VILLAGE PET PAGES
By Joy and Brian Pape
Saving Maggie
A Heartbreaking Tale of Love, Loss, and the Heroic Act That Saved a Tiny Beagle
By Lynn Pacifico
I read this article written by Lynn Pacifico in 2023. I found it so necessary for pet owners to have this information, I reached out to Lynn and asked her if we can share this with our readers. Being the dog lover she is, she granted us permission to share this with you. —Joy Pape
MAGGIE (lower right), was adopted by a neighboring couple when her owner died, and lived out her life in the building where she’d always lived. Photo courtesy of Lynn Pacifico.
Years ago, George, a quiet professor, lived in our building with his beagle Maggie. They were in love and devoted to each other. It was a pleasure to encounter them as George, who always had something pleasant to say, was a very large man and Maggie was tiny. They made an adorable pair.
Unexpectedly George passed away in his apartment. As George left no instructions on who was to take Maggie, police took her to New York Animal Care and Control (NYACC.) Poor Maggie’s beloved guardian had died. Alone and grieving, she stood by George until he was discovered. Then, strangers took her away from her home and everything she knew. The NYACC is filled with the sights and smells of fear, illness, death, and loud sounds including the desperate wails of many dogs in distress. This would be terrifying for any dog, but especially for coddled little Maggie who was used to being in George’s safe arms.
Neighbors, including Maggie’s dog walker Sheila Sim, who had stopped by the building to feed a cat, stood in front of the building in shock at George’s death. I noticed the determined look on Sheila’s face. First she called Maggie’s best friend’s owners who had a car, then she called Maggie’s vet to ask that he write a letter stating that Sheila was Maggie’s “in case of emergency” person. He did and this letter allowed them to rescue Maggie from the NYACC. When stepping out of the car on returning, Maggie tilted her head back and let out a long hauntingly mournful wail. I will never forget it.
Maggie’s heart was broken, and although traumatized, she was home. Her dog walker was her hero and the kind neighbors, who had helped with her rescue and who owned Maggie’s play buddy, took her in. Respect and appreciation to Sheila and people who adopt suddenly homeless canine neighbors. If that happened more, shelters might not be in such dire crisis.
The 6th Precinct’s Community Affairs Officer, Evrim Can, told me that unless there are written “in case of emergency” instructions which gives authority over a pet to someone, out of concern for the animal, the responding officers take the pet to the pound. He also said that if there is a will, that, along with the pet’s information, should always be left in a visible place.
Maggie’s case is unusual as most pets in this situation, whose owners do not keep pet info organized and visible (on their fridge is good), and who do not have a dog walker as capable as Sheila, sadly end up in the pound. These pets are in shock after losing their person. They are confused, not sure why they are at the horrible place, they watch ceaselessly for a familiar face to come for them, they tremble, cry, refuse to eat, cower at the back of their cell/cage. It is traumatic at best and many dogs and cats do not make it out alive. Maggie was a very lucky pup. Does your dog walker know who your dog’s vet is?
It is our duty, as loving pet guardians, to keep our pets out of the pound by providing a safety net in case of our incapacitation. There is peace of mind in knowing that if something happened to you, someone would move heaven and earth to see that your pets are safe and taken care of going forward. Maggie lived out her life in the building where she had always lived, in a sweet little family, with her canine sister, Annie. “We were so happy to have Maggie with us.”
Another hack for pet safety in case something happens to you, is to carry a wallet-sized card on your person that states that you have a pet at home and the name and contact info of someone who will go take care of them.
Lynn Pacifico is a fourth generation Villager who loves dogs, nature and New York City.
