This is a rescue story as experienced by Laura, our Shelter Manager.
The first time I saw Apollo, it was twilight in early October. I was walking Theo, an oversized chocolate colored Rottweiler mix, around the cargo areas of JFK airport, where our large dog shelter is located, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Dogs were always seeing things in the dark that I couldn’t. That is why when I looked up, I was surprised to see a dog standing frozen in the middle of the road, about 50 feet away from us. He was about the same size as Theo, around 90 lbs, black with a white stripe down his face and white paws. His eyes were locked on me and Theo. My first feeling was panic. I thought he might come start a fight with Theo and there would be nothing I could do to separate two big, strong dogs. But not a second after, the dog turned around and ran away, disappearing into the shadows of warehouses and abandoned tractor trailers.
Theo and I ran back to the shelter. Three volunteers followed me out to look for the dog. A caring cab driver looked at my leash and asked me if I was looking for the big “bull dog.” It had just run past him 15 minutes ago going towards an airline hangar. We searched for an hour, but we had to eventually call off the search.
After work I drove around the airport looking for the dog. The cargo areas of the airport are expansive and I knew my chances of finding him were slim, but I had to try. The night was getting colder. I was worried he was hungry and thirsty. Even though I know there are thousands of strays out in the night, once you see one, lock eyes with him or her, it’s hard to get the image out of your mind. You worry about the dog until he or she is safe.
Two days later, my co-worker, Erin, came running into the shelter out of breath. “I just saw a stray dog!” she said. And the search was back on again. I grabbed a leash and food, determined to get him this time. She had seen him the same place I saw him two nights ago, on the same road, so he must be hiding out nearby. It was already dark out again, but I had to try. I couldn’t bear the thought of this poor guy being out another night with no food or shelter.
And there he was coming down the road towards me, looking all around in the dark. Looking for his owner? Looking for home? His eyes were large and frightened. I knelt down in the middle of the street and held the food out and called to him softly. He stopped, took one look at me, and turned around and bolted in the opposite direction towards the taxi holding area. When stray dogs are scared and confused, they are not easy to get, no matter how people friendly they are in normal circumstances.
I called the shelter on my cell phone and asked them to call the Port Authority Police, who are responsible for picking up stray animals at the airport. I gave my location as I was following the dog at a distance - I dropped back as far as I could, trying to keep him in eyesight. I didn’t want him to feel chased, but I didn’t want to lose him again either.
He was jogging along-side the expressway ramp, heading towards an airplane hangar. I then ran past that same cab driver. “I have been seeing that dog everyday for a week!” he exclaimed as I went past. “I tried but I can never get him!”
Just then my heart leapt into my throat as the dog ran out into traffic and onto the median and then crossed the road back over again!!! Yellow taxis honked their horns and slammed on breaks. The poor scared creature jetted up a hill. I followed, keeping him within my sight. When I emerged, the same cab driver was waiting for me in his black Lincoln Town Car. The back door opened. I didn’t even hesitate to jump in. What the heck? I would have said, “Follow that dog!” if it wasn’t so obvious that’s what we were doing.
The dog ran back towards the runways. The cab driver cut several cars off, ran a red light, and zoomed into a parking lot just as the dog disappeared around the back. The cab driver drove slowly and quietly towards the back of the building. We saw the dog sniffing the grass! He didn’t look up when the car stopped. I quietly got out and without warning, he took off again. It was now impossible to follow him by car, so I followed him on foot. Then he started to climb up the side of the overpass.
Then - he stopped halfway up - and jumped off onto the JFK Expressway! I never felt so helpless. My heart felt like it stopped beating for a second as I braced myself to hear what I feared most. The slamming of breaks, the blasting of horns, the yelling - and I heard it all… but there was no crash! I ran up the overpass and looked down on a mess of stopped cars but no dog! He had survived! Then - I jumped off onto the highway too! I ran as fast as I could down the shoulder of the Expressway. He was out of sight now but he couldn’t have gotten far. There was no place for him to hide - only stretches of highway with walls on either side.
Seconds later my cab driver friend in the black Town Car raced up next to me to me and he barely stopped as I opened the door and jumped in. It was a scene straight out of an action movie! We continued down the Expressway and looked for hiding places on the side of the road where he could have slipped into. However, there was no sign of this dog! The dog had disappeared into the shadows again and we had no idea where.
I thanked the cab driver as he dropped me off at the Shelter. I found Erin with two volunteers in a car and a Port Authority Policeman all looking for the dog. I told them where I last saw him. The officer went off to look for him. Any dog that the Port Authority Police find come straight to our shelter. If they found him, we would know right away.
We waited the rest of the night, but they never came. I wasn’t ready to give up of course. After work, I got into my car and retraced my steps looking for the dog. I continued to drive around before and after work for many days. Each day when I came into the shelter I would hope to see him there. The nights were getting colder. Weeks went by. It was heartbreaking to think about him out there in these elements, alone, scared and hungry.
Just about when I started to let go of hope, I came into the shelter one day and there he was, sitting in the back of the cage all curled up, gazing at me with those big soulful eyes. He looked as big as I remembered him. Huge head, massive white paws.
When he stood up though, his body looked like a skeleton. My heart dropped. I never in my life saw a dog so thin, or knew a dog could be so thin and still be alive and standing. I could count every single one of his ribs from far away. It was especially alarming because of how big his head and paws were. I came close to his cage and knelt down. He approached me slowly, head down. Tears ran down my face. I was so happy that he was here, but by the looks of him, I knew his ordeal wasn’t over yet. He stuck his nose through the bars of the cage and I gently pet him. His head was still down but he looked up at me with those expressive eyes. I felt like I just made a friend for life. I told him not to worry, that he was safe now and everything would be okay.
Poor skinny Jethro...
Now he had a fluffy warm bed to lie on. As advised by the vet, we fed him five small meals a day. A large amount of food all at once would make him sick. Everyone who worked at the shelter spent a lot of time just sitting in the cage with him, talking to him softly and petting him. He was a very calm and affectionate dog who loved everyone. Even after being starved for over three weeks (maybe longer), he didn’t mind if someone put their hands in his food. He got along with other dogs. He shared his toys. He had a heart of gold.
Once he was stronger we were able to take him for walks. We named him Apollo and posted his story on the Bobbi & the Strays website. We thought he may be a hard adoption because of his size, breed and being underweight. A lot of people in New York City live in small spaces and want a small dog. Apollo looked like a Cane Corso Mastiff to us. To a lot of people he could look intimidating, even though he really was a big mush.
But Luck was on Apollo’s side! A mere three days later, a wonderful couple from Long Island, New York, fell in love with his photo and couldn’t get him out of their mind. They came to see him and were interested in fostering him first - to see if they were a match. The couple started fostering him on a Friday evening. By Sunday, Apollo had found his permanent new home with them and a new name – Jethro!
Healthy Jethro now...
We were so happy for the dog who was once abandoned without any hope.
Jethro with his doggie friend : - )
He now hasn’t a care in the world and in our opinion, that’s the way it should be.
Jethro - Happy & Loved!
