What to Know
- A general manager at a Honda car dealership in New Rochelle helped save a family's dog when he witnessed the 3-year-old shih tzu getting hit by a truck
- James Gallagher says he saw that Cindy Robledo was standing in shock and wanted to help
- Once they got to the vet, Charlie the dog required surgery and Gallagher offered to pay because Robledo's family was going through tough times
A New Rochelle man saved a family's holidays when he rescued a dog that had been hit by a truck outside a car dealership on Monday.
James Gallagher, the general manager of the Honda dealership on Main Street, witnessed 3-year-old Charlie the shih tzu in an accident and helped owner Cindy Robledo rush the dog to the hospital.
Robledo says she was getting her car serviced and when a relative came to pick her up, Charlie was so excited and ran out the driver's side of the car instead of the passenger side and into traffic.
Gallagher saw Robledo standing in the street with the dog in her arms, frozen in shock, and rushed across the street to help get Robledo's relative out of the driver's seat and escorted Charlie to the veterinarian.
When they got to there, the doctor said the dog suffered serious spinal and neurological injuries and a surgery was required, Gallagher said.
"Talking to the family they told me they didn’t have finances, unfortunately, to pay for it, and I told her, 'You’re not gonna lose your dog because of money,'" he told NBC New York.
Local
The car dealership manager offered to pay Charlie's $17,000 hospital bill, saving his life as well as helping out Robledo's family who has been through tough times.
"My mom lost her house. She lost her mom," Robledo said. "It's a miracle, my dog is alive because of him."
Gallagher says he has also been through difficult periods and wanted to pay it forward.
