Sanitation worker Ray Quinones says that he was on his way to work in Garden City, New York, when he spotted a dog tied to a post on the side of the Southern State Parkway near Exit 21 in Long Island, New York. It was around 5 a.m. on Monday July 1, 2024. He decided to pull over and check things out. To his surprise, the dog had been abandoned and left with a bowl of dog food and a note that read, "This is Roxi, a trained American Bullmastiff. She is four years old. She has been fed and given a flea bath, she may still have issues with them. See that she gets good care."
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New York State Police officials shared that the dog was taken to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter for evaluation, where it was noted that the 4-year-old canine was underweight, but otherwise doing well. The shelter also shared that since news of Roxi's rescue, several people "from across the United States of America" have reached out because they want to help find the dog a "loving home."
Ashley Behrens, the director of Town of Hempstead, shared that Roxi was still adjusting to being at the shelter. "She's a sweet girl, she's just trying to adjust to the big change in her life," she explained. An investigation is currently undergoing to figure out who left the dog on the side of the highway.
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Anne Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney, told the New York Post that the person who abandoned the dog could be facing a misdemeanor charge or a felony.
"The Southern State Parkway is arguably one of our most traveled and treacherous highways on Long Island," the statement reads. "It is no place to abandon a 4-year-old animal, and leaving a note with well-wishes just doesn’t cut it."
