UPDATE ON THE SEARCH FOR VIVI (crosspost from another board)

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 h er 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 he20
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 appear
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. 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 Jill
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
of4900 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.

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.

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 sightedat 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 air
port 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.
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 unknown 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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