Thursday, October 1, 2026
After suffering months of malnourishment and neglect, Athena, an approximately 7-year-old dog, has made a near full physical recovery and is ready to join a permanent loving home.
Athena has had a busy several years of recovery since being dropped off at Bobbi and the Strays, a Freeport non-profit animal shelter, on July 7, 2022. Athena arrived at the shelter severely malnourished with several sores and scars across her frail body. Fortunately, with treatment at the Howard Beach Animal Clinic and individual training and care from workers at Bobbi and the Strays, Athena is much healthier and ready to be loved in a capable and willing home.
Richard Flynn, the worker at Bobbi and the Strays who initially found Athena in her abused state, shared that despite all she has suffered, the dog still likes human interaction.
“[The abuse] does not seem like it affected her what somebody did to her, because she’s not afraid of people,” said Flynn. “She’s never bitten anybody. She plays a little rough…but she never bit or hurt anybody.”
According to Marie Fisher, a representative at Bobbi and the Strays, Athena’s alleged abuser, Damian Douglas, 44, originally purchased the dog from a breeder in North Carolina with the intention of having her fight other dogs. When Athena refused to cooperate, Douglas allegedly left the dog in a small crate with little food and no room to exercise or relieve itself.
Bobbi and the Strays pressed charges against Douglas, aided by the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly. Following the arrest of Douglas, Donnelly described Athena’s state as “one of the worst cases of extreme confinement and animal cruelty we’ve ever seen in this county.”
Douglas pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges related to animal cruelty, and according to Fisher, who attended most of the court proceedings, Douglas was never forced to serve jail time and only had to pay a fine which “paled in comparison to the tens of thousands Bobbi spent,” referring to Bobbi and the Stray’s owner, Roberta “Bobbi” Giordano, who has invested in the upkeep and preservation of abused or abandoned dogs like Athena.
Giordano and her team are ready for Athena to have her perfect home and be adopted after spending over three years in medical care and at the shelter. For those who are currently not fit or unable to adopt Athena or another dog, there is more you can do.
“Share the dogs, try and get them homes is the most important thing,” said Virginia Mattney, another Bobbi and the Strays worker, especially the larger dogs who do not get as much attention on social media or get adopted as swiftly as smaller dogs.
Flynn added that the shelter maintains a list of donation needs on its website. Volunteers are also extremely helpful to just spend time with the dogs, says Flynn.
“It’s always great to get them out, because other than that, they’re stuck in these rooms until we get to them. I’m one person, I have ten dogs. If I had a couple of volunteers, guess what? They get out more instead of being stuck in that kennel.”
To learn more about adopting Athena and other dogs, or becoming a volunteer, please visit their website, bobbiandthestrays.org, or give them a call at (516) 378-4340.
