A year later, is finding Vivi a lost cause?
BY DENISE FLAIM
Newsday Staff Writer
Vivi has come full circle.
The California whippet who became a household name when she bolted from her crate at Kennedy Airport almost a year ago after the Westminster Kennel Club dog show -- and who kindled hopes of her capture after six months of catch-me-if-you-can sightings all over Queens -- hasn't been seen in months. And as the anniversary of her airport escape approaches, some searchers worry that she truly is gone, this time for good.
Champion Bohem C'est la Vie, as Vivi was formally known, disappeared last Feb. 15 en route to a Delta Airlines flight. Searches of the airport marshland, cargo areas and surrounding neighborhoods yielded not so much as a glimpse of her.
Then, more than three weeks later, Vivi was spotted north of the airport, in Jamaica. Soon after, the white-and-brown whippet, which resembles a miniature greyhound, began a tour of Queens, sparking sightings in Flushing, Whitestone and College Point, some of which were confirmed by pet-detection tracking dogs.
Vivi's hot trail came to a sudden halt in August in Glendale, near the Brooklyn border. Since then, only sporadic calls have come through the Vivi hotline, 877-JFK-VIVI, all of them unverifiable dead-ends.
"I'm really saddened to realize it's been a whole year," said Vivi's breeder, Bo Bengtson, of Ojai, Calif., who will soon head east to attend the Westminster show at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 12 and 13, his annual ritual for more than 30 years. "I'll never forget the desolation of trudging through the areas around the airport that first night, or the following days and weeks and months. ... If there's been anything positive coming from all this, it's that we've concrete proof of how much people love dogs."
Indeed, throughout the year-long search, a die-hard group of local volunteers rescued more than 60 animals, from a batch of kittens nicknamed The Honeymooners to a Chihuahua called Pablo.
None of them, however, has been Vivi, a fact that disheartens search coordinator Bonnie Folz of Howard Beach.
"I don't think it's ever going to end -- I don't think I'm ever going to find her," she said. "My heart says yes, but my head says she could have been dead that night in the marshland a year ago. I hope that I'm wrong, but there are so many what-ifs and why-fors."
If Vivi is still alive, the dearth of recent sightings suggests she is no longer on the lam. Searchers are following up on reports that dogs matching Vivi's description have been seen walking on leash in East New York, Astoria, Glendale, and southeastern Nassau County.
"I hope someone has her," said Vivi's owner, Jil Walton of Claremont, Calif., who delayed her wedding from May until November "because we kept thinking, 'This is the weekend we are going to have to go to New York to get her.'"
Along with the nuptials, Walton's other concession to reality was her new puppy, a 5-month-old Jack Russell terrier mix named Lucy Brown, whose feistiness is a stark contrast to her devoted, shadow-like whippet.
Walton said she still occasionally speaks to animal communicators, who themselves are divided about her missing dog's fate. "Some say she's dead, some say they are still in touch with her," said Walton, who is moving to Montana in May to have more room for her horses.
If the optimists are right, "Vivi will have a great spread when she comes home."
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.
Comments (11)
LADIES PRAYERS NEEDED!
Darlene e-mailed Betty and I, Nicole is taking her little Lil to the vet with a problem with her left lung. You've always been supportive of owners and their sick babies, so let's lift these two in your prayers.
There is a candle site (of course) at www.gratefulness.com Group:Lil
Healing and transforming God, your love knows no boundaries, and in your sight every life is precious; look with compassion on Lil,and make us your agents of healing in a broken world.Father be present with this your creature. Bless Lil and Nicole who cares for her, now and always. Amen.
(combo of two prayers from Belief.net-- an awesome site if you can't find the words---and even if you can!)
Psalm 104
Bless the LORD, my soul!
LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
You spread out the heavens like a tent;
you raised your palace upon the waters.
You make the clouds your chariot;
you travel on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers;
flaming fire, your ministers.
Father Creator, You are wonderful, Your people know Your might and Your power and we praise You! We love
You! You who have power over heaven and earth, send us milder weather, and protect Vivi, Hopey, and Bailey in this brutal cold! We have literally thousands of candles, which dim in the light of You, loving Father! Light Vivi (and Hopey, and Bailey's) way home to their families. Send them to our NYC foot soldiers! Heal our many ill ones-Spit, Cubby, and today we added LIL. We lift our intentions in praise and confidence to You--In Jesus' name.
Father,continue Your watch over Vivi,Max,Hopey,Axel,Bowdee,Ticket,Saffie,Zoey,Vern, PA bullie girl, the show babies, Butttons,Biggie,Sniffles,Holly, African Grey, Faithful (the little girl's seizure dog),Shimi, Yorkie, Black Afghan, Buddy, Rags, Precious, Whippet Annie, so that not even "one paw slips". Show them to the volunteer of Your choice so that they may return to their earthly families. Surprise us by sending Vivi home to a volunteer (Kathy from Bayside,Rosa,Tina,Gail T,Bonnie,Diane T.,Diane K-M,Darlene,Debbie,Monica,Lois T.,Nancy M,Barbara Jean,Linda S. and her husband Mike, or Renee? Margot or Irene?)
Many of us also have animals which need Your healing touch. Keep Daisy safe during her spaying.Great Physician we lift to you for your healing Homer, Mercy,Spit, Dante, Terrie's dog Cubby, G's kitty,Debbie's Fluffy, Ruby's Mr. Peabody, Briar and Sabrina Skittles, Barney, Tara, Joey,Meeko,Skeeter,Andi,Sparky,Scout,Dodge, Auggie,Billy,Ezme,Clarus,Star,Doogie, CJ,Felice, Max, Little McGee, Murphy, Mylie,Gunner, Linus, Kiva, Ellie,(restore all that had to be taken), Morgan, Little Andi, Nicki, Dude, Tucker, Brandy, Lexie, Isabella, Twin Kittens, Bowen, and Heather.Enfold all of us in Your healing embrace.
We thank you for healing Maureen, and Zipper!! Thank Your for the improvement in Gail's Dude.Thank You for Isabella's improving health!Thank You for McGee's weight gain.
We are frail Father and many of us need Your healing so that we can serve the purpose for which You have created us.
We lift up the following people in need of Your healing:Madison,"J"., Kathleen,Joe V.,Terrie,Amanda, Rosa C. Kathleen's Mom Mary, Renee, Pam,Millicent, Jacque, JL, Lance, Chris,and Abby.
God of Power, stand behind Tammie and Doogie, Duke and Denise, and Otis' followers,and now Boston, as they have stood behind these animals, until justice is done.Thank you for Ruby, and all the bloggers who bring these animals to our attention.Thank you so much for helping us find a good home for Homer (with Nancy) Kristy,Tashia,and Pablo,all 11 doxies and the Halloween bunch !Thank You, Ginger the Persian found a home!!!Thanks for Duke's and Bobbie's new homes. Take gentle care with Anne who has Alzheimers, and was the doxie's former mom.
Welcome all those who make the journey to Paradise, tonight, and comfort their families.Let their animal companions greet them at the gates of heaven.Comfort the families of Smitty, and Barbaro. Let Barbaro and Pia run with the wind that is You. Let Smitty sleep at Your feet until Heaven is home. Let Cody sleep at your feet until heaven becomes home.
Give blessings to all who have done Your work. Reward our faithful animal companions who have gone ahead. Let all who are homeless know Your love, and ours, too.
Send your angels and saints to work with Vivi's angels. These NYC volunteers, and their leaders;Tina,Rosa,and Bonnie, serve as Your compassionate presence on earth. Don't let them become discouraged. Let them know that prayer wise "we've got their back"!
Irregardless of its expression,Let our faith grow as a result of this experience! Restore as we sleep, Heavenly Father, as we turn over the night watch to you! YOU ARE IN CHARGE! AMEN!
Candles? http://www.gratefulness.org
Tonight I met a sweet 7 year old tan Lab-Pit bull mix named Scrappy who I measured for a wheelchair because he is partly paralyzed in his hind legs. He has a spinal tumor and lymphoma and he's on several kinds of chemo at the specialty hospital in Westbury. He's a big kissing machine and his mommy Donna would be most grateful for prayers for him.
My heart is breaking for this little guy Nancy - sure hope he does ok.
I just got this email on my greyhound list - if there is anyone in the area that can help, please do:
Ken Matuszak
Subject: HELP: Whippet Needs Home
I know is the G-L, but I'm going to ask anyway. There is a family in
the
Toledo, Ohio area that is trying to find a home for their 6 year old
female
whippet. She is pregnant again and they feel that cannot devote the
time needed
for the dog. She is 6 years old, spayed, white/brindle, affectionate,
good with
kids, housebroken, and current with all shots.
If anyone can help find a home for her please email me privately at
_www.fstpaws@aol.com_ (http://www.fstpaws@aol.com) and can put in
touch with the
family.
Thanks,
For those of you that have or know about Whippets - a friend of mine and I were talking and she said that the place where she gets her dog food, the owner has whippets. She asked her how they compared to greyhounds since she was seriously thinking about adding a whippet to her greyhound family. The lady said that whippets are completely different from greys - that they are snippy, high energy, very alpha and you can only have one female.
Is this true??? I have never heard this before so told her I would check with my Whippet connections and find out.
Kathy (CO) - I'm wondering if that could be with any breed. My mom's first Keeshond was an absolute doll - very loving and meek and mild. Her 2nd Keeshond is the dog from hell. Very alpha, domineering and high energy.
Kathy, I think if you talk to some breeders of Whippets you'll find that isn't true at all. It's not true at all in my experience with my Whippets or taking to breeders of Whippets. I've heard all those things about the Italian grey hound which looks like a miniature Whippet. I hear the Italian greyhound can be high strung but not the Whippet generally speaking (talking about an adult). An adult Whippet can be high energy but it sort of comes in short spurts... they get what some people call the zoomies, and want to run around like crazy nuts for a few minutes and then they are also known to be couch potatoes and content to just sleep most of the day.
Whippets aren't known to be snippy... they should be mild mannered and friendly and are known to be good with kids make great family dogs!
I hear from allot of people that their Whippets and Greys get along great toghter. Don't know much about the female issue though. Allot of Whippets tend to be Velcro dogs and hate to be separated from their people.
Thanks Denise,
The Honeymooners are little star's & don't even know it.. (hahahaha) How Cute is that.
Always keeping the faith the Vivi is out there & she will be home soon...
I have 2 female whippets, 1 year apart in age. When they were under 2 years old, they got into a couple of fights over treats or toys. I kept those situations at bay, and let them work out who was dominant themselves- that role has gone back & forth between the two, but by and large they love each other and would be very unhappy if separated permananetly. I give each one exclusive time with me which helps with jealousy. They do fine left alone together WITH NO TOYS OR FOOD.
My whippet and greyhound are buddies. They sleep
together, and play constantly. My whippet puppy
keeps my 8 yr old greyhound young. They are both
females, no fights in my house, I am the ALPHA
B....
NANCY M-
Ijust saw your post about Scrappy--He will certainly be includeded in the prayer---right up at the top tonight!
Nancy any e-mail I send you get's bounced back---is it something I said?