Millcreek Police Department responded to numerous phone calls reporting an unattended dog left in a car. However, the situation was not as reported, involving an unhoused woman and her dog, Roxie, who were living out of their vehicle.

Local organizations, including Crate Escape and Canine Crusaders, quickly mobilized to provide support and temporary housing for the woman and her pet.


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The initial calls to police were made under the assumption that Roxie was wrongfully abandoned, but the dog’s owner was living in her car and trying to work. Crate Escape, an organization offering pet sitting and grooming, also operates a “Crisis Comfort Program” designed to keep families and their pets together during difficult times. The Millcreek Police Department contacted Crate Escape for assistance with the unhoused woman and her dog.

Kyrie Laubenthal, owner and founder of Crate Escape, explained the woman’s difficult circumstances. “She’s an older woman, she’s been through a rough life and she fell on undesirable circumstances in which she had to live out of her car,” Laubenthal said. “Nobody chooses to do that, but she had her dog in the car and several people were calling the police on her and she was just trying to work.”

Roxie and her mom had been living out of their car for weeks before their story began to gain attention on social media. Laubenthal provided free day care for Roxie and shared their story on Facebook to raise awareness.

After seeing the Facebook post, Canine Crusaders, a local non-profit organization, stepped in to help. The organization secured a hotel stay for the woman and Roxie for a couple of days.


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The temporary housing offered much-needed relief. Laubenthal shared the woman’s emotional response to the assistance. “She slept in a bed for the first night, last night in a couple of weeks, and she was calling me crying and she sent me a picture of her dog on the bed and it just really warms your heart to know that the community can come together,” Laubenthal said.

Client Services Director Anna Brzozowski for the Mercy Center for Women, highlighted the strong bond between people and their pets. “Our pets are our family and that is definitely a challenge to seeking shelter, when we don’t want to let go of something that is really important to us, it might be the last thing we have left from a previous situation,” Brzozowski said. She emphasized the importance of community programs collaborating to address such needs.

Laubenthal expressed gratitude for Crate Escape’s ability to assist. “I’m glad that we are able to be here to help Roxie and her mom carry that really heavy weight because it would be easier, it would be a ton easier if she just took her dog to the shelter and found herself a little nice one bedroom apartment somewhere, but love doesn’t stop when things get heavy, you just have to look for somebody else to help you carry that weight, so I’m so glad that we are in a position in which we can help her,” Laubenthal said.

Representatives at the Mercy Center for Women advise that anyone experiencing a similar situation should not be afraid to ask for help. You can contact Crate Escape or the Canine Crusaders to help.

If you’re looking to donate to Roxy, she’s in need of cleaning supplies, Beneful dog food and a couch for when she finds a place to rent. Anyone looking to donate can contact Crate Escape at 814-651-6793.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published.