Team Vivi Update

From search coordinator Bonnie Folz:

<<Sorry to say, there is no new information to report in the search for Vivi.

The Vivi Team and Out-Of-Town volunteers continue to post, mail, e-mail and send faxes that Vivi is still missing. Even though there have not been many updates, volunteers are still out there. There’s just nothing to report on. Feeding stations and cameras have been set up since the last “sighting” in Forest Park over a month ago, but the photos show only a small pack of dogs (from the nearby cemetery that we got on camera during the summer), as well as resident cats, raccoons, possum, rats, squirrels and birds. Thanks to Sophia and Angelo, from A&S Pet Supply in Ozone Park, for their generous donation of food. I loaded up the “Vivi van” and distributed food to the volunteers monitoring the feeding stations as well as a number of other rescue organizations. (Now my minivan no longer does wheelies when I hit the gas!)

With the lack of calls coming in of Vivi being seen wandering the streets, many of the volunteers feel she may have been picked up by someone, either not knowing she’s someone’s beloved pet or they just do not want to return her, or ... We received a good number of calls recently of people seen “walking” Vivi. Though a few of these have been checked and verified it was NOT Vivi these people saw, being in the right place at the right time to try and get a glimpse of these people walking the dog again is next to impossible.

I received a call from Paul Lepiane, Vivi’s co-owner, on Tuesday. He just got a call from, Ryan, a man in upstate, NY. Ryan lost his female Aussie/Border Collie mix, Haylee, about 8 weeks ago and had put out fliers and ads of his lost dog in the newspaper up that way. (see Haylee’s flyer below/attached) A woman called to say she’d like to help him search for his dog and asked him to bring her some fliers to her home. When Ryan got there and delivered the fliers, the woman told him he should change the format of the flier so the info would stand out a bit more and showed him one of Vivi’s fliers. Ryan thought it very strange that this woman, showing him Vivi’s flier had a dog that looked just like Vivi there in her house! Ryan asked Paul if Vivi had a tattoo in her ear as the dog this woman had, with the same coloring/markings as Vivi, had a bandage around its head and he thought this woman may have been covering up something.

I assured Paul I’d follow up with Ryan. After speaking with Ryan and getting the information on what he thought and saw, I remembered we have a couple of volunteers, Michelle and her sister Sylvie, that live upstate (though I have no clue where) and that they do own a whippet, named Winston. I told Ryan that many whippets have the same coloring (white and brindle). I mentioned that Michelle was one of our volunteers and strangely, he said the woman he saw was also named Michelle. Ryan forwarded me the address and phone number of the woman he suspected of having Vivi. Me, not having our volunteer, Michelle’s info at work with me, I contacted Rosa to get her number. Well, I called Michelle and yes, it was her that Ryan saw that night! Her dog Winston, got into a tiff with another dog and had his ear chomped, hence the bandaged ear. So glad Ryan took the initiative to call. So glad Michelle and Sylvie are helping to find his lost dog. Small world, huh?

We urge anyone that does believe they are seeing Vivi to photograph her right away (this is where those cell phone cameras come in handy) and email the photos to me at Pawsativebf@aol.com.

One call that came in this week was from a man that believed he saw Vivi laying dead on the shoulder of the Jackie Robinson Parkway. He couldn’t be sure it was her as it was during rush hour traffic. This is the second time during the past year I went out on a call like this and I dreaded what I might find. With my nerves frazzled and my mind racing, I was comforted to have Kathy “Bayside” keep me calm on the phone as I made my way onto the parkway. Driving very slow with my hazard lights on, I came up on the dog. Thankfully it was not Vivi but unfortunately it was, what appeared to be, a pit bull, white with black markings. I was told one of the volunteers had seen a lost dog flyer up in the neighborhood that could possibly be for this dog but we couldn’t locate it to check and see if in fact this may have been their dog.

On a happier note, Team Vivi rescued another four dogs the past few weeks. One, just this afternoon! A young German Shepherd dog was found running in a park. After over an hour of coaxing, he was caught and brought to a local rescue, Sean Casey Animal Rescue, to be put up for adoption. (I believe he found a forever home this week) Two Dalmatians that were found running in a park in Valley Stream, were captured by Barbara Jean and brought to a local vet. These dogs were happily reunited with their owner a day or so later.

Today, as the Vivi Team were getting together to do some posting, they came across a older dog laying in a yard, very dirty and in need of rescue as the dog did not belong to the homeowners. The gals gathered him up and brought him to Sean Casey’s Animal Rescue shelter. These dogs were left, with a donation from those that delivered them to the rescue. I cannot begin to tell you what an incredibly amazing group of volunteers these ladies are!

Myself and a few other Vivi volunteers have been doing research to put our plans in motion to get the Vivi Bill underway. Unfortunately, this is a slow process and the changes we’d like to make will affect many people and agencies throughout the country. All must be considered. This is not something we want to bulldoze anyone on and it is better to work WITH as many of these groups and agencies as possible to make these safety changes reality. Right now, educating as many people as we can, using the “Urgent Message” that we put together, as well as other info which can be obtained on-line, is what will help others safely transport their pets via the airlines. Some of the airlines already have fairly good procedures in place, others are very lax.

Below is a quick list of issues I put together. These are still to be discussed with the other volunteers working on the Vivi Bill and nothing is cut in stone as they must be revised, elaborated on and have to be workable for ALL involved i.e., the passengers, airlines, airports and other agencies but most of all make a difference to safely transport/fly our pets.

Safe transport of dogs issues

Educate any and ALL persons that will be handling the crate/pet at the airport.

Airline safe crates need to be manufactured to allow for zip ties or some other way of better securing the crate. Or, possibly manufacturing a more sturdy/ secure crate.

When purchasing a ticket for air travel, owners should be made to purchase a package which would include safety information on how the animal will be handled, an information sticker with specific owner information to adhere to the crate (i.e. type of dog, owner name, destination, phone numbers and any pertinent info) the closest airport emergency veterinarian information for each destination.

Ticket agents must be made aware of how to accept crates for transport.

TSA’s inspection must be done in a secure area.

Once TSA’s sticker is placed on the crate, NO ONE is to open the crate unless the owner is notified first.

Owners must stay with dog /crate until it is loaded onto the plane.

All baggage handlers handling crates must follow guidelines on handling crates and dogs.

Confirmation that the dog has been loaded onto the plane must be made by more than one person. Confirmation information must be forwarded to pilot/crew before plane takes off.

If a connecting flight is to be made, the same procedures of confirmation must be taken.

If a conveyer belt is used to load or off load the crate , the crate must somehow be secured to conveyer belt so there is no chance of if falling off.

Crates should be brought to a secure area for pick-up NOT in the baggage claim area.

Some sort of identification/baggage claim ticket MUST be presented to pick-up the dog/crate.

Emergency veterinarian information MUST be made available to ticket agents, security and baggage handlers in case of emergency.

Baggage and ramp personnel should be made aware not to chase a dog if it does happen to get out of its crate.

The above are based on unfortunate incidents that have happened to people transporting their pets in the past. I’m sure there are more issues that could be added but this is what we have so far and again, this is all in the early stages.

I encourage any and all input on these ideas/issues and also, if anyone has a story to tell of an incident, good or bad, that they have had transporting their pets on an airplane, please forward them to me at Pawsativebf@aol.com.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support, words of encouragement and prayers for Vivi. We continue to hold out hope that some day she will be reunited with Jil and Rick.

Keeping the faith and making a difference.

LOST DOG HAYLEE CALL: (607) 206-8931 Female 50 lbs Australian Shepherd Mix Brown, black and speckled white Last seen near Broome-Tioga Cy line in Crest View Heights in Jan. NEEDS MEDICATION REWARD

Bonnie >>

Comments

[Sharon (MI)]

Has anyone seen this article in the NY Times, also?
It is about the Vivi Bill mentioned here in the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/nyregion/thecity/11vivi.html

Bonnie, Thank you, and Team Vivi for all you have done (so far) in this search! Let's keep bringing those lost babies in, and preventing new ones from being out on the streets!

[Sharon (MI)]

Psalm 103
Bless the LORD, my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, my soul;
do not forget all the gifts of God,
Who pardons all your sins,
heals all your ills,
Delivers your life from the pit,
surrounds you with love and compassion,
Fills your days with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Father Creator, thank You for Team Vivi, and thank you for using them to bring in so many animals; like Saturday's "Woody". We continue to hope that You will send Vivi back to us, and then to her family. Keep Vivi, Annie, Hopey, Missy, and all of our lost ones warm, fed, watered, and away from all harm! Lay you hands on Madison, Tommy, Spit, Cubby, Dante, Scrappy and all who are ill. We ask all of our prayers in confidence, and in Jesus' name...

Father,continue Your watch over Vivi,Missy,Annie,Max,Hopey,Axel,Bowdee,Saffie,Zoey,Vern, the show babies, Biggie,and Sniffles.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.Great Physician we lift to you for your healing Scrappy, Homer, Mercy,Spit, Dante, Terrie's dog Cubby,Moses, Briar, Skittles, Barney, Tara,Joey,Meeko,Skeeter,Andi,Sparky,Scout,Dodge, Auggie,Billy,Ezme,Clarus,Star,Doogie, Felice, Max, Little McGee, Murphy, Mylie,Gunner, Linus, Kiva, Ellie,(restore all that had to be taken), Morgan,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,,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. 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.Hold Kathleen's Booger in Your lap, and let his purr calm heaven until it becomes home to him. Let their animal companions greet them at the gates of Heaven. Hold in your arms.
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"!
regardless 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
GOD INHABITS THE PRAISE OF HIS PEOPLE!!!

[Susan Lorinsky]

When other dogs or puppies have been stolen recently, there has been a plea to drop them off at a certain home doorstep or shelter. Should that be announced that if someone does have Vivi to drop her off at a certain location like Bobbi and the Strays or Sean Casey's. And a reminder that it's against the law to keep someone elses' pet. Just wondering if this would bring more responses. Could recover others' missing pets. On a happy note, the story about Ruthie,the doxie who was found 17 mths later was in our local paper. Miracles happen all the time.

[Sharon (MI)]

Wonderful Susan, Can't believe noone has mentioned it before.

[Susan Lorinsky]

I just thought with the recent dog and childanappings that a more direct approach could get results as it has with the other situations. I don't know if someone has her but being blunt might help.