Warrant Issued For Fmr. State Senator Diaz de la Portilla Over Dog Feud

TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) - Former Miami state Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla is locked in a legal battle with his ex-wife, all over a family dog.

According to CBS4 News partner The Miami Herald, Diaz de la Portilla failed to obey a judge's ruling ordering he return the Weimaraner to his ex Claudia Davant.

When reached by the Herald late Friday, the former state senator declined to comment.

Davant says Diaz de la Portilla is not disclosing his whereabouts after his recent strategist position of the successful Miami-Dade mayoral campaign of Carlos Gimenez.

"I hear he's out of the country. I hear Spain. I hear South America. He's clearly enjoying the fruits of the campaign work he did in Miami," Davant said.

Diaz de la Portilla was ordered to turn over one of the two dogs the couple shared – named Elvis and Priscilla- by 5 p.m. Friday, according to a ruling by a Tallahassee judge Wednesday. Because the dog was not turned over, Leon County Circuit Court Judge Frank E. Sheffield issued an Order of Contempt and Warrant for Commitment.

The warrant could land Diaz de la Portilla thirty days in jail.

Under Florida law, dogs can be considered property, essentially divided equally between estranged couples.

The fight over the dogs is just the latest twist in the messy divorce between the former politician and Tallahassee lobbyist. The couple married in 2003 and began divorce proceedings in 2009.

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