Home Events + News The Heartwarming Story of Leska’s Rescue by a Local Resident in Jersey City

The Heartwarming Story of Leska’s Rescue by a Local Resident in Jersey City

by Jennifer Tripucka
Attain Medspa
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A few days ago, several readers reached out to us regarding a missing dog in Hoboken. Her mom, Stephanie, a local resident, had been waiting by the 2nd Street light rail stop in Hoboken when Leska slipped her harness and was last seen running down the lightrail tracks after being scared by the train’s horn.

leska missing dog hoboken

As our community usually does when a pup is missing, signs and information was shared virally around social media and throughout Hoboken. But no luck — until Friday evening.

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Patty Drumgoole, a local resident, had been feeding stray cats in Jersey City when she happened to spot the missing pup after several days of the community at large searching. She shared the account on her Facebook page, so we’ll leave it in its original form for your feel-good reading:

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“Normally I’d bag 6pm yoga for an impromptu happy hour but no glass of wine could beat the sweetness of reuniting #Leska with her family 🐶
My daily ride up Paterson Plank Rd was nothing but a typical stop to feed my feral cat colony. Over the wall I went to collect dirty food bowls from the week, holding on to the only standing flimsy branch to avoid sliding down the steep slope (which has happened a handful of times over the past 10 years 🙀). As I call Montauk’s name, I see what I thought was a dog running up the cliff, through the brush.

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I did a double take and I instantly knew it was “that lost dog I briefly saw a FB post on” desperately making her way to me. I dropped the cat food and aloud repeated OMG OMG OMG, I have to get her. As she untangled herself from the final leafless, branchy knot, I softly encouraged her to come to me. Timid, but with a wagging tail, her nose met my cat food filled palm. My mind raced in crafting a plan to get her into my car. I hopped back over the wall, luring her with kibble until she put her two front paws up on the wall.

I leaned over, scruffed her with my left hand, wrapped my right arm around her body, and lifted her up into my chest. So much for thinking I would keep my brand new North Face coat bright white & dirty free (sorry Tyrone Huggins it’s still the best Christmas gift I ever received).

Now to cross the ever busy street where my car is parked in that hollowed out section in the cliff (yupp, that’s me always slowing down traffic when I pull in and back out each afternoon 🤷🏻‍♀️) Nah, I’m not gonna wait for someone to stop…this is an emergency!! So I do my usual one leg at a time maneuver over the railing, this time with no hands, and just go! It didn’t take but a second for horns to start screamin & hollerin but I so didn’t care. (Usually it’s my legs flailing & bum in the air that unintentionally solicit the hoopla and horns blowin lol).

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I opened my car door and placed Leska inside, gave her a smooch and safely closed her in. After running back to my girls to pick up their dirty bowls, I returned to my car, frantically searching FB for the post on this lost dog. By the time I returned to Hoboken to buy dog food, you all replied to my call for help with Will’s number. He was out of breath when he answered his phone.

He explained he’d been running toward Paterson Plank to find me bc he got a call saying a woman was spotted crossing the road, holding a dog that looked like Leska. I asked where he was and told him I’d be right there. As I approached the corner of Palisades and Congress, I see a family of 4 excitedly jumping & waving their arms. There are 2 girls 💕 Before I could even get my mask on, Stephanie embraced me. She and her daughters were crying with joy and gratitude.

I let them in the back seat of my car where they sat with Leska for good half hour. I tell ya, it was a whirlwind. And poor Will, good ole dad, exhausted after searching high and low, all hours of the day and night for his girls’ pup. Watching the 5 of them walk into their building after I dropped them back home was the absolute best end to what was a long, emotionally charged work day. No better reward!

leska missing dog hoboken

Leska in Patty’s car — ready to reunite with her family!

Read More: The Hoboken Community Comes Together to Find Milo, the Rescue Pup

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