Featured Rescue: Roxy (March/April 2002)
Adopted 4/18/02 - Good luck, Roxy! Read the UPDATE
The original story: Some cases tug at our heartstrings because
of the extreme nature of the cruelty or neglect involved.
It's hard to imagine a dog who has never known the kindness of a
loving home. Cases that involve starvation, filth,
beatings, and untreated medical conditions horrify and sadden
us, and for good reason.
But not all rescue is as "exciting" as that. What about
the sweet, gentle, well-behaved dog who knew life as a
well-loved, well cared-for family pet... and is then abandoned
and forgotten? This is Roxy's story. It's not a
headline-grabber, but it is tragic nonetheless.
Roxy was found tied outside of a shelter one day in an
unforgiving urban environment. The note she wore bore only
her name. No one will ever know why her family abandoned
her. Perhaps her owner died or lost his job. Perhaps
he moved or went to prison. Perhaps he married someone
with a dog allergy. We'll never know.
The shelter held onto Roxy for a month, but they knew that this dog had no realistic chance of adoption. She was a staff favorite because of her affectionate disposition, but she wasn't the prettiest or the youngest dog in the shelter. She wasn't going to catch anybody's eye. She's one of millions of plain, old, boring shelter dogs that nobody seems to notice. She's the perfect pet.
Fostering this dog, it's clear that she was once a well-loved pet. Somebody obviously spent time with her and did a wonderful job teaching her manners and trust. Put on your coat or shoes, and Roxy jumps to her feet and does a silly little wiggle-dance, "Oh boy! Oh boy! We're going for a walk!" She loves to ride in the car. She's reliably housebroken. She sits or downs when asked, and she even gives each paw on request. She's polite and affectionate.
Unlike some dogs who have been through hard times, Roxy carries no baggage. You can handle her body all over, pet her while she's eating, pick her up and push her around... and she's cheerful and agreeable throughout it all. She has no particular interest in other dogs, including no axe to grind. She's just a happy camper.
So what's the downside? Well, Roxy is plain old Roxy. She doesn't have a sexy history or fancy pedigree or drop-dead gorgeous looks. Truth be told, she's kind of homely. She doesn't want to win show ribbons or attack burglars or save Timmy from the well. This gentle dog just wants a home with a kind person and a soft bed. She wants to feel safe and loved in her retirement years.
Note: Roxy has tested positive for heartworm disease, and she will need to have a mammary tumor removed and biopsied. She will be a financially draining rescue dog, but NBR is committed to restoring her health and placing her in a loving home when she has recovered fully. If you would like to foster or adopt Roxy, please fill out an online application and contact New York Boxer rescue with your full name, city, state, and this dog's name in the subject line of your email.
If you would like to help offset some of the
medical expenses for this dog and others like her, you can send
a check to:
Northeastern Boxer Rescue
or donate through
THANK YOU. We appreciate even the smallest donation. Also, consider shopping on our site. By the way, Roxy wanted to thank the nice folks who have written to tell us that she is absolutely NOT homely! Her stub wiggles when we read her those emails.
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