Nearly $19,000 in donations pour in for Philadelphia family, malnourished stray dog

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- There's been an outpouring of support from people across the world to help a Philadelphia family and a wandering stray dog.

Jack Jokinen, a popular New York Yankees fan who hosts the George's Box podcast, said he and his family woke up to a malnourished dog on the first floor of their Philadelphia home on Saturday morning.

Hours before, Jokinen says he was walking his dog, George, and remembers coming back home and shutting his door that functions with an electric lock.

It appears the door didn't shut all the way and an early morning storm blew the door wide open while he, his wife and one-month-old child slept upstairs.

The dog, now named Suzy, after Yankees sportscaster, Suzyn Waldman, was caught on video hobbling up Jokinen's block on York Street in the city's Fishtown section, and eventually made its way into the open door.

Jokinen credits 35-year-old Steven Griendling with keeping his family safe by shutting the open door in the early hours of the morning. His actions were all caught on video.

"My family could have been murdered if it wasn't for this guy," Jokinen says.

Suzy, who is roughly 9 years old, has a long road to recovery.

Jokinen says she walks on three legs due to a paw infection, she has an infection in her teeth, extremely underweight and a flea and tick infestation. She was also not chipped, veterinarians said.

"Suzy is on the mend. She is starting to fill out and get some more energy. She's adapting well to her new home and just loves being loved. We are planning out the next steps for procedures she needs treating her paw infections and hookworm," Jokinen told Action News on Tuesday.

Jokinen says to date, people across the country have donated nearly $19,000 to help Suzy. Jokinen plans to donate any extra money to other animals in need.

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