It's been a year since Vivi the Whippet bolted from a cage at JFK and disappeared into the wilds of Queens, and the once-steady stream of sightings dried up last summer. As Denise Flaim reports, some among the "Team Vivi" search party may be giving up. Some fear Vivi has died, while others are hopeful she was taken in and is being cared for.
If Vivi was indeed adopted by a dog-loving New Yorker, she may be better off. While it may be normal for people in doggie show business to shuttle animals around on planes, it is not normal in the real world, and it is not safe. Anyone who's ever done a modium of research before transporting companion animals should know that turning a pet over to an airline is a risky proposition. In the best of scenarios (i.e. a survivable trip), animals are still stowed with the rest of the baggage, away from human contact and reassurance. Who would subject a beloved cat or dog to such conditions unless it was absolutely necessary? (P.S.: Traveling to compete in a show doesn't qualify. Like racing and fighting, doggie show biz is for people.)
This statement, released last week from Team Vivi's Bonnie Folz, indicates where she, at least, has assigned blame:
The one-year anniversary of the day that Vivi was carelessly mishandled and lost at JFK Airport while entrusted to Delta Airlines to get her home, safely, to California, is only two weeks away.
While certainly culpable, Delta is far from the only responsible party. One could say that treating a frightened, nervous animal like so much luggage - as her handlers did, and as her "owners" apparently condoned - was itself an act of carelessness, and sealed Vivi's fate, for better or worse.
Photo: Honey Bunches of Trouble via Flickr
