When Lindsey Cruz saw the video, her heart sank.
In a clip showing a cluttered, chaotic Lyndhurst home, she recognized a face she thought she’d lost forever: Leo, her beloved beagle-bulldog mix.
But this wasn’t the happy, bouncy pup she’d adopted years ago — he was thin, aged, and trapped in a nightmare.
Leo had once been Cruz’s loyal companion. She adopted him in 2018 as a weekend surprise gift for Mother’s Day.
Back then, he was a “meatball” of a dog — healthy, chunky, and full of life. But in 2023, life’s challenges forced her to make the heartbreaking decision to rehome him.
The family who adopted Leo seemed warm and welcoming at first, but fast forward nearly two years, and things took a dark turn.
A video shared by Cruz’s sister revealed the truth: the home was filled with danger and neglect.
In a police response to the scene, officers found filth, drug paraphernalia, and alarming levels of disarray throughout the apartment.
According to Lyndhurst Police, the conditions were “emotionally disturbing.” Inside that mess were two starving dogs — Leo and a husky.
Cruz says seeing Leo in that state hit her hard. She remembers bringing him home in her car, the same journey she took years ago.
Only now, he was fragile — his tail corkscrewed down to a nub, his nails overgrown, and he was suffering from a double ear infection.
But despite everything, the spark of recognition was immediate. When she finally reunited with him, there was no hesitation on his part: he knew her.
Leo’s rescue team sprang into action. He was taken to the Bergen County Animal Shelter, where the staff confirmed his identity.
Cruz didn’t waste a moment: she called the shelter’s director, shared her story, and asked if she could bring Leo home again.
On October 25, she made the three-hour drive from Pennsylvania to Teterboro to reclaim him.
It wasn’t a glamorous rescue, but it was deeply meaningful. Cruz acknowledges that Leo’s not in perfect shape.
He’s older, weaker, and his body shows the scars of neglect. But his spirit remains. Debbi Yankow, the shelter’s assistant manager, called his return a “happy ending.”
The legal side is unfolding, too.
Lyndhurst police arrested James Wapinsky and Sarafina Gorfinkle, charging them with drug possession, child neglect, and endangerment of animal welfare.
But for Leo and Cruz, the most important part is what comes next: healing.
Cruz FaceTimed her daughter as soon as Leo was back in her arms. Her daughter, Arianna, burst into tears of joy.
Cruz told her, “He’s not great, but we’ll make him great again.”
Now, Leo lives with Cruz once more, a little older and a lot wiser. He may never fully erase the trauma of what he went through, but he’s safe now.
He’s loved. And he’s home.
Leo’s journey is a reminder: rescuing a dog doesn’t always mean saving them from a shelter.
Sometimes, it means bringing them back into your life — and offering more than just a home, but a second chance at love.
