Recovery, Rehabilitation and a New Beginning for Joon

September 9, 2026

When Christina C.’s 10-year-old Bichon/Poodle-mix, Benji, died unexpectedly in May, she was heartbroken.

“Everyone told me, ‘You’ll get another dog,’” says Christina, who waited until she was ready to love again.

“I knew I didn’t want to buy a puppy. I know there are always dogs in shelters who need homes.”

While browsing online, Christina visited the ASPCA website and came across Joon, a 3-year-old Maltese-mix who was being cared for at our Recovery & Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, New York.

“I thought, ‘Everybody’s going to want her,’” she says. “But for the heck of it, I submitted my information.” Soon after, we invited Christina to meet Joon.

“I was definitely interested,” says Christina, who made the drive to Pawling from her home in Queens. “A voice was saying, ‘Let me help heal your heart.’ I knew if I met her, I wouldn’t want to leave without her. She was already pulling at my heartstrings.”

A Second Chance Begins

Joon was found on April 11, 2026, in a cardboard box left on a street curb in Queens. NYPD officers investigated but eventually closed the case without making an arrest. They took Joon to the ASPCA Animal Hospital, where she was examined by forensic veterinarian Dr. Alison Liu.

“Joon had no injuries, but she was severely matted, with a soiled coat,” says Dr. Liu. “On her hind end, her skin was inflamed from prolonged contact with urine and feces. She was also underweight and somewhat fearful.”

Joon was sedated so staff could clip her severely matted coat, bathe her and treat her irritated skin. She was also placed on a gradual refeeding plan to help her digestive system safely readjust to appropriate amounts of food. Because of her anxiety, Joon was transported to the ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center, where she could heal in a low-stress environment tailored to her behavioral and emotional needs.

Learning to Trust

At first, Joon spent most of her time in a crate staff placed in her larger living space to give her a place to hide.

“She was shut down and traumatized,” says Kelly Lewis, a care and enrichment technician who had to carry Joon outside. Within days, though, she began to enjoy her time outdoors.

“She would get the zoomies and loved sniffing the grass,” Kelly says.

With treats, patience and consistent handling, Kelly slowly earned Joon’s trust. After several weeks, Joon began spending her days in Kelly’s office suite and also took well to a handful of other staff.

“She took very well to one person — me— but wanted nothing to do with others. She’d run to the front of her door, spinning in circles, excited to see me,” says Kelly, whose interactions with Joon were always empathetic and deliberate.

“I always consider what might make animals most comfortable in the moment, and I think she was sensitive to and appreciative of that,” she adds.

By the end of her stay, Joon had gained weight, grown comfortable with affection and regularly curled up in Kelly’s lap.

“She liked being petted, but I always started slowly,” says Kelly. “We accommodated her fear of touch by leaving her collar and harness on during the day — minimizing the number of times we had to put them on — but we removed them at night.”

“She just needed to learn how to be a dog,” Kelly says. “But experiencing her rehabilitation is a tremendous feeling that will stay with me forever.”

Set Up for Success

Joon surprised everyone when she and Christina first met.

“She bolted toward me,” Christina says. “The staff told me she wasn’t usually like that.”

Kelly believes the work completed during Joon’s five weeks at the ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center helped pave the way for a successful adoption. “She displayed the exact same positive and contented behaviors with her adopter as she did with us,” she says. “That makes me feel confident she’ll have a happy and fulfilling life.”

“She has gotten very comfortable with finding space on my lap, in my arms and in my bed,” she wrote. “As I write, she’s nestled into the blankets on my bed.”

Joon continues to thrive in Queens with Christina and her family, including two canine housemates, Sugar and Rocky. When Christina leaves for work, Joon enjoys daytime company from Christina’s mother and playtime in the family’s backyard.