Woman Searching For Home For Late Daughter's Beloved Dogs

EAST PATCHOGUE, NY - A Long Island woman is looking for help from the community to find a permanent home for her daughter's two dogs after she died suddenly nearly a year ago.

"These poor dogs had their world flipped upside down when their owner, my daughter Vicky, suddenly and tragically passed away on Dec. 11 2018," the woman, Nancy, told Patch. "For nearly 10 months now, they have been living by themselves in the home they once shared with their beloved owner."

According to the 77-year-old, following Vicky's death, friends and family have stepped up to the plate to temporarily take care of the East Patchogue resident's beloved dogs, Jaxxon and Ariel.

It's been a team effort for the past 10 months.

Several caretakers, including Nancy, Vicky's sister Wendy, a neighbor who is single mother of two handicapped 18-year-old twins and another neighbor who is a 77-year-old veteran and has known the dogs since Vicky brought them home, have been working together as a team to care for the dogs.

In addition, another friend who lives Lindenhurst will occasionally travel to the East Patchogue home to assist in caring for the two dogs as well.

Between all of them, they work to fully care for the pets. They make sure the utilities must remain on for the dogs — heat for the winter months, air conditioning this whole summer — and the TV is on to make the dogs feel less lonely and to provide stimulation so they won't get too bored.

They also take turns feeding, walking the dogs and giving them plenty of love and attention.

"The dogs welcome the scheduled caregiver with licks and wags," Nancy said. "The caregivers thought this was short term until a forever home was found for the dogs and never imagined nearly one year later the short term help would turn into an obligation by them."

Unfortunately, none of the caregivers are able to adopt them for various reasons.

They have approached every dog rescue they knows to find a home for Ariel and Jaxxon with no success.

Nancy lives some 50 miles away but still makes the effort to coordinate the caregivers and when they can't make it, she fills in.

She makes sure they have the food and treats, utilizing Chewy's delivery system. She also handles the paperwork trying to find homes for both dogs, visits shelters and follows up on leads of possible adoption.

"We all, unfortunately, know what grief feels like and have experienced it first hand, and it is no different for dogs, they feel it too," she said. "These dogs so deserve to be living the same happy life they had before they suffered such a huge loss."

Jaxxon is described as a neutered black pit bill, weighing at nearly 75 pounds. He is around 7-years-old and very happy go lucky, easy to adapt kind of guy. He is also good with other dogs.

Ariel is a 9-year-old, 60 pound, spayed brindle American Staffordshire Terrier.

She would prefer to be your one and only pet. She really just needs somewhere to live out her golden days so a low key house would be ideal for her.

"They are both such great dogs, and we need to honor their owner's life by finding them a new solid home to rest their heads in," Nancy told Patch. "My daughter dedicated so much of her life to them."

Both dogs are up to date with all shots and certification per the Hampton Veterinary Hospital, PC.

If someone is interested in either dog, please contact Nancy cell 516-605-8330 or email her at nccedar@netzero.net. Meet and greet can be arranged.

All photos courtesy of Nancy