Shelter Dog Gets Special Sleepover At Hotel, Seeks Forever Home

PECONIC, NY — Sasha is a senior black pit mix who, all too often, gets passed over by potential adopters looking to take home a four-legged friend.

But on Monday night, Sasha got singled out for some special attention when she went on a sleepover at a hotel and was treated to some special love and attention.

According to Gabrielle Stroup of the North Fork Animal Welfare League, Sasha spent the night with Valerie Sanks, a volunteer who takes dogs from the Southold, Brookhaven and Riverhead shelters and transports them to hotels for a night of snuggling and love.

"It gives the dogs a much needed night out and helps us see what the dogs are like in a home environment — as well as with people they don't know," Stroup said.

Sasha, who is 9 years old, got to get cozy in a real bed at the hotel.

"Val said she was amazing in the car and loved riding," Stroup said. "She is super mellow and does not need a lot of activity — just a home and a bed and a human. She would do best as the only dog but would gladly share her home with human children."

The sleepovers are sponsored by various individuals; Sasha's was sponsored by Kathy Smock, who adopted shelter dog Tay Tay last year. Sadly, Tay Tay died last year, so Sasha's sleepover was a memorial to her and Smock paid for the hotel room.

"It would be great to find a hotel out east that would be willing to donate a room every once in a while or give a break — and also, to find someone to sponsor the hotel stays as needed," Stroup said.

Currently, Sanks goes to the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Bohemia, which is "a bit far for my staff and volunteers to go. It would be great to get one a bit closer, which would let us do it more often," Stroup said.

Sanks said she began taking the shelter dogs for sleepovers after her mother passed away last year. "Since her house was empty I was able to take a shelter dog out for a night of rest and relaxation from the shelter," she said.

Tay Tay, who found a home in Pennsylvania, died on Nov. 6, 2016, Sanks said. "But she got to have a wonderful home for the time she had left."

To honor the anniversary of Tay Tay's first sleepover, on April 24, 2017, Sanks took her "main man Zucco" out for a sleepover at the hotel, "to be spoiled, pampered, and to enjoy a night of relaxation."

Sanks, who lives in Rocky Point, has also spread the word that if anyone is seeking a waitress to work private parties on Sundays, she's happy to work; the money she earns is used for another doggy sleepover.

Friends have embraced her mission and have begun sponsoring nights; since April of this year, Sanks has had one sleepover a month.

The sleepovers are themed, to make each unique and special, Sanks said. On Monday, to give thanks for Tay Tay in heaven, Sanks prepared a "whole Thanksgiving dinner for Miss Sasha."

Sasha, Sanks said, is a "beautiful black dog, such a loving girl."

Looking ahead to December, Sanks and a friend will sponsor a sleepover in memory of, and in honor of, her mother, to be called, "The Best Christmas Ever."

A sponsor, another volunteer at the Brookhaven shelter, has also just booked a January sleepover, too, she said.

"The sleepovers are so beneficial because they help the animal decompress. It gives them a night out, a night of relaxation and a peaceful sleep. We also learn so much about the animal — how they handle in a home-like setting, their temperament and behavior," Sanks said.

During each sleepover, Sanks also takes plenty of proud mama videos and photos, which helps to give even more exposure to shelter dogs in need of homes.

"If somebody decides that they would like to sponsor a sleepover I always ask them if there there is one dog in particular they would like. Most of the time they have told me, 'You pick the dog that needs it the most,'" Sanks said.

The current cost for the hotel Sanks uses is $127 per night.

And after Sasha's big night out, Stroup is more eager than ever to find her a forever home where she can relax and be pampered for the rest of her days.

"Sasha is looking for a home where she can be a couch potato," she said. "She loves car rides and all people. She has lived with cats but would rather be the only dog in the home. She does not need a lot of exercise — just a human to love. She is house trained and loves kids. Sadly, she lost her human after 8 years when they lost their home. Sasha is overlooked and has been here for a year waiting for the right person. Are you her person?"

For information on Sasha, call 631-765-1811 ext. 1.

As the lucky pup snuggled up in the blankets during her sleepover, Sanks wrote on social media, "Miss Sasha is going night-night. She will be dreaming of a forever home. So don’t let her down."

Stroup added, "I would love to find her a home."

Patch courtesy photo, video.