Poor Leo the corgi was left outside Key Food on Henry Street last night. According to a cashier he had apparently been out there for over an hour. Everyone was talking about him, and he was petted by almost everyone leaving the store.
Before I arrived, a concerned customer called a number on his tags which turned out to be for his doggy daycare. The daycare said they would contact the owner. His coat was in good shape and very thick - it was a few degrees above freezing.
We waited, and then I left, already late for dinner at home after a cocktail taste test in Brooklyn Heights. A girl who was very upset about him said she would come back and check on him, and when I went back to see if he was still there at 9.30pm, the store was closed and Leo was gone. So someone took him.
I am not sure how you leave a store without noticing your black and white dog outside it. I'd love to know how the story ended.
Update, 3/4/16: I went back to Key Food this evening and spoke to the cashier who was there the evening Leo was left outside the store. The good news is that Leo's owner did come to fetch him.
"Did she seem happy to see him?" I asked. "She was very blase about it," said the cashier, "Like: 'Oh, yeah, I forgot about him.' No big deal."
The cashier was deeply unamused. "These people," (I think she means the 'new people' in the hood), "they want everything. It's like with the kids. But they have no time for them."
So Leo's lady owner shopped, walked right by her conspicuous black and white dog, went home, unpacked and went on with her evening. Didn't miss Leo.
I hope I see Leo in the hood again (if he hasn't gone into hiding).
you have a big heart. glad you tried to help.
ReplyDeleteOh, how sad. Look at the heartbreaking look on his little face and eyes. Poor little guy.
ReplyDeleteI think that kind of behavior is cause for forfeit of dog owner privileges. Thanks for keeping tabs on Leo!
ReplyDeleteAt least Leo has a tail! A chap needs his wag.
ReplyDeleteThis post nearly made me cry - poor little Leo, that's not right! How would that owner like to be tied outside for ages in the cold??? Some people do not deserve to have pets!!
ReplyDeleteGood grief. So glad you were there, as well as the concerned upset young woman, and the store staff. I see this sort of thing ALL THE TIME in Fort Greene, especially in front of Provisions, where the sirens' call to purchase expensive fruit, veg, meat n cheese, etc. is seemingly deafening and unavoidable. These dogs just hang outside, tied up here and there in inclement weather for longer than might be measured as appropriate. Because just how long does it take to buy a few watermelon radishes, a croissant and a heritage pork chop, for example? I've often sat with them - as a temporary steward, until their people reappeared. Some people should stick to soft toy-shaped dogs.
ReplyDeleteOh this is so sad and second story i heard of of a dog being abandoned-(unless of course something happened to its person). I am worried now that Leo may have been taken by someone with less good intentions- It is hard to know what the right thing to do is..
ReplyDeleteI am sure he is safe, though with whom I do not know. He was not alone.
DeleteThank you, Marie, for noticing, caring and checking on Leo.
ReplyDeleteCould you please find out the name of the daycare? I've had this breed for 20 years and we have a responsibility to make sure that they never end up in a shelter. If something happened with the owner, it's important to keep tabs on where this dog goes. The Cardigan community is serious about taking care of all Cardigans that are homeless. I'm not far from you.
ReplyDeleteNo way for me to find the name of daycare, I'm afraid.
DeleteI grew up with corgis and love them, too.
See the update. Owner came back, owner is uncool.
DeleteMy Mum once sat our old and very obedient collie outside the local village bank, went inside, came out, finished her shopping and went home for a cup of tea. Only then did she realise, he was still sitting by the bank door waiting for the command to walk to heel! Lovely to hear from you Marie x
ReplyDeleteNicer in a village :-) And she realized the collie was gone. Good to hear from you, jelli.
Deletewow, some doggy day "care"!- a kind person calls because one of their (regular) dogs is found unattended at a grocery store for hours and all they can do is " contact the owner"? They know the dog, know the owner (accepted their money) and in the end apparently did not care much. And did not offer to take the dog. I don't know what's more upsetting. Someone that sends a dog to daycare because they are concerned that the dog will be feeling alone/abandoned when left at home unattended does not sound like a person who would abandon/tie up there dog outside a supermarket willingly.
ReplyDeleteWell, we don't know what happened. A posse of day carers might have arrived after I left. If I find out more (perhaps from the store) I'll post an update.
DeleteSo, now I don't have to be charitable. See the update, above.
DeleteOh, poor baby! What a sweet boy...he deserves better than a blase owner.
ReplyDeleteI once forgot my dog Jack for 2 hours !! Thank God everyone knew me and Jack and someone finally called me. I was just very stressed about a project and forgot my dear sweet patient dog,who forgave me
ReplyDeleteI was saying to Vince last night that I am prone to great distraction at times, of course made worse by stress, and could not swear that I am incapable of forgetting a dog outside a store. So if Leo's owner had been described as embarrassed or apologetic or at least happy to see him(!)I'd be more sympathetic, but the cashier said she didn't seem affected, so I feel unsympathetic.
DeleteSome folks are very reserved (especially in the face of embarrassment or censure). Perhaps the more pertinent question is: Was Leo happy to see her?
Deletedid you see this article on petro?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/nyregion/the-cat-mayor-of-carroll-gardens.html?contentCollection=weekendreads&_r=0
Yes! I introduced my journalist-friend to Petro :-)
DeletePeople are capable of forgetting a lot of things, even their own children, or grandchildren, as this tragic story illustrates:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/11/27/milton_grandma_sentenced_for_grandsons_death_after_being_left_for_a_day_in_a_sweltering_car.html
More than once I have dropped my dog off at the groomers and then I go about my day at home. After a while I realize that I don't hear her or she is not shadowing me and I begin to panic before I remember she's at the groomers. Lol, I'm forgetful.
ReplyDelete