In March last year, the going got tough worldwide, and as the saying goes, that’s when the tough get going. Well, being unique means, otherwise locked down, Roosevelt Islanders rescue dogs.
By David Stone
Roosevelt Islanders rescue dogs…
With his international charitable work sidelined during the pandemic, Roosevelt Islander Jim Luce was initially at a loss. But he found a cause: Shih Tzus in need of rescue.
“The Shih Tzu,” says Wikipedia, “is an Asian toy dog breed originating from Tibet. This breed is well-known for their short snout and large round eyes, as well as their ever growing coat, floppy ears, and short and stout posture. Although small in size, they are notorious for their largely fun and playful personality, and calm and friendly temperament.”
And they’re easy to fall in love with.
The New York Shih Tzu Rescue Society is a project of the New York Global Leaders Lions Club. Luce is their president, and the club was set up as a tool for developing the next generation of international leaders.
Some rescues…
Here’s Happy on his way to Roosevelt Island after being picked up at the Petco in Union Square.
Happy got rescued by a group in the Hamptons and got placed with Luce’s group.
And this is Blessie. She became homeless when a family in Fort Lee had a baby.
The Rescue Society found a home for her on Long Island.
Roosevelt Islanders rescue dogs, and then, they find homes for them.
More rescued…
This is Charlie. He has a problem because he kept being adopted and returned to the ASPCA.
But his story has a happy ending because the Roosevelt Island group took him in and will socialize him here.
Tofu had bigger problems, but he also had an angel.
Abandoned in the Bronx, Tofu was rescued by a Puerto Rican girl, but when the coronavirus hit, her family left New York. She offered him on Craig’s List. The New York Shih Tzu Rescue Society jumped in. So far, he’s had fourteen bad teeth removed at the Humane Society. And he has heart disease.
He’s lucky, though, because there are Roosevelt Islanders rescuing dogs.
Conclusion
Even with a pandemic shaking them to their roots, people accustomed to doing good find new ways for doing the right thing, too.
The New York Shih Tzu Rescue Society Leaders
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You Can’t Be All Three
April 9, 2026, during the full board meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, Fay Christian said something that should have landed harder than it did. She wished RIOC were not responsible for the tram. Then she asked what it would look like if it were given to the MTA. That was not a passing comment.
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