Hunt for runaway whippet show dog continues

Six months after running away from JFK Airport, a show dog has been spotted in the Glendale area and search effort remains strong.
Vivi, a champion whippet from California, was at the airport on February 15 to go back to her home state with owner Jil Walton after participating in the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in Manhattan. Ever since she initially went missing, Queens residents have spotted the show dog several times and called search team members to report her whereabouts.
&#8220She's out there,” said Tina Potter, a Holliswood resident who joined the search efforts as soon as Vivi went missing. &#8220I get many sightings.”
Each call is followed by searchers going to the area to try to find Vivi.
Most recently, Vivi has been sighted in the Glendale area and Potter said that she thinks Vivi has been there for about three weeks now. Last week, Potter got a call from a man at 8:50 p.m. saying that he had seen Vivi run across Woodhaven Boulevard and into Forest Park.
If Vivi is spotted, Potter said that a person should call (877) JFK-VIVI immediately and that they should not try to chase her, although a person maybe able to lure the dog closer. Potter also said that they are unsure at this point if Vivi will still respond to her name or not.
&#8220Whippets are a sight hound and they are hard to catch. She's in survival mode now,” Potter said. &#8220We have to hope she winds up in someone's yard with a very tall gate or someone lures her with food.”