animals and we want to be as helpful as we can," he said.

Thompson says his organization has made payments on the new facility and has receipts to prove it.

"For him (Grim) to be able to say that, it is just so incredibly off the page...I can't even respond to it because I certainly have the information about the funds that have been transferred to him," Grim said.

Zootoo won't say how much money it has contributed.

Stray Rescue said the money Zootoo claims it has spent on the project is from a joint account the two had together and that Zootoo never put any money in that account.

There's also an argument over a $250,000 grant from Pedigree.

Zootoo said that money is part of the million dollar makeover prize while Stray Rescue said it was a separate gift.