After a decade on the streets, rescued dog has a new life

NEW YORK -- After 10 years of roaming the streets of Upper Manhattan, a rescued dog is with a new owner.

The once homeless dog named Charlie now has a place to call home after being released from a veterinary hospital Thursday evening, CBS station WCBS reported.

Charlie, a shepherd mix, roamed between parks in upper Manhattan for years, but residents who had come to know him became concerned amid the recent frigid temperatures.

Denise Lauffer, a dog walker, slept in a makeshift shelter for two nights and two other evenings in Highbridge Park in an effort to save the feral dog from freezing. She has lived in neighborhood since 1994 and has been leaving food for him for several years. Lauffer was afraid he would not survive the cold weather.

"He needs to associate me ... [with] food and companionship and heat and warmth," she told DNAinfo. "I was able to line the bottom of his bed with hand warmers. ... He loved it."

Lauffer met with other people in the community who were also concerned about Charlie. Eventually several of the neighbors were able to capture him last Sunday and take him to a veterinarian.

They're working to raise money to fund Charlie's medical care and they've already gathered more than $1,000.