Goodbye and Hello
Village Pet Pages
Goodbye…not forgotten
Ladeda (La-Dee-Dah!)
With almost unbearable dread, it was getting clearer my 17-year-old Coton, Ladeda, was silently suffering. Still hoping for better news but knowing that was unlikely, I asked my friend and Lade’s other beloved compon Patricia to meet me at my appointment with Dr. Burdon at Abingdon Square Veterinary Clinic that afternoon.
Dr. Burdon unfortunately confirmed that the tumor had rapidly grown and gently suggested it would be best to end her suffering. It took me several minutes to be able to make one of the hardest decisions many of us will have to make. Ultimately I managed to nod yes, knowing it was part of my commitment to her care to help her when unnecessary suffering was the only other option.
Patricia and I held her as she slipped away, and we sat there with her for some time. I was in a sorrow-induced shock as we walked slowly into the reception area.
As we did I felt an immediate delicate silence, and I then noticed that the staff had placed a card on the front desk for those waiting there to see.
When I look back on those moments three years later, I am still deeply moved by that gesture. I felt as if the profundity of the bond we can have with our companions of another species was being shared and honored as something sacred.
I will always be grateful to them for making those first moments of loss a bit less painful. And some days now I can enjoy our YouTube video “Singing Dog Ladeda,” an admittedly rough, but I believe sweetly amusing, duet of “Some Enchanted Evening.”
—Jan Crawford
Hello…
Welcome to the Village !
by Joy Pape
We were delighted to attend the late Maggie Berkvist’s Memorial at Left Bank Restaurant, 117 Perry Street. While there we noticed two adorable dogs, Ziggy and Imogen. Although thrilled to see them, we wondered why they were there. We soon found out their pet parents are Laurence and Lauren Edelman (LB), the proprietors of Left Bank Restaurant, where Maggie visited daily.
We were also delighted to learn Imogen is new to the Village, so here we are welcoming her to the neighborhood.
VV: Is Imogen male or female?
LB: Female
VV:What is Imogen’s age?
LB: 5 months on March 25th!
VV: What were you looking for in your new puppy?
LB: We wanted an affectionate, loving and courageous sibling for our miniature poodle, Ziggy. He was very bonded to our previous dog, Isla, who passed away last December at 14 years old. Ziggy is timid and easily scared, so we wanted to find him the emotional support we knew he needed.
VV: How did you find Imogen?
LB: We found Imogen at One Paw At A Time Rescue on Petfinder.com
VV: Why did you choose Imogen?
LB: We were looking for a poodle or poodle mix. When we showed up at the shelter and saw her big hazel eyes, we knew she was our baby. We signed all the paperwork on the spot and she came home with us that day (Jan 30th, 2023).
VV: Why did you name her Imogen? What does her name mean?
LB: I (Lauren) was adamant about giving her an “I” name in honor of Isla, but knew that we both needed to love the name. After some Googling, we stumbled across the name Imogen. Unusual and beautiful, just like our little girl. The most important thing was to save her from the name she was given at the shelter…Twitter.
VV: How do she and Ziggy get along?
LB: Ziggy was skeptical for the first few weeks and didn’t seem thrilled that we had brought him a baby sister. Imogen was gentle and kind with him, letting him get used to their new situation on his own time. Last week, for the first time, we found them napping in the same dog bed. It made our day!
VV: What is her favorite thing to do?
LB: Imogen loves to visit her grandma and grandpa on the upper west side for Sunday brunch. She’s treated to bagel, lox and a play date with their two dogs, Beau and Georgie.
VV: What is her favorite place to go?
LB: Anywhere she can run! She has that big puppy energy and is a fan of the dog run in Washington Square Park. She made a few friends recently–Wilbur and Bronx, who kindly shared their toys.
VV: What is her favorite restaurant?
LB: Left Bank, of course!
VV: Favorite food there?
LB: The Cacio et Pepe.
VV: What do you love most about Imogen?
LB: Everything! Imogen is pure joy. We love how much she loves Ziggy, when she naps belly up in the afternoon showing off the white spots on her chest and how she joins in on Lauren’s morning yoga practice.
VV: What would you like us to know about Imogen?
LB: She has a really high EQ (Emotional Quotient). While she is really friendly and affectionate with all dogs, she can quickly assess if one of her fur friends needs some space. Another Imogen fun fact is that she learned how to open the door to her crate. When she’s sleepy, she’ll grab the handle with her mouth, pull open the door and go inside for a nap.
About the authors: Joy and Brian Pape are animal lovers, Founders and regular contributors to The Village View and enjoy living in the Village since 2009. We love all creatures great and small and understand many of you do too. This new section is not limited to our furry and feathery friends in the Village, but other pets you may want us to meet on our Village streets. Please do send up ideas about what you would like to read and share about so we can all have some fun while we learn about our Villagers.
What heartwarming stories, both of saying goodbye to a beloved pet and welcoming a new furry friend into the neighborhood! The compassion shown by the veterinary clinic staff during a difficult time is truly touching, and it’s so lovely to see Imogen and Ziggy bonding and enjoying life in the Village.