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Post by robinw on Feb 16, 2006 11:57:34 GMT -5
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Post by CampWhippet on Feb 16, 2006 13:05:39 GMT -5
Here is a nice picture of the lost whippet:  * photo courtesy of Heartland Whippets |
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Post by greyperson on Feb 16, 2006 13:23:27 GMT -5
so sad
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Post by patricia on Feb 16, 2006 14:50:46 GMT -5
Oh no how awful. I hope they find the dog.
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Post by robinw on Feb 16, 2006 15:41:14 GMT -5
CW (aka PH), do you know if there is an organized search for this dog?
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Post by twogreys on Feb 16, 2006 16:24:33 GMT -5
OMG!! How tragic!! I hope they find this little pup!! The article said they were searching the surrounding area of the airport.
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Post by CampWhippet on Feb 16, 2006 16:28:00 GMT -5
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Post by CampWhippet on Feb 18, 2006 1:13:33 GMT -5
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Post by twogreys on Feb 18, 2006 21:14:04 GMT -5
Even a helicopter didn't see anything. I'll still be sending positive thoughts their way.
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Post by CampWhippet on Feb 19, 2006 9:26:10 GMT -5
From her breeder:
Please forward to any and all dog lists.
>UPDATE ON THE SEARCH FOR VIVI
>
> Following is an update on the search for
> Vivi, the Whippet who was lost at JFK Airport
> on Wednesday morning, Feb. 15. As of Saturday
> evening there is still no confirmed sighting,
> but the search continues with assistance from
> the Port Authority, Animal Control and many concerned helpers.
>
> Since much incorrect and contradictory
> information has circulated over the internet
> and in the media we want to establish the
> actual sequence of events. I am sorry this is
> so long but for my peace of mind want to get it all on record.
>
> Vivi's owner Jil Walton and her sister
> checked Vivi in at the Delta terminal at JFK
> approx. 9:45 AM on Wednesday morning. She was
> travelling in her usual crate in which she has
> flown many times before; it has a security bar
> across the gate (which I find difficult to open
> even under normal circumstances). As all who
> know her are aware, Vivi is totally unfazed by
> flying and loves her crate. As far as is known
> nothing extraordinary occurred during the
> check-in. Vivi was wearing a dark brown/black
> woollen coat and a broad collar with Jil's phone number.
>
> When Jil and her sister boarded the plane
> they saw the crate being loaded. They then
> noticed a baggage handler peering into the
> crate as if he were looking for something; a
> few minutes later the stewardess came up to Jil
> and told her the crate was empty. Jil and Jamie
> immediately disembarked and were told that Vivi
> had escaped from her crate at some point
> between check-in and departure. No one appeared
> to know exactly what had happened.
>
> (We do not believe that any airline
> employee would deliberately open the crate
> door, and even if they did Vivi most likely
> would stay in her crate. I am personally
> convinced that the crate must have been dropped
> hard enough for the gate to open and for Vivi
> to be startled enough to get out. We will most
> likely never find out what happened. The crate
> has been returned and appears undamaged except for the broken spring lock.)
>
> Vivi was spotted on the runway by Port
> Authority officials, who tried to catch her.
> She was obviously disoriented and took off at
> top speed, followed by several Port Authority
> vehicles. At one point they managed to corner
> her, and the officer who approached her (in the
> correct manner, kneeling down and talking to
> her) said she was obviously panicked and only
> responded by escaping him. She was last seen
> getting through the barbed wire fence which
> separates the airport from the marsh and open
> water. This would have been any time after
> check-in but prior to Jil being informed that Vivi was lost.
>
> When Paul and I arrived, after having
> received a phone call on our way to the airport
> approx. 3:00 PM, the airport authorities had
> already escorted Jil and Jamie on a search
> around the entire airport, with special
> emphasis on the area where she was last seen.
> They were joined on different locations by
> several other Port Authority vehicles and
> helicopters. The airport consists of 4900 acres
> of almost completely flat land with only two
> small areas of dense brush and trees. Our fear
> is that Vivi in her panic got too far out into
> the water to get back; a Port Authority
> official searched the marsh in a wetsuit without finding anything.
>
> Searches of the areas immediately outside
> the airport during the afternoon and evening
> proved fruitless. We had good help from Animal
> Control officials, friends and the media, who
> broadcast the disappearance and Vivi's
> photograph more widely than we could ever have
> hoped for. The following day Jil, Jamie, Paul
> and I - in different groups - were all given
> permission to search the airport, accompanied
> by Port Authority officials. We found no new
> tracks in the snow, which by then was already
> melting: the weather fortunately has been
> exceptionally mild for New York in February
> this week. Several other vehicles and helicopters were also searching.
>
> A large number of dog lovers and friends,
> some in groups, helped by searching the areas
> around the airport and passing out flyers. By
> this time the media coverage had been so
> extensive that almost everyone we talked to was
> aware of the lost Whippet. We gave as many
> interviews as possible in the hope that someone
> might recognize Vivi if they saw her.
>
> One brief hope on Friday morning was a
> report that Vivi had been sighted at 2:00 AM
> close to a construction site outside the
> airport. Since no later sightings have
> confirmed the first one we believe it must
> either be discounted (dozens of other "reported
> sightings" turned out to be the wrong dog;
> Animal Control gets around 700 calls per day),
> or that Vivi is hiding in the residential area
> nearby, perhaps in a garage or a shed. I spoke
> to the woman who reported the sighting and she
> gave a good description of Vivi, but by this
> time her photo had appeared in most of the NY newspapers and on TV.
>
> Paul and Honi Reisman once again gained
> access to the airport, with special attention
> to the areas where Vivi might be hiding, all of
> which are highly restricted and normally off
> limits to anyone except police and specific
> airport employees. Traps have been set up in
> different areas, inside the airport by the Port
> Authority and outside by Animal Control. I
> accompanied a local journalist for several
> hours cruising the streets where Vivi may have
> been sighted and asked road crews, gas station
> attendants and people with dogs if they had
> seen her. Everyone knew about Vivi but none had seen her.
>
> With Paul staying behind, I left late
> Friday and got back to California at 2:00 AM to
> take care of my dogs and try to deal with some
> work, as well as several hundred emails, faxes
> and phone messages from concerned dog lovers.
> Paul, together with Honi Reisman, who is
> providing invaluable support, have been given
> permission to search the cargo hangars which
> are the most likely areas Vivi might be hiding.
> Several psychics who have offered their
> assistance agree that she is hiding behind what
> seems to be cargo, that she is safe but very
> afraid. There are approx. 150 of these cargo
> hangars, many of them abandoned, but all of
> them heated, and most with openings which would
> make it easy for Vivi to get in and out. She
> can hide there for a long time. There is no
> shortage of water but we hope she will soon get
> hungry enough to let herself be spotted and eventually caught.
>
> One very promising fact is that the airport
> radar spotted a solid body moving across the
> runways towards the cargo hangars during the
> night. A Port Authority vehice was
> investigating within minutes but did not find
> anything. This appears to support our hope that
> Vivi may be hiding in the cargo hangars, however.
>
> We want everyone to know that the search in
> spite of reports to the contrary continues
> unabated, both via helicopter and patrolled
> cars. (The perimeter of the airport, included
> 21 miles of waterfront, is circumnavigated
> non-stop every few minutes 24 hours every day
> of the year.) The Port Authorities have been
> exceptionally helpful, granting unique access
> for us to search the airport: this is not
> easily given, and never to more than two
> persons at one time. Since 9/11 airport
> security has tightened a lot, and although we
> wish that admittance could be given for Search
> and Rescue teams, other whippets or even horses
> (since Vivi spends most days in a horse barn),
> we have to realize that this will not be
> granted for security reasons. The Search and
> Rescue dogs were also called off since the lack
> of tracks in the water which covers most of the
> airport would make their job impossible.
>
> I am hoping to get back to New York early
> next week, depending on the developments. This
> is a hellish situation which I don't want
> anyone to ever have to experience. My only
> comforts have been my dogs and the wonderful
> support we have been given by everyone, both friends and unknow dog lovers.
>
> On behalf of Vivi's owners, Jil and Paul, I
> want to thank all of you for your help and
> kindness in these trying days. Vivi is lucky to
> have so many people who care for her. I hope
> somehow that she can feel it, wheverever she
> is. We are still hoping that there will be a
> happy ending and will keep you informed as far
> as possible. I will try to get back to everyone
> who has written personally when I can, but that will take some time.
>
> I hope the above makes sense. My mind is
> not functioning really well right now.
>
> Again, thank you.
>
> Bo Bengtson
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Post by robinw on Feb 19, 2006 10:02:16 GMT -5
thanks for the update CW. i hope she is found very soon, alive and well.
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Post by patricia on Feb 19, 2006 12:09:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the update. I hope she is safe and warm and is found soon.
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Post by Billie on Feb 20, 2006 9:10:46 GMT -5
Any news yet? This is awful. I can't imagine how her owners feel.
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Post by CampWhippet on Feb 20, 2006 10:13:00 GMT -5
Bonnie (who has been searching since Vivi was lost) is putting together a Tuesday afternoon search party, in the unfortunate event that Vivi is still missing. Her email is pawsativebf@aol.com.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permission to crosspost
You are all invited.
Although it's not going to be a fun party, it is one I'd love for you to be a
part of even if you cannot actually come out, just spreading the word, cross
posting and sending good thoughts and prayers will help.
As you all may know, the search for Vivi, the whippet lost at JFK airport,
continues. If she is not found by Tuesday afternoon, this search party will be
on.
The more searchers the better. If anyone can get out to help in the search
for Vivi before the Tuesday search, that would be great as well.
I'll have more info as to where we will meet tomorrow and will forward you
the info. We will head out in groups to the different areas, combing each as a
group, looking in and around everything possible.
Once one area has been completely searched, the team will move to the next
area.
I'll provide maps for those areas to be searched.
Please dress warm, items to bring with you to help in the search are:
a flashlight, leash, dog treats and a friend or two.
If you do happen to spot Vivi, crouch down, bending at the knees, DO NOT bend
over her from the waist, and call her to you with treat in hand. DO NOT
lunge at her as this may spook her also. Immediately call Paul 805-886-5826, or
me, 917-626-1374.
For those of you that have been out searching, or spreading the word, passing
out flyers, etc... we cannot thank you enough!
Again, I hope this party will be called off but if it's a go, we'll need
everyone's support to help find Vivi.
Bonnie
Pawsative Dog Training &
Th'Reasn Rescues & Pharaohs
proud mom to Peanut, Glory, Skipper
and my guardian angel, Buster
"To the world you may only be one person
but to one person you may be the world"
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Post by CampWhippet on Feb 20, 2006 19:08:23 GMT -5
Latest update........ I just spoke to Paul this morning (Monday 8AM). The search goes on. They are concentrating on the airport grounds, on the many buildings that are on the airport property, not all of them occupied. There are still a lot of people "working the perimeter" outside of the airport, but Paul feels that Vivi is somewhere on the grounds. He has spoken with a lot of psychics, and most of them seem to be of that feeling as well. Every one of them says that they think Vivi is safe at the moment. The other thing that Paul wanted to share is that the Port Authority people have been "nice, accessible, just great." They have given them access no one can get in this day and age, driving them around the airport, allowing them into locations that people just can't have in this day and age. He can't say enough good things about them. So please, if you are calling or thinking of calling the PA about this, know that they are doing a lot for Paul and Jil and Bo ... Since they do think that she is on the grounds somewhere, they are again thinking about using search dogs to look for her and are trying to make arrangements with PA to allow for that. They have a team tentatively lined up for tomorrow. Paul relays the word that they appreciate all the support that they are receiving from everyone and everywhere. Keep the faith. A little prayer would be good. Cross post  . |
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