Dog found tied to pole with note off Southern State Parkway on Long Island
WANTAGH, Long Island (WABC) -- Police are looking for the person responsible for abandoning a dog off a highway on Long Island.
Troopers responded to the Southern State Parkway westbound in the area of Exit 21 on Monday around 5:30 a.m.
A white female English mastiff was found tied to a light pole by her leash with a dog bowl filled with food and a note.
"This is 'Roxi,' a trained American bull mastiff," the note said. "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 gentle dog was taken to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter for evaluation.
"She's a sweet girl, she's just trying to adjust to the big change in her life," said acting shelter director Ashley Behrens.
Garden City sanitation worker Ray Quinones was driving to work when he saw the dog yelping for help.
"As I got closer she started to get a little happy, but then as I got even closer, she got nervous and very hesitant so I stayed like maybe three or four feet away from her the whole time," Quinones said.
He found her with no microchip and a leash so short that he said she could only stand or sit down. Quinones quickly called police.
State police and Nassau County District Attorney Ann Donnelly gave new details Wednesday on the investigation and said they are still looking for surveillance video.
"The residents, not only in the town of Hempstead, we've had people from across the United States of America reaching out saying they want to find a loving home for this dog," Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin Jr. said.
The shelter hopes to have Roxi adopted soon. The person who left her could face charges spanning anywhere from a misdemeanor of animal abandonment up to to a felony of animal cruelty.
Police are asking for any witnesses or anyone with more information to call (631) 756-3300.
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