Buster the big friendly dog ran off after Hurricane Sandy damaged his family's Belle Harbor, Queens home. Workers were assessing damage to the house when the dog was spooked and took off. His family had been looking for him but without internet service it was difficult for them to search the local animal control websites. And Christine O'Donovan could not get through to the shelter to look for her dog. Whenever she tried to call she got no answer.
The 63 pound Rhodesian Ridgeback mix had been missing for nearly two weeks. His family wondered if they would ever see their pet again. But now thanks to a local animal rescuer and som good forture, Buster is safe at home.
Lucky for Buster he had escaped once before. A friend of Christine's, Kim Fraser-Dillon had seen a posting of "urgent" dogs at New York City Animal Care and Control. Fraser-Dillon the founder of Sasha’s Mission, rescue contacted O’Donovan after she recognized Buster on that list. Buster was listed there as a "pit bull mix "
Fraser had met Buster before. When he was a skinny pup, shortly after the O'Donovans got him, Buster had escaped through a fault in the O'Donovan's fence, Fraser-Dillon had helped them search for their dog.
Christine O'Donovan was thrilled when she herself saw Buster's photo online, but the shelter was closed.“I hoped and prayed that he would be alive when we got there,” she said.
O'Donovan and her children arrived at the shelter first thing the next morning and waited in the lobby for Buster. The entire family was elated when they brought Buster out. O'Donovans five children were especially excited to see Buster.
Two lives were saved that day! O'Donovan also took a puppy that morning that was about to be left at the shelter. She called Sasha's Mission from the shelter and asked if they could help with a puppy that was being surrendered there. O'Donovan brought the puppy Nicko to Kim Fraser-Dillon's (the founder) home that day. Kim has been fostering him ever since.
To learn more about Sasha's Mission Animal Rescue, Click HERE
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