Dog rescued from East River finds forever home with cop who saved her
In little over a month, a tiny dog named Hudson went from ruffing it on the East Side to living it up in her forever home on Staten Island.
Hudson, the Maltese mix that was rescued from the frosty waters of the East River in early April, has been adopted by Jared DeSalvo and his family.
DeSalvo was one of the NYPD Harbor Unit officers who saved the 2-year-old pooch.
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5 Officer DeSalvo's children Salvatore and Stella were all smiled when they met Hudson.
Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post
'I know my family was very interested in the dog, and I think it's a great opportunity to kind of give her a second chance,' DeSalvo told The Post.
Hudson, who was nicknamed after the western waterway despite being pulled out of the East River, was spotted bobbing just off Pier 15 at the South Street Seaport.
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'She's a very cute dog, clearly, but despite her very cute, tiny exterior, she's tough because it's rough waters and she really held up on her own,' he added. 'It's nice to be able to provide her a home.'
5 Hudson will be the Staten Island family's second dog.
Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post
Within days of her rescue, DeSalvo had checked in on Hudson at the Irving and Phyllis Millstein Foundation for Animal Welfare Adoption Center in Queens.
Following a second visit, he knew Hudson was a keeper.
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He and his wife, Nicole, surprised their two kids, Salvatore, 9, and Stella, 8, when they picked the pup up Saturday.
'They know about the rescue from the day that it happened, and ever since that day, they've been asking constantly about the status of the dog,' DeSalvo said. 'They're very concerned about her, and we did mention that, if the opportunity came up, we would like to adopt the dog, but there were no promises.'
5 DeSalvo waited to see if anyone would claim Hudson before moving to adopt.
Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post
The children were told they were being brought to a communion party, the dad explained.
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When the big reveal came, Stella started jumping up and down. The brother and sister then took turns holding Hudson, he said.
The DeSalvos would've adopted Hudson sooner, but because she was found with a harness and leash, they waited to see if anyone would claim her.
'I told him to take this dog home when he first sent me the picture when he was on the boat, but Jared is a rule follower,' his wife Nicole told The Post. 'She's just an adorable dog.
5 Nicole DeSalvo wanted to adopt the dog the second she saw a photo of her.
Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post
'When he sent me the picture of her on the boat and she was all wet and wrapped up in the towel, the first message I sent back was, 'Bring my baby home to me.' And now, here she is.'
Hudson won't be the only dog at the DeSalvo home: The family already has a 15-year-old terrier named Bocce.
'[Bocce] gets along great with other dogs, so they'll be best buds,' said DeSalvo.
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The children made sure Hudson would feel right at home, ordering her a dog bed, treats and a plethora of chew toys. Hudson will even be wearing a high-tech collar that comes equipped with a GPS tracker — just in case.
5 DeSalvo said Hudson will be very well taken care of.
Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post
DeSalvo said it was important to give Hudson a good life.
'I think it sets a good example in terms of compassion, making sure that we take care of those that need help, and it's a unique situation when we get to actually do it,' he said.
'So, she's gonna be very well taken care of.'
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