By Carol Tannenhauser
The pup in the above photograph is waiting patiently for its owner to pick it up at Bustan restaurant, 487 Amsterdam Avenue, between 83rd and 84th Streets, since Saturday, 9/10 at dinner time. It has no collar.
“I’m told the restaurant will hold him for now,” Priscilla Greene wrote to the Rag. “He looks like a senior so I’m worried if he winds up with animal control.”
The phone number of Bustan is 212.595.5050.
Update: Blue, which is the little dog’s name, had quite an afternoon, culiminating in a meal of hummus and falafel, after which he and his owner were joyously reunited. It turns out Blue lives right around the corner from Bustan, on West 83rd Street, and had bolted out two hours earlier when his owner opened the door. He turned up under a table at Bustan, where he won the hearts of the staff, who were deciding who would take him home after the manager called 311 and was told that nothing could be done. Blue was put in the dining shed while his future was debated, and that’s where his owner spotted him, literally, the doggie in the window.
Thx for the post. So very sad when people abandon pets. Hopefully the owner will reconsider,
Kudos to Bustan.
So sad! I live near Bustan and will be willing to rehome the sweet pup in the meantime until we find his owner. Will be back late afternoon but can stop by to exchange information, etc 🙁 Please let me know!!
Does anyone know if the dog is still there? Bustan is closed until 5 and no one is picking ul the phone
So very kind of you.
Has anyone checked if he is microchipped?
Perhaps someone should take him to a Vet to look for a chip.
Hope the pup is reunited with his owner. I’ve never been to Bustan but their kindness to this dog makes me want to try the restaurant sometime this week. I agree that someone should check with a vet to see if he is microchipped.
Also, Bustan’s food is excellent, Linda. I highly recommend it! The burrata with beets is to die for.
I called several local vets, as well as PetCo and 311. Sadly it seems that if a dog is lost after hours, and is unwilling to be handled by strangers, there are not many good solutions.
Poor little dog! So trusting. Thank you Ellen if you can rehome him temporarily.
Please post an update tomorrow…
Heartening to read about such caring people trying to help this poor pup.
Based on the vast potential for support out there, I’m hopeful that there will be a positive ending to this unfortunate situation.
What a cutie! How can people be so mean to something they once loved?
Hope “Bustan” finds a good new home where will be loved and appreciated.
If no one comes for him I’m sure someone will adpt him. I certainly would.
There is West Side Vet just around the corner on 83rd between Bway and Amsterdam. I just called Bustan and but the person I spoke to has no clue about any dog.
Hi Leslie—long time. Hope you’re well. Shelly
Maybe he was just abandoned…sadly it happens everyday. If the owner is not looking for him hopefully the wonderful person on this thread will re-home him. He looks darling but stands no chance but to die in a shelter. They are over-crowded. under-staffed and under-funded. What a shame. Hope all works out for this darling pup.
Dog has been picked up by owner
I hope his owner has been looking for him and will be found soon.
I appreciate the generosity of the folks at Bustan, but a dog does not belong in a restaurant and the board of health could create problems for it. Could someone take the dog home in the mean time and of course check if it has a microchip?
I just called and the worker said that the dog was reunited with its owner!
We were there too (those are my son’s feet in the picture!) and I’m happy to report that the dog was reunited with his owner later on in the evening. He belongs to a man who lives around the corner and the two of them were very happy to see each other again. The staff at Bustan were amazing at both protecting the guests from being bothered by the dog (who was friendly but didn’t like being touched) and protecting the dog. The owner called 311 for advice, as did I , and we were sadly told there was nothing that could be done without the dog having a tag. I’m so glad this story had a happy ending because it could have gone wrong in many different ways.
There are multiple apps to reconnect people with lost dogs. The owner may be looking for it (can’t just assume the dog is from the UWS). Someone has to take it to a vet and have it scanned for a microchip ASAP. Bond Vet is on 77th and Amsterdam and open until 8:00 pm. And Blue Pearl Animal Hospital is open 24 hours, 410 W. 55th.
Happy outcome: missing owner reunited with lost pup thanks to social media! He came to Bustan to pick up the dog.
Bustan has great food and a fun atmosphere, BTW. Let’s thank them with our patronage.
I certainly WILL go out to eat at Bustan very soon:)
Wow, that dog has an expressive face!! Glad this story ended well:)
He could have just slipped his harness/collar – this can happen sometimes e.g. with a new harness. Thanks to the caring responders. Hoping for a happy ending to this tale!
That dog knows what he did.