VILLAGE PET PAGES

Goodbye…But Not Forgotten

MING Having only recently made her debut in the pages of The Village View, I’m heartbroken to report that Ming, April’s cover girl for a story about dry eye in pups, has passed at the remarkable age of 17.

Ming was originally purchased in Brooklyn after an inordinate period of deliberation. My parents, missing the challenge of raising children, took her on with zeal. Smart and cuddly from the beginning, she adapted beautifully to her environment.

Something of a showstopper, my Dad was delighted at the admiring comments from neighborhood friends on her daily walks, with a car once stopping traffic to remark that Ming “was simply adorable.”

Ming was there for the passing of both my Mom and Dad (three years apart) providing bedside protection and solace to both during their illnesses.

I inherited Ming in 2020, and she became my constant loyal companion—she made my pandemic isolation tolerable!

Ming brought to light the agonizing decision-making involved in knowing when your dog has reached the end of her years. I found the process excruciating,

She will be missed, but mostly celebrated for her years of loyalty, providing joy and comfort through all of life’s successes and travails.

—Kim Plosia

Hello…Welcome to the Village

LUNA Most people you ask will tell you their favorite ‘type’ of dog is the one they had first. Often, they get the same kind later in life. My first dog was a homeless, injured blonde Cocker Spaniel, who showed up at the vet clinic where I worked. He not only got the care he needed, but also a home with me. I named him Rufus. I loved everything about him, especially his tail wag that moved his body, it tickled my heart as does every Cocker’s tail wag to this day.

Many years later, as Brian and I walked the HRP esplanade, I spotted this adorable blonde Cocker looking puppy with a busy tail that was once again tickling my heart. That, her soft fur, and friendly attitude invited us to welcome Luna to the Village.

We interviewed her parents, Ian and Maude and found out Luna is a female Golden English Cocker Spaniel, now eight months of age.

What were you looking for in your new puppy?
We were looking for a companion, an addition to our family, and a ray of sunshine to brighten our days. We both grew up with dogs who have always been an important part of our lives. When we first met, we joked that our main intention for dating was to find a partner that would enable each of us to finally get a dog – turns out we achieved that goal and more. We’re getting married in October!

Why did you choose an English Cocker Spaniel?
Maude’s parents have an English Cocker Spaniel named Bee, who we both love. We appreciate how intelligent, athletic, and sweet she is – a really incredible dog! We were torn between an English Cocker and a Golden Retriever (her parents also have had Goldens), but ultimately went with an English Cocker due to a combination of size and our love for Bee!

How did you find Luna?
Maude did lots of research on the internet. While browsing, she was drawn to a particularly attractive English Cocker who was owned by a friend of a friend and made the connections to find one for us.

Why did you choose Luna in particular?
In finding Luna, we achieved our criteria of sweetness and personality. Her energy levels have exceeded our expectations—big puppy energy!

Why the name Luna? What does the name Luna mean to you?
My mother is Italian. We thought of Italian sounding names. We liked Lupa (which means wolf in Italian), but a friend had a dog named Lupa. We thought of alternatives. One day in the car I just said Luna, and it clicked. Funny story—Luna means moon in Italian, and the day we got Luna it was a full moon.

What is Luna’s favorite thing to do?
Long walks, socializing with people and dogs (she’s a very friendly girl), and playing with her ball. She also is a professional at chewing anything she can get into her mouth (sticks, bones, toys, flowers, etc.). We are working on that.

Where is Luna’s favorite place to go?
The dog runs in the West Village and the Hudson River Park, to stare at and occasionally chase the birds, or to a place where she can be off-leash and run free.

Her favorite restaurant?
Cafe Cluny or Roey’s – they are both amazing about allowing dogs to hangout and provide them with water. Super friendly staff!

Favorite food there?
No human food for Luna, but we usually bring her one of her favorite bones to chomp on so she’s not left out.

What do you love most about Luna?
She is the sweetest, most loving, and happiest dog. Her love is unconditional and can be the best cure for a particularly tough or stressful day.

What would you like us to know about Luna?
Her tail never stops wagging, and when she’s particularly excited, her wagging tail causes her whole body to move, which is quite cute. She’s also incredibly friendly, so if you see her in the West Village, come say hi! Also, the weekend we got Luna we also got engaged. It was a surprise double-whammy! It was an incredibly special weekend we will never forget.

Joy and Brian Pape are founders and contributors who love all creatures great and small and understand many of you do too. This 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 ideas about what you would like to read and share so we can all have some fun while we learn about our Villagers.