Today it has been one year.
Champion Bohem C'est la Vie, better known as Vivi, is the California whippet who disappeared as she bolted from her crate last February 15 en route to a Delta Airlines flight at Kennedy Airport after competing at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
Denise Flaim of Newsday.com has chronicled the year long search for Vivi in her Animal House Blog.
If anything good can come of Vivi's loss, perhaps it will be a "Bill of Rights for Traveling Pets".
Please take a moment to read this post on Denise's blog: Crate Expectations at the Airport. It describes some scary moments while checking in a puppy to fly from LAX to Florida. Security personnel decide to open and re-check the puppy's crate at the last moment. Here's related post from Denise's blog.
I fully understand the problems of Airport Security in the post 9/11 world, and I shudder at the horrible thought that an explosive could be hidden in an innocent animal's bedding or toy.
However I think one item on that "Bill of Rights for Traveling Pets" would have to be something like this: If the animal's shipping crate must be opened for inspection prior to departure; it must be opened in an confined, enclosed room, with the room's doors closed; and with the pet's owner or guardian present.
Yes, that would take extra time. But I think the time spent would be worthwhile. And pet owners would cooperate to ensure their pet's safety.
All of us, from time to time in our real estate business, deal with relocating clients. Sometimes those clients will be relocating with beloved family pets. We want our clients and their pets to arrive at their new home safely!
