They’re getting the happy new beginning they deserve.
Two lovable dogs who were allegedly dragged behind a vehicle by a Queens man in Long Island City earlier this year have made remarkable recoveries — and are now hoping to meet the families who will give them permanent homes.
Marzipan and Nougat, sweetly nicknamed Marley and Miss Noogie, have been cleared for adoption after months of specialized care through the ASPCA following their January rescue.
The dogs were captured in a disturbing video on Jan. 4, tied by their leashes to the rear of a red Volkswagen Passat and struggling to keep pace as the car moved near the intersection of 11th Street and 43rd Avenue.
Police arrested the driver, 68-year-old Dan Bujor, after a shocked witness reported the incident to the NYPD.
Marley, who sustained a ruptured eardrum during the frightening ordeal, arrived at the ASPCA “extremely fearful” and needed targeted behavioral rehabilitation to help her feel safe around unfamiliar people, an ASPCA spokesperson told The Post.
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At first, the German shepherd hid at the back of her kennel and avoided contact, but she slowly began to come out of her shell with support from calm, confident “helper dogs” and gentle touch-training exercises.
While Marley remains a bit timid, her playful side is shining through: she now enjoys learning tricks, chasing balls and racing around outdoors as she shows off her silly, spirited personality.
Miss Noogie, a large mixed-breed dog, had abrasions on her paw pads behind her wrists, inflammation of the skin between her toes, and diarrhea when she was rescued.
The big-hearted, adventurous pup has been thriving in a foster home for the last few months and is looking for a home where her owner will share her love for snacks — and naps.
Both animals received care at the ASPCA’s Recovery & Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, an hour and a half north of the Big Apple. The facility opened in late 2025 to expand the facility’s capacity to treat dogs rescued by the NYPD.
Bujor was hit with charges of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, failure to provide sustenance, and driving by an unlicensed operator in connection with the disturbing caught-on-camera incident, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said at the time.
He has pleaded not guilty and faces up to one year behind bars if convicted.
