Jil Walton Loses Champion Whippet at JFK Airport

Jil Walton, of Claremont, California, who rode on the Three Day Event Team representing the United States in the 1992 Olympic Games, in Barcelona, Spain, and who has competed several times thereafter, in the east, at the Rolex Kentucky CCI****, has lost her three year old whippet Champion Bohem C'Est La Vie, known a Vivi, when the bitch escaped from her travel cage at the JFK Airport last Wednesday. Jil and Vivi were about to travel back to California by plane after having competed at the Westminster Dog Show, at Madison Square Garden, in New York City, where Vivi won an Award of Merit. (Jil is pictured at the right on Truly Triton jumping the table after the first water at Rolex Kentucky, in 2004.)

In a story by Richard Pyle of Associated Press Sports, Jil was quoted as saying, "When it's cold she's not happy. She's a skinny little thing and I don't know if she'll make it. That's what's killing me."

"The search initially concentrated on the marshlands on the airport's south western side after an officer spotted the dog headed in that direction," Pyle's story continued. Apparently there was no indication that the dog had been stolen. Vivi was wearing a little black sweater and collar and microchip with contact information.

In a follow up story by Heidi Singer printed in The New York Post, of Saturday, February 18th, the following was reported:

"The missing Westminster Dog Show whippet may be alive and well and living in a construction site, according to a tipster, who says she saw the prize pooch early yesterday morning near JFK Airport.

"The dog's excited owners spent yesterday searching the streets around South Conduit Avenue and 145th Street, not far from the runway where Vivi was last seen Wednesday, running away from cargo workers after she got loose from her cage.

"The tipster " . . .sounded like she knew what a whippet was, said Vivi's breeder, Bo Bengston."

Anyone with information as to Vivi's whereabouts should call the Pert Authority at (718) 244-8125.

eventingetc prays that Vivi and Jil will be safely reunited.