Starving, Tied To Tree: LI Native's Family Nurses Dog To Health

GREAT NECK, NY — Sugar loves snuggling. The 6-year-old lab with a pale white and gold coat cuddles next to her new owners every night. She's also quite intelligent. On a warm summer Tuesday at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, Sugar seemed to know she was the topic of conversation, even letting out a "happy" bark as her vacationing family finished talking to Patch. Her new owners were gushing over her. And her bark let them know she was aware of that. But just nine short months ago, it was far from certain Sugar could survive, given her condition. If not for her resiliency and the love and support of a Great Neck native's family, Sugar may be but a memory.

David Gurfein, 55, who graduated from Great Neck South High School in 1983 and lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his family, is no stranger to helping those in need. Gurfein runs United American Patriots, a nonprofit organization that advocates and funds legal defense for U.S. service members who it believes were wrongly convicted or imprisoned on war crime charges. The goal is to get those people granted pardons, clemency or parole.

So it's no surprise that when Gurfein and his wife saw photos of an emaciated pooch, they knew they had to help.

Sugar was in the care of an elderly couple, who could no longer take care of her, David Gurfein told Patch on Tuesday. She was found tied to a tree and appeared extremely emaciated. She was visibly abused and neglected. An animal rescue organization took her in.

"They picked her up and posted pictures on the internet of this totally emaciated dog who was missing fur," Gurfein said. "My wife saw these pictures and sent them to me said, 'We have to save this dog.'"

"I saw this dog on my commute home and was like, 'Yeah. We have to go get her,'" Beth Gurfein told Patch.

The next morning, David, Beth and their daughter got up early in the morning and went to welcome a new member to their pack.

When they arrived at the shelter, he could tell the dog was in poor condition.

"In my mind, it looked worse than the pictures," he said. "It smelled horrible."

Sugar's skin was flaking off and her fur was filled with dandruff.

"It was so sad," Beth Gurfeins said. "She was emaciated. She had all sorts of fur and skin issues. She just looked like she needed some help."

"My daughter looked at her and said, 'Oh my God! I love her!'" David Gurfein said with a laugh.

Already the proud owners of two yellow labs, the family welcomed the opportunity to add a third. They're drawn to the breed for their temperament and ability to get along with everyone. Beth Gurfein said she also wanted to rescue a dog. And here was a chance for her to truly help an animal in need.

"She looked like she'd fit in with the rest of the family," Beth Gurfein said. "Our daughter fell in love with her immediately, so we brought her home. Added her to our pack. Nursed her back to health."

Helping an emaciated dog recover is no small feat. Beth described the car ride home as "stinky," "dandruffy," and "shedy." But none of that mattered. The family fell in love immediately.

"And our daughter wouldn't let go of her," David said of the trip home. "She was hugging her the whole way."

Naturally, it wasn't all sunshine and roses at first.

Sugar has some lingering skin allergies and small cysts grow between her toes. Her neck became raw. She's taking medications regularly to help recover. She still harbored some anxiety from her past experience, and was known to bark if someone suddenly shifted.

"She was on constant alert and wouldn't even lay down," David Gurfein said. "She was constantly standing up and if she did lay down, any little noise, all of a sudden bam! She's up on all four feet and barking."

But after a couple weeks, the Gurfeins saw her calm down. She started to feel safe. Now, she never gets angry. She's all about the love, as the Gurfeins say, and she's got a little pep in her step. David Gurfein said she exhibits the energy more commonly seen of a 2-year-old, a welcome sign after the dog went from 48 pounds to closer to 68.

Most of all, she's a cuddle bug.

She has "no concept of personal space," Beth Gurfein said. "Especially on the hottest, most humid day. She’ll be right up on you, on your lap, in the car, right up in your face."