Picture the confusion Roxi must have felt when her owner tied her to a light pole and walked away, leaving her alone beside a busy highway in Long Island, New York.
The four-year-old English Mastiff likely longed to chase after him. Instead, she stood frozen, helpless, watching as the person she trusted most disappeared from sight.
In a matter of moments, Roxi lost her home, her safety, and the human she loved. Terrified and bewildered, she began to cry out, hoping someone would hear her and come to her aid.
A Stranger Offers Help
On his way to work, Garden City Sanitation employee Ray Quinones noticed Roxi tied to the pole and could hardly believe what he was seeing. He pulled over immediately to check on her.
As he approached, he heard her cries for help.
Roxi seemed relieved at his presence, though fear kept her cautious.
Quinones, careful not to frighten her further, kept his distance. He spotted a small bowl of food placed beside her, a feeble attempt by someone to ease their guilt.
He quickly contacted the police and stayed close so Roxi would not be left alone.
When officers arrived, they gently untied Roxi and discovered a handwritten note left next to the food bowl.
“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 said.
Roxi was taken to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, where veterinarians examined her. Other than being underweight, she appeared to be in good condition.
Officials were outraged that anyone would abandon a dog so close to one of the busiest highways in the region. An investigation was launched immediately.
“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.
Investigators soon tracked down Roxi’s former owner, who was arrested and charged with animal abandonment.
A New Chapter For Roxi
Despite the ordeal she had endured, Roxi remained gentle and affectionate. She tried to adjust to life at the shelter, learning to accept that her family was gone.
Her story spread quickly, and before long, people from across the country reached out, eager to adopt her.
John and Sandy Reeve of Aquebogue, New York, had recently lost their cherished Mastiff, Hannah. Adoption had not been in their plans, but when they saw Roxi’s story on the news, they were stunned. She looked exactly like Hannah.
The couple contacted the shelter, only to be told that applications were closed. But after hearing about Hannah, the staff made an exception and invited the Reeves to meet Roxi.
When they arrived, they took her for a walk to get acquainted. Though Roxi had developed a fear of men, something remarkable happened when she met Mr. Reeve.
“When I sat down, she came, put her head on my lap and slobbered me up,” Mr. Reeve told The Suffolk Times.
It was clear to everyone that Roxi had found her family. The bond between her and the Reeves was immediate and undeniable.
The shelter staff quickly approved the adoption, and soon John and Sandy brought Roxi home.
From the moment she stepped inside their house, her happiness was unmistakable.
Today, Roxi is thriving in her new home. She adores her family and spends her days exploring their three-acre property by the water.
She runs freely, plays joyfully, and enjoys the kind of love and security every dog deserves.
Roxi’s journey is proof that even after heartbreak, second chances can lead to extraordinary joy.