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Fight to keep Roxy with her family!

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Hi friends!

Five months have passed since we started this GoFundMe.
Seven months since our battle began.

We decided it was time for a makeover around here, putting together a more concise summary of the case with time lines and numbers.

With Roxy being featured on the news, we've made new friends so it's time to get them up do date in everything that's been going on!

Shall we?

Barry had been working as a canine handler for an environmental company for the past 4 years until the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York in 2020.

[Barry and Roxy were paired together by the company when Roxy was just one year old and a recently trained scent detector dog. 

Roxy went straight from the training facility in Florida to Barry's home in New York, where they proceeded to live and work together for the next 4 years.] 

In march 2020, Barry was laid off and the company retrieved all property in his possession, except Roxy.

Three months later, when the company requested Roxy back, we sought legal help and our battle began...


- March 2020 - Barry was laid off due to the pandemic. Company retrieves all property except Roxy.

- May 2020 - Barry, his wife Joana, Roxy and Robbie move to Philadelphia due to financial and health concerns.

- June 2020 - The company requests Roxy back. Barry seeks legal help.

- July 2020 - The company files a criminal complaint, accusing Barry of stealing Roxy.

- August 2020 - Barry is served with a civil lawsuit.

- August 2020 - Barry reports to the NYPD to answer to the criminal charges and spends 15 hours in jail cell.

- September 2020 - The company files a Motion for Preliminary Injunction asking for Roxy's immediate return as well as the shutdown of our GoFundMe and Roxy's instagram account.

- September 2020 - The Judge denies the first part of the motion, ordering that Roxy remains with her family and gives us two weeks to file a response.

- September 2020 - We go dark with our online campaign for a month in the hopes of resolving this controversy with the company whilst filing our response to the motions, as well as counterclaims.

- October 2020 - The company files a second set of motions - before our response receives a ruling - asking the judge to reconsider Roxy’s return and to drop Barry’s counterclaims.

- October 2020 - Upon the unwillingness of the company in resolving amicably, we get our online campaign running again.

- December 2020 - The Judge rules in our favor regarding the GoFundMe and instagram and, once again, orders that Roxy stays with Barry.

- December 2020 - The company appeals.

- January 2021 - Roxy's story is featured on Spectrum News NY1.

- January 2021 - The Judge denies the second set of motions, decides we have grounds for counterclaims.


And that’s where we stand.

This whole legal ping-pong has cost us a small fortune in legal fees, while Barry continues unemployed.

Thanks to our amazing friends and the instragam community of dog lovers, we were able to raise half of what we spent, using our savings to complement.

But our battle is far from being over!

And the more the case lingers, the more costly it becomes, so help us #fightforroxy!
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***********ANY FUNDS THAT WE END UP NOT USING/NEEDING FOR THIS BATTLE WILL BE DONATED TO ANIMAL SHELTERS TO HELP OTHER PUPPIES IN NEED!************ 
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***************INITIAL STORY & ORIGINAL VIDEO ***************


Hi everyone!

Please join us in the fight to retire Roxy and keep her united with her family <3 


Our friend Barry, who has worked as a canine handler for an environmental company for the past 4 years, is in risk of losing Roxy.

Barry and Roxy were paired together by the company when Roxy was just one year old and a recently trained scent detector dog.
Roxy went straight from the training facility in Florida to Barry's home in New York, where they proceeded to live and work together.
Barry is all she has ever known.
To Roxy (and Barry), they were never co-workers, they were a family

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York, Barry was laid off and the company left Roxy with him.

Since then all costs related to her have been covered by him and his wife Joana. 

Three months later, in mid-June, their former employer notified Barry that they expected Roxy's return.

Losing Roxy was not an option, at this point Barry and Joana sought legal help.

Their former employer has since filed a police report for stolen property, charging Barry with Grand Larceny.

In addition to losing their income, being threatened with criminal charges, and running the risk of losing their sweet Roxy, Barry is now also facing a civil lawsuit

Despite being unemployed Barry never thought twice about hiring a lawyer to help him win both the criminal and the civil battles.

Lawsuits can be long, stressful and costly; taking a toll on their financial and emotional health.


If you've taken the time to watch the video you know just how loved Roxy is.

While to their former employer she may be viewed just as a property, Roxy is in fact a loving, breathing member of Barry's family.

If she is taken from her home, their family will be crushed and incomplete, but what's even worse is that Roxy will live the rest of her life thinking she wasn't wanted or loved, and wondering why they gave her away.

There is no way to explain to Roxy what is happening or just how hard Barry is fighting to retire her and keep them together. 

Please help our friends continue to fight this battle!
Please help us keep their beautiful little family together, and most importantly, please help us make this sweet pup never think for even a second that she was abandoned or unloved!

https://youtu.be/WRDzeFWd4iE
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $50
    • 3 yrs
  • Amber Harrison
    • $50
    • 3 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $5
    • 3 yrs
  • Anna Bellesheim
    • $20
    • 3 yrs
  • Ron Paulchel
    • $40
    • 4 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Joana Chaves
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
Barry Myrick
Beneficiary

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