Vivi reportedly spotted this morning at 11 a.m. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
These details from search coordinator Bonnie Folz:
A man who lives on Blossom Avenue off of College Point Boulevard -- on the west side of the Queens Botanic Garden -- decided to get a little fresh air after a morning of house painting.
From the botanic garden parking lot, he crossed the footbridge to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and saw an "odd-looking" white dog at the bottom of the foot bridge. He said she was trying to eat out of a garbage bag, but bolted when a green truck screamed by.
He was shocked at how quickly the dog ran off, as he had never seen a dog move that quickly. He returned home and chatted about it with his wife, who forwarded him a photo of Vivi that she got from Newsday.com, and he identified her as the dog he saw in the park.
If this sighting is legitimate, it means that Vivi has moved west, crossing the Van Wyck Expressway (perhaps via an overpass). Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is much more open than Kissena Park, where Vivi was seemingly lingering in the last two weeks.
Comments (261)
THANK GOD!!!
Thank you, God! I really hope this is for real.
How in the world did she get there? Doesn't she have to cross Northern Blvd??
Poor Jil. Here (haha I mean there- I live in this virtual here) for a week and not one hint. What a rascal. Need to make those posters.
Drain pipes?
Thank God.
No... she seemingly crossed the footbridge from Botanical Gardens into FMCP. Over a VERY busy College Point Boulevard.
The "quarry" someone spotted on a Google Earth map is the construction site I mentioned last week... DEP facility under construction by EE Cruz of Yonkers (I believe), NY.
There are drainage pipes in FMCP, but there are also a TON of people in there daily. Skateboarders, carosel-riders, golfers, tennis players, remote control enthusiasts, bikers, etc., etc.
DEAR GOD, THANK YOU!
Irene Wilson
We have this new post so dial up people can come back and it's not even depressing!
Yeah (hope, hope, hope it's her)! Seems like she could have gone the very same way....through the Botanical Gardens to the B.G. parking lot, and over the footbridge.:-)
Seems like she is in the same area. It makes sense to me to get a memorable 1-800 number and get some vinyl banners made up, that we could put in the neighborhood. What do you think? Banners would be about $100.
Could someone please tell me how far is this area from the cemetary. I'm so confused on the whole layout of this area. I guess that is why my husband bought me a car that has OnStar HaHA
Little VIVI COPPERFIELD shows herself on Monday morning..Just like I said yesturday! Ok she is Alive thank god!! We don't have to worry about some wierdo haveing her..Thank you god!
The gentleman named MICHAEL, who posts that he is looking for her in that area from 11PM till 2AM after he gets off work WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
He said yesterday morning that she was moving in a westerly direction and to start posting that area and into College Point and adjacent Whitestone!!
I do not know and am not familiar whatsoever with that area....
Here we go again...Vivi you are taking us on a bumpy ride. Stay safe and WE WILL FIND YOU!
Irene Wilson
Can we use our collected monies for the 800 number? I do think we should talk this over with the principals- they have agreed to everything that is reasonable and seem grateful for the input but sometimes have something to say that know one has thought of.
Your right Irene, I remember him saying that. Well at least we know what has to be done now.
no one I mean sheesh
Thanks Michael M. We should have listened to you. Keep searching that area PLEASE.
Irene, You took the words out of my mouth I do remember Michael posting that...I would also like to know the distance she must have traveled to get there since I am not from the area...
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHO VIVI'S GUARDIAN ANGEL IS IF THIS TRUE. AND I SURE HOPE IT IS!
Gail in CT
Yes, and if I remember correctly some people though this Michael person was a nut.
Gail in CT
Scary how much traffic she is encountering. She's one smart dog.
Gail, I have been praying to St Francis to give Vivi a gaurdian angel till she finds her way to someone that can help her. Someone is listening to us..POWER IN PRAYER!!
Beth...I think for $100 might be a good idea. Lois gets back tomorrow and then maybe we need to see where we are moneywise and the most effective way to spend it....we don't have a bottomless fund, unfortunately...that's why I get furious when I think of Delta walking away without contributing a penny here...I know they filed bankruptcy...what airline hasn't? Doesn't mean they are as broke as that would sound...has a lot to do with their union problems, labor negotiations, bargaining position, etc. No, I don't have an answer, but perhaps the "family" could get us help from Delta...
Irene Wilson
Thank God we posted those signs yesterday. Lots of joggers, soccer players. There are so many ways she can get here and SO many hiding spots under the freeway and in those large pampas grass areas -lots of birds/ducks. She could be living in those tall pampas grass areas. This area is large but it seems like we could surround her as the park sits in between those busy freeways.
Irene could you tell the distance between the new sighting and the cemetary
Yeah - Vivi!
Delta wouldn't buy Paul a ticket to come here and he flew in on another airline. That was with the family's involvement.
Ok Bloggers! Here's a good one for ya.
I'm on my lunch hour and decided to go read the depressing blog. I saw that there was a sighting and I got so excited, I ran in the lunch room, grabbed my lean cuisine out of the fridge and threw it in the MW. Pulled it out and went to eat it and one of the other women I worked with looked at me and said, "uh, that's my lunch,"
OOPS!!
It's amazing how that little sighting can really boost ya.
Can Vivi get there through a Storm Drain?
That's funny. I only forgot where I lived.
Dear God,
Thank you for answering our prayers. Stay safe Vivi, you will come home to Jill.
I Feel so much better. I just got my VIVI dose for the day!!
I asked that- the answer is posted above
Beth: Sorry, just dropped washing windows and back to this site...my life is totally on hold and I am going nuts!
I do think we need a simple number that everyone can carry in their mind and remember. i-800LOSTDOG sounds as easy as it can get...even I can remember that! $100 for banner sounds good to me, but we need to see what the consensus of opinion is.
If we plan on getting someone like Carl Washington or even Laura back...we need to watch the money and think things over carefully...I see no reason why HONI/BONNIE would get mixed up in this fund. Not being disrespectful in any way, but it's money that everyone here scratched together and they did not seem to contribute to...
Pray, people, she needs to stay safe till we can get our hands on her for real!!
Irene Wilson
OMG...that is the EXACT area where Laurie and I posted yesterday! Oh PLEAESE PLEASE let this be her! She could have EASILY crossed under the gate over the footbridge over Van Wyck at night without anyone seeing her.
This park is right across from the Botanical Gardens...across the Van Wyck expressway. A very large pond that has a walkway for joggers and bikers around it. And on the other end, no walkway but LOTS of brush, weeds...tall and very condusive for her to build a home and hide where no one would find her.
Lois will be back tomorrow, and we should make a decision on what we want to do with the remaining funds. Please give it some thought today, so that we can act quickly.
I'm moving my post from the last blog.
Just a word on Delta and lawsuits. You should not commensurate a lawsuit until all the facts are in. They are not in yet at this time. If Vivi is found...if she is not...costs, mental anguish and various other issues would need to be addressed. It's a time sensitive process. The legal system here is not a swift action. You will not see a dime again from Delta as that would constitute guilt. Justice will be done in the end, not today not tomorrow and I doubt within the next year. Patience people...their day will come.
Gail in CT
This is craziness! I just got home from work, checked my e-mail - heard about Bo's post from Rosa (thanks Rosa) was set for a depressing - nothing - same as last 4 days and BAM! Does this little whipper snapper wait in the BUSHES AND WATCH PEOPLE LOOK FOR HER AND LAUGH? Serioiusly, Jil and Rick leave, and POOF! You are absolutely right Rosa, she's a Copperfield, that's for sure. I can't believe this little whippet - it's pure and simple insanity! I now know we are all definetely headed to the asylum and that little 20 something pound dog is doing it! xoxoxTo you all, especially that snot of a dog, Vivi! Terrie
By the way, if our funds are depleted, which I don't think they are, I'm in for some more. Terrie
Little Vivi is well - and moving fast.
Could we put a banner somewhere in this park area, where the joggers, etc. could see it? I think we need a good 1-800 number before we get the banners made up.
Pamela, if you are reading, could you let Laura know there may have been another sighting?
DIANE...FLYERS ARE ON THE WAY YOU SHOULD RECEIVE THEM SOMETIME BEFORE THREE PM. TOMORROW. SORRY THEY ARE PINK BUT BETTER THAN NOTHING. IF YOU NEED MORE PLEASE POST IT AND I'LL MAKE MORE UP (DIFFERENT COLOR) I STILL HAVE AN ARM AND A LEG LEFT AFTER PAYING FOR SHIPPING. THEY ONLY TOOK ONE OF EACH. LOL
GAIL IN CT
That's what I was trying to say but maybe you said it better. Once lawyers get involved and I am sure Delta's have been from day one, the pace becomes glacial and extremely cautious. It is even that way at the private school where I teach. Everything has to be vetted. If you could get 20,000 people to march on JFK maybe they might do something but that isn't likely to happen. Hence save your anger at them for later and just move assuming they aren't going to contribute anything.
Lois said there's around $2500 left. If it will cost more give me sometime I may have to refinance my house, lol.
Gail in CT
SEE LATEST REQUEST FROM SEARCHERS, JUST POSTED:
Search organizers ask volunteers to please call the various museums and organizations located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, many of which are listed here:
www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_flushing_meadows/vt_flushing_meadows_park.html
Please note that vehicles without special permits are not allowed on the park grounds.
Search organizers are in touch with park officials to obtain this permission.
Thank-you God for answering our prayers. But we need more than "to find Vivi" we need your intervention in CATCHING VIVI by a kind person who will call one of the posted numbers. Lead Vivi to that person, release any fear that she might have and lead her. And so it is
Joy, joy, happy, happy!!! This is such good news! I can't believe how Vivi has affected my life..Good girl Vivi! Stay in touch, we love you and want you to go to your home in California!
MaryL - California
Banners, 1-800 number, all sound good to me. Geez, just when I was going to try to get some stuff done today, she reeled me back in. Terrie
SOmebody needs to just go sit in the park, quietly, with a trail of roast chicken coming up to them. If a bunch of people are there she's going to take off again. I know from experience!
New post about posting from Denise! Terrie
Is there any more information from the man who spotted Vivi? Has it been a confirmed sighting?
Amen Siri!
At least she's sighted - she's in the area - no one is holding her captive.
If anyone knows how to get in touch with Michael - PLEASE GO TO WILLOW LAKE - it is in the back part of Flushing Meadow Corona Park - no jogger path back there - she is probably back there as it is so REMOTE. BUT IT IS SO CLOSE TO THE HIGHWAYS. Can we put the traps there?
If there is lots of activity in this park, maybe she'll feel a strong pull to participate...there are pictures of her playing ball and playing with a frisbee that were taken by a pro photographer and Sighthounds are curious and cannot stand to be left out...maybe she'll "come out to play" if she feels like it! If someone was as smart as Vivi, maybe they could get her to play with them until she trusted them!
Vivi is in Vivi mode - God bless her!
I don't bleieve it , this little girl made it to the world fair .
I was the one who said about the sand pits on Blossom ave.
If she is there , she could have gone under the Van Wyck also.
I don't believe it . I am so shocked . I just got out of a meeting and I am reading this and Fr*** out ..
this is a much bigger park - with a ice skating rink there and lots of places also to hide - she could have. been there since last week .
Where is this little girl going?
We need to make sure people are educated about not chasing her or she'll just keep running. Playing might be a good idea. ou'd be far better off throwing a ball away from her and running towards the ball than moving to her.
Regarding making the phone calls. Should we give them Honi number ? Is Honi making sure these people get posters if they call her ??
Siri
Is Laura still there ? Can we get some confirmation from track dogs that this was Vivi ?
Is Jil still in NY ?
Siri
I'm so happy that she has been sighted. Now what is the next step? I never had a sighthound and have learned more these past 6 weeks about them than anything else I ever studied. If more funds are needed, I can contribute. Now Vivi shows herself after I contacted the Corona,Whitestone, Flushing schools and talked myself hoarse. This little dog has turned my life upside down.
I have been a faithful reader all these weeks but this is only the 2nd time I have posted....I have suffered from dyslexia all my life and all those telephone "numbers" are horrendous for me-
I-800-lostdog would be the only way for me to get in touch with searchers at a moments notice if I were to see Vivi....please give that 800 number very serious consideration....it is so fast and easy to remember and negotiate when calling from out running/walking or in a car. My heart and thoughts are with you all-
Poor thing -- she's heading West. She's trying to get home.
NEW POST UP
Karen I agree with you. Someone should pretend like they are playing ball with her, when they see her and let her retrieve it. She has to think she's playing. I'm sure she will remember what playing is
didn't one of the psychics mention something flat, like sand, white, etc....maybe the construction site, who knows.
But happy news!
One of the best ways to train a dog to come is to move away from it.
ATTN: Jill Hopfenback?
I think you were the one who posted about Lt. Borgal? He was the one with the net. Do you have his #?...or does anyone else have that info.
He is the one who will get her and it needs to be done NOW, before she leaves this area. Please!
She wants her Mama - she wants to remember home.
Can we hire someone to bait and net that area. Now that we have it narrowed down. That's a great Idea Nicole
Linda...Maybe she's a Mets fan, lol.
She ducks under things and in things - and waits.
WE HAVE TO SURROUND HER NOW - WE CANNOT WAIT UNTIL ANOTHER SATURDAY SEARCH. PLEASE LOOK NEAR WILLOW LAKE. NICOLE AND I WERE JUST THERE YESTERDAY. IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN CONTAIN HER IN THIS PARK. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO MICHAEL IS OR HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIm?
Rosa..it may be narrowed down but's it's a vast area.
Gail in CT
Just a thought - drag something she will chase after - like a knotted rope - something interesting.
what is the huge area on the east side of the Van Wyck, across from the park - on Google Earth it looks like another cemetery? Really big area....
we drove by there yesterday. But I got lost and could not find the dam entrance to the worlds fair . I got so lost I ended up in laguardia airport . My husbadn Mike made a joke, and said maybe she was going to catch a plane back to LA.
We were by Shea stadium.
That is big time wide open with about 3 lakes.
I was only there once many years ago. I have no idea how the surrounding neighborhoods are.
we were even by those junk yards. and we saw 2 sand pits place on each side.
But if this little girl made it there. I think we need a net this time. so she does nto travel further.
Nothing aganist Laura but is there anyone closer to NY with tracking dogs?
Gail in CT
His name is LT. Alan Borgel--Mass. State Police I think. I will Try to get Jill h. from old blogs.
She might chase after a white plastic bag since she's into lure coursing. Hope the man who spotted her can tell the searchers which direction she ran. If she's been there a couple of days, maybe she bolted back to her "nest."
Irene, I am going over there? Want to come?
I SIGNED UP WITH 1-800-LOST-DOG, for the 30-day trial period, so Vivi is registered. I put the telephone numbers of the local volunteers. If needed, I will sign up for the service beyond the 30-day trial period. So, if you want to use 1-800-LOST-DOG on posters, we can do that.
Yesterday, my friend saw white and concrete and lots of open. But she thinks Vivi may prefer the reeds if there are reeds or tall grass - do they have cameras watching the park? Cameras anyplace maybe even in front of a building? Maybe a security guard who watches the cameras has seen something - faster than a speeding bullet!
I think Laura is in Maryland which is about 4 hours away more or less depending on the traffic - I am just posting that for comparison purposes.
I am going to use 1 800 lostdog for my posters.
Are there any residential areas near this park she could go into? It seemed her pattern when she was in the other area was to go into peoples yards looking for food that people put out for their animals. That was one way we hoped she could be caught... by going into someone's yard.
NICOLE: HERE IT IS. I RETRIEVED THIS FROM THE ARCHIVES. WE THINK IT IS TIME TO CALL THIS GUY:
Hello all,
I have been avidly reading this blog for the last 3 weeks, and am very happy to see everyone banding together to help find Vivi. I'm not much of a "blogger", so this is my first post, but I feel like I know all of you already.
I am a veterinarian from Massachusetts and have a whippet and two greyhounds, and am active in greyhound rescue. A close friend of mine's daughter owns one of Vivi's puppies. Lt. Alan Borgal from the Animal Rescue League of Boston is a personal friend of mine, and I have already put in a call to him re: the drop net. If he thinks that using the net would be a good idea (and if he is still willing to loan it), then I will contact Laura and see if she wants to use it. If everyone agrees, I could probably bring it to the search area on Sunday.
I do have some misgivings about using traps (and probably the drop net) in a public park. I am sure that you will have to get police permission to use the traps, and I have serious doubts about whether they would even allow the drop net in a public place. At a minimum, the net would have to be monitored 24/7 (don't want to net any homeless people). I'm also concerned about using traps in such a public, urban place. They would have to be very closely monitored, and I'm not sure that there will be the manpower available for that. The ideal situation would be if Karen could establish that Vivi is entering someone's yard (as with the garage from last weekend). Setting traps on private property would be much safer.
I have been involved with the capture of several lost greyhounds, so I do speak somewhat from experience. I am glad to hear that you all chose Laura over Carl. While everyone wants Laura to actually find and capture Vivi, I think that is very unlikely. She is probably going to be able to offer information about where Vivi has been and her habits, and provide guidance about her possible movements, etc, and a kind stranger will probably be the one who finally gets her. I thought that Carl's "round-up dogs" method was very unlikely to work, especially with a sighthound who is very fast, and probably not especially interested in other dogs.
Also, don't even think about using a tranquilzer dart. They are VERY unsafe and cause much muscle/tissue damage when shot, and can easily be fatal if the animal is not shot in a large muscle mass (such as hitting the chest by accident). It's not as pretty as it is on TV...
Thanks for all that everyone is doing. I will watch for answers here, and if Alan is willing to lend the drop net, I will post here and call Honi Reissman.
And, a check for $100 is on it's way to Lois this afternoon (new pledge).
Jill Hopfenbeck
jillhop1@charter.net
If there is another cemetery - Vivi has been there!
Vivi's guardian angel is Betsy, her grandmother, who passed one week before she was lots.
Karen: Delta didn't comp Paul because apparently there is only ONE OWNER of RECORD and that is Jil.
That's a legal loophole and Delta took full advantage of it....
Irene Wilson
I could see a problem with the lostdo