That’s one lucky dog!
Ray Quiñones was driving his usual route to work at his job in sanitation for an incorporated village of Garden City on the Southern State Parkway when something caught his eye.
“For whatever reason, I just happened to look to my right as I started to pass Exit 21,” Quiñones said in a phone interview on Tuesday with LITrueCrime.com. “Everyone was going over 60 mph and I just happened to look.”
That momentary glance turned out to be a lifesaver for Roxi, the Bullmastiff who was left by her owner, tied to a light post. She was very close to the roadway, according to Quiñones. He pulled over past a bridge, parked his car, and walked back.
“As I got closer, she appeared to get really happy,” he said. “Before that, she was yelping.”
Then Roxi got nervous so he kept his distance.
“I heard later she’s a loving dog but at the time I didn’t want to take a chance,” he said.
That’s when Quiñones made the 911 call.
As he waited, trying to ease Roxi, he noticed a short leash and bowl of food next to her.
“They should have left water,” he said. “That’s more important.”
Describing the scene, he said Roxi was tied up very close to the road.
“Extremely close, like 10-20 feet from the parkway,” he said. “They tied her on a very short leash or rope. She couldn’t lay down. They didn’t have enough slack. I don’t know how long she was there.”
There was also a note left with Roxi.
“This is Roxi, a trained American Bull Mastiff [sic],” the note read. “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.”
Two New York State Troopers arrived and took over the situation, ensuring Roxi was safely transported to the shelter. The Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter confirmed that the dog was not microchipped, making it challenging to identify her owner.
Quiñones was still worried about Roxi the next day.
“I am a hard-core animal lover. I used to own dogs, but in my apartment, I can’t have dogs,” he said. “I would have taken her to be honest.”
He said that there is already a long list of his friends eager to adopt Roxi, ensuring a hopeful future for the abandoned dog.
Quiñones went to visit Roxi at the shelter on Tuesday evening after work.
“She looked sad because she doesn’t know what’s happening, but in the end, when she gets used to her new owner, she will be happy again,” he said.
Authorities urge anyone with information about Roxi’s owner or the circumstances leading to her abandonment to come forward. The incident is under investigation, and the State Police are asking for any witnesses or anyone with information to call (631) 756-3300. Photos courtesy of Ray Quiñones.
