NORTH FORK, NY — A homeless shelter dog who desperately needs a family was treated to some special TLC recently when she got a sleepover at a hotel and lots of love.

Sox is a senior dog who's been living at the North Fork Animal Welfare League in Peconic for more than a year. The sleepover was Sox's second, said volunteer Valerie Sanks of Rocky Point. Last year, Sox had a sleepover for St. Patrick's Day.

Sanks said she organizes the sleepovers as a way to shine a light on shelter dogs who need loving homes.

Sox, a senior female, has been"a frequent flyer at the shelter," said Gabrielle Stroup of the NFAWL; she would get loose from her home and eventually be picked up and brought to the shelter.

"Her owners picked her up every time — until the last time," Stroup said. "She waited and waited, and they never came for her. Sox is a gentle, sweet girl who would love nothing more than a home and a human to call her own." At Christmas, a new plea was made to find Sox a home for the holidays, but there was no happy ending.

Sox is shown at her unicorn-themed sleepover. (Courtesy of Valerie Sanks) "This poor girl has had a rough life ending up in the shelter after her family broke up. She's a sweet old girl who likes to go for car rides and lounge on the sofa," Stroup said. "She is very loyal and will be your best friend." Sox, who weighs about 50 pounds, is probably best in a single-pet home, she said.

Sanks said she saw Sox's photo on Facebook at Christmas. "I saw the sadness in her eyes, and I thought she needed the most magical sleepover ever. Hence, the magical unicorn sleepover. I picked up my beautiful girlfriend at 1:30 p.m., and she was so excited — her tail was like a windmill or a helicopter. She knew she was going to have a good old time!"

The sleepover was at La Quinta Inn by MacArthur Airport and was sponsored by Kathy Smock, in loving memory of Tay Tay, who was the first shelter dog she ever took for a sleepover, Sanks said. "Sox had about 20 visitors that came from Cutchogue to Woodmere, including friends that came to her other shelter sleepover in March 2019 — a St. Pitty party. And, you know, she remembered them like she had known them her whole life."