Unexpected Rescuers Amid Long Island Blizzard
February 25, 2026
During a severe snowstorm on Long Island, a Department of Public Works employee, Kenny McGowan, encountered an unusual sight on Sunrise Highway. While plowing near Babylon’s Town Hall, he noticed two dogs running along the westbound lane in treacherous conditions.
Kenny McGowan
McGowan explained to CBS New York, “I looked over and I seen something in the corner of my eye … and then I looked in my mirror, and I saw a dog. I’m like that’s a dog running.”
Acting quickly, McGowan activated his sirens and stayed behind the dogs, guiding them for approximately a mile through the blizzard before using his truck as a barrier to protect them from traffic.
“Being an animal lover, being a father, I went right into protection mode … I was gonna do whatever I had to do to stop these dogs from getting hurt,” McGowan said.
The dogs, Harper and Heidi, eventually sought refuge in the snowy median, where they burrowed into three feet of snow. McGowan observed their close bond, noting, “One dog went laid on here, and the other dog went on top of him, so I was like, I knew right away … that they were close, they were family members, they were sisters.”
Assistance soon arrived as McGowan called Jason Koza, another DPW worker, who brought a leash to help secure the dogs. Several individuals, including a truck driver and a mother-daughter duo, contributed by offering rope and a blanket, respectively, to ensure the dogs’ safety and warmth.
The dogs, both Labrador mixes without collars, were taken to the Babylon Animal Shelter. There, a microchip scan provided the necessary information to reunite them with their family within the same day.
Kennel attendant Danny Deutsch expressed the urgency of the rescue, stating, “If nobody would have found them, they could have froze.”
