Warm-Hearted Volunteer Gives Shelter Dog Special Sleepover

NORTH FORK, NY — A homeless shelter dog who desperately needs a family was treated to some special TLC recently when she got a sleepover at a hotel and lots of love.

Sox is a senior dog who's been living at the North Fork Animal Welfare League in Peconic for more than a year.

The sleepover was Sox's second, said volunteer Valerie Sanks of Rocky Point. Last year, Sox had a sleepover for St. Patrick's Day.

Sanks said she organizes the sleepovers as a way to shine a light on shelter dogs who need loving homes.

Sox, a senior female, has been"a frequent flyer at the shelter," said Gabrielle Stroup of the NFAWL; she would get loose from her home and eventually be picked up and brought to the shelter.

"Her owners picked her up every time — until the last time," Stroup said. "She waited and waited, and they never came for her. Sox is a gentle, sweet girl who would love nothing more than a home and a human to call her own."

At Christmas, a new plea was made to find Sox a home for the holidays, but there was no happy ending.

"This poor girl has had a rough life ending up in the shelter after her family broke up. She's a sweet old girl who likes to go for car rides and lounge on the sofa," Stroup said. "She is very loyal and will be your best friend." Sox, who weighs about 50 pounds, is probably best in a single-pet home, she said.

Sanks said she saw Sox's photo on Facebook at Christmas. "I saw the sadness in her eyes, and I thought she needed the most magical sleepover ever. Hence, the magical unicorn sleepover. I picked up my beautiful girlfriend at 1:30 p.m., and she was so excited — her tail was like a windmill or a helicopter. She knew she was going to have a good old time!"

The sleepover was at La Quinta Inn by MacArthur Airport and was sponsored by Kathy Smock, in loving memory of Tay Tay, who was the first shelter dog she ever took for a sleepover, Sanks said.

"Sox had about 20 visitors that came from Cutchogue to Woodmere, including friends that came to her other shelter sleepover in March 2019 — a St. Pitty party. And, you know, she remembered them like she had known them her whole life."

Reflecting on the night, Sanks said, "This beautiful girl treated all her guests with all the love in the world."

Sanks decorated the room with unicorns, even putting a unicorn blanket on the couch. But despite the festive decorations, what Sox liked best of all was being showered with love, Sanks said.

"She loved laying next to a person, and she kept putting her paw out for someone to hold it, which made everyone's heart smile," Sanks said.

Of Sox's tutu and unicorn attire, Sanks said, "I told her we had a very special outfit for her to wear, in hopes of someone seeing how beautiful she is — maybe someone would give this amazing loving senior a forever home."

The party included treats, unicorn toys and a late-night special double cheeseburger — "plain, since it’s her favorite," Sanks said.

Sox has touched her heart, she said.

"Look closely into her eyes, and you will see her beautiful soul," Sanks said. "She will love a person 100 times more than they could love her. She never forgets a friend no matter what time has passed — and she greets you like you are the most important person in the world."

Sanks says she devotes her life to loving the homeless dogs. "We might not be able to adopt at this time, but we can love them with everything we've got," she said. "That is my promise to my shelter dogs. If only more people could volunteer at their town shelters, could you just imagine the possibilities?"