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| Riker's Story
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The Wonderful Rescue of Riker
Riker was surviving behind this sign in a large wooded area of New York City.
It was late in the afternoon on a fall day in 2003 when our executive director received a call from a resident of a Queens
neighborhood near the Rikers Island correctional facility. It seems a mother dog had given birth several months ago to a litter
of puppies in the woods. Two wandered onto the streets of New York lookinng for food and were struck and killed by cars. Mom
and her three pups remained. It was unsafe for them surrounded by city streets. They were sick and in need of medical attention.
Winter was on its way. Unknown to us, she was also once again pregnant. |
Riker
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This is the story of the rescue of Riker and her puppies through the night long vigils by Christine and other AFAR volunteers to
be sure she was not injured, the daily feedings and watering, the final catching of Riker and Pip in our humane trapping cage and
their eventual transport to AFAR's Queens Community Animal Shelter.
AFAR’s executive director received a call from a community member who had been feeding Riker and her pups for several months. Her
attempts to capture Riker were unsuccessful and even if she had, she had no place to keep the large dog. She contacted AFAR's
Queens Community Animal Shelter. AFAR's executive director arrived on the scene with a group of animal shelter interns the nexct
day. What he saw was many acres of land containing deep brush and very tall hills. The area was fenced in along city streets
with busy traffic near the entrance to the Riker’s Island correctional facility. |
Riker's Pups
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At first, the dogs (there were four at the time) would not approach the people. While the Riker became less afraid as time
passed by, the pups who had never had contact with a human (we suspect that Riker once had a human family) would not approach.
After many days, Riker and Pip (one of her male pups) was captured with the humane cage trap and taken to the AFAR shelter. Days
later, some volunteers went into the area with Port Authority Police armed with nets and tranquilizer guns. What they found was
a horrible site. The remaining two pups were dead, side by side. |
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Back at the shelter, Pip came down with parvovirus. She was taken and admitted to the Lefferts Animal Hospital in Queens and
given a 50/50 chance of survival. After a week long treatment protocol, she surived. Several weeks later, Riker gave birth to
14 puppies. Three were still-born and two died several days later. At this writing, there are nine healthy puppies. Riker and
Pip are fine as well.
Your donation will help us to care the many homeless animals that pass through our doors each year. Please consider becoming a one time or regular monthly donor so
we can continue to do our important work for homeless dogs and cats. We need your help. Without the help of those who love
animals, we woould not be able to continue. |
American Foundation for Animal Rescue, Inc.
a non-profit IRS 501C(3) charitable organization
Dream Pond Animal Sanctuary and Reserve
Crescent City, FL USA
U.S. Headquarters Mailing Address
P.O. Box 825
Crescent City, FL 32112-0825 USA
Phone: 866-224-2728
Email: Contact Us
Web Site www.afarnyc.org
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