Imagine the level of despair Roxi must have felt after her human tied her to a light pole and left her on the side of a highway in Long Island, New York.
The four-year-old English Mastiff wished she could run after her owner.
Sadly, she could only watch him as he turned his back on her and disappeared into the distance, abandoning her forever.
In the blink of an eye, Roxi lost everything – an owner whom she trusted and a home.
Feeling heartbroken and scared, the doggo started yelping. She hoped that someone would show her kindness and save her from the hopeless situation she was in.
Roxi’s Hero Comes To Her Aid
Garden City Sanitation worker, Ray Quinones, was driving to work when he spotted Roxi tied to a pole. He was shocked. He immediately got out of his car and came to her aid.
As Quinones started approaching her, he heard the doggo yelping for help.
When Roxi noticed him, she was content to see him. However, as he got closer, she became nervous.
Quinones didn’t want to scare her so he decided to keep his distance. He noticed that there was a bowl filled with food left next to the dog.
Quinones called the police and kept Roxi company until they arrived. The doggo felt better because she wasn’t alone.
When the officers untied Roxi, they realized that there was a note left next to the bowl of food.
“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.” the note read.
The officers took Roxi to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter where she was examined. Apart from being underweight, fortunately, she was in good health.
The authorities were appalled that someone left Roxi near one of the busiest highways. They were determined to find them, and they started investigating.
“The Southern State Parkway is arguably one of our most traveled and treacherous highways on Long Island. It is no place to abandon a 4-year-old animal, and leaving a note with well-wishes just doesn’t cut it,” Nassau County District Attorney, Anne Donnelly, told The New York Post.
Shortly afterward, the authorities managed to find and arrest Roxi’s owner who tied her up and dumped her.
Roxi Turns Her Life Around
Although she endured heartbreak and trauma, Roxi had a sweet disposition.
The dog tried to adapt to the shelter life and accept the fact that she didn’t have a family anymore.
Many people across the U.S. felt moved when they heard Roxi’s story on the news and several families expressed their wish to adopt her.
A lovely family, John and Sandy Reeve, never thought about getting another dog after their Mastiff, Hannah, passed away.
However, when they saw Roxi on TV, they were mesmerized. She looked identical to Hannah.
The couple reached out to the shelter, but they were told they were no longer accepting applications.
When the shelter heard the Reeves’ story about their dog, Hannah, they gave them the chance to apply.
During their meet-and-greet, the Reeves took Roxi for a walk.
Despite being scared of men due to her trauma, the dog felt connected to Mr Reeve.
“When I sat down, she came, put her head on my lap and slobbered me up,” Mr Reeve told The Suffolk Times.
The staff could tell that Roxi liked them, and she chose the Reeves to be her forever family.
On July 15th of 2024, Mr. and Ms. Reeve welcomed her to their home in Aquebogue, New York.
As soon as Roxi moved in with her new family, she was thrilled.
Roxi lives her dream life. She adores her owners and showers them with love. She enjoys running on her family’s three-acre waterfront property.
I’m happy that Roxi turned her life around and found her happily ever after.