By Emma Sutton-Williams
I wasn’t sure whether I was a religious woman, but that changed when my 52-pound “Mini” Sheepadoodle, Lucy, bolted after her dog walker was attacked by what he thinks was a Cane Corso, which prompted him to drop her leash.
This took place early Tuesday afternoon in Riverside Park near the Promenade.
She tore across the Upper West Side from Riverside, West End, Broadway, Amsterdam, Columbus, and Central Park West before entering the West 81 Street entrance, looping through the park north, east, and eventually Central Park South.
I was at my desk at the New York Post when the alert from Wag.com that my dog was lost finally arrived. I flew out of the office, following her AirTag signal as it headed straight for 59th Street and 7th Ave.
What followed was a Tom Cruise-style sprint through midtown. Just as I reached 59th Street, my phone rang: someone had Lucy after her 2-plus-mile run. Within 60 seconds, I found Lucy surrounded by a human barrier of kind strangers. The woman who finally grabbed the leash? A fellow reporter at the New York Post, whom I recognized but not had the pleasure of meeting yet.
Lucy hadn’t slowed down for a soul during her entire flight, yet she stopped for her. Was it the familiar scent of the newsroom or divine intervention? I can’t say.
But for the concerned strangers who watched a Sheepadoodle fly across town and through traffic, she’s home safe and sound. Her paws are healing, and she’s celebrating her fifth birthday today with a long nap in her UWS apartment.
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So glad and thankful Lucy is home safe! We had a similar experience back when we lived in the West Village and movers / workers left the front door open. Our shiba inu was terrified of all the commotion and bolted out, running straight west, all the way to the West Side Highway. Thank G_d, a good Samaritan found him trembling under a car and took him to a vet, who scanned his microchip and called us. Airtags didn’t exist back in the day.
I hope your walker is ok, too!
Thank goodness for a perfect ending to a wild and well-written story.
Not dead > dead
Oh, thank goodness there’s a happy ending!
No more adventures, Lucy!!!
So happy for you both!
This is why I would ever have a dog walker.
Pepper: Aside from being grammatically puzzling, your post makes no sense and is unkind.
To be clear, the word “ever” should be “never” & I am not blaming the dog walker. I would not want someone else to feel responsible if something happened to my dog while they were walking it.
Any dog that wears a Strand knit cap has superpowers.
I love stories like this.
So glad this had a happy ending — phew! And welcome home, Lucy!
I read the story that the dog walker was attacked by a Cane Corso. I learned that it was a type of mastiff and could be a fairly aggressive dog, similar to a pitbull. Glad that the Sheepadoodle is safe and getting medical attention.
Wondering, how is the dog walker?
Cane Corso has the second strongest bite in the dog kingdom
She may have sensed you when she ran into the fellow NY Post reporter. Animals know their people. So glad Lucy’s home! Her markings are darling! Best wishes
Helping animals –or children, or strangers– is what most New Yorkers do. Here’s to us! (and Lucy)
This is a lovely story. I am so happy your dog is safe & sound. I am worried about the Cane Cross. I have a gorgeous female 4 year old Cane Cross who is well trained and has never been aggressive.it is a wonderful breed! I am sad to hear that an untrained dog was off leash and aggressive. How is the dog walker? Did they find the Cane Cross?
typo/auto correct! Meant Cane Corso of course
Glad all Ok
Carabiners are a good idea to avoid this— hooked to you so if you fall, drop dead, or anything else, the dog stays attached to you🐾🐾💕
Yes, this is the way. This happened to me once. I accidentally dropped the leash. I now I have an extra chain that hooks to the leash (that loop that is used for doggie bags) and to my belt with a carabiner clip. We call it the Hound Hitch.
No one can understand what it’s like to have your dog missing unless you’ve experienced. It’s soul crushing and I wish it on no one. I’ve experienced it and had a similar happy ending. My dog goes no where without an AirTag now.
I’m very happy for you.
Agree!
My first thought was, good grief Emma Sutton-Williams! You need a coat on!! But in all seriousness, that’s a tale of fright and a very happy ending. Then I remembered, it’s not always 29 degrees outside!
Can you create a little map from the path she took, it might be a nice memento of her safe rescue to have a map of her journey. Maybe you should frame it and put it near her bed, to remind her to stay close to home!!
Yikes, attacked by a Cane Corso! Whoa! How’s the dog walker doing?!!? I am very glad Lucy is safely back at home, and so happy that people stepped in to help her once she managed to stop to be helped. Good for her for recognizing a fellow mama-reporter. Wishing you all a restful and restorative weekend.
How is the dog walker? Strange op doesn’t mention
First: Attacked by a Cane Corso…?!?! 😱 Is the walker ok? Kind of a big question hanging out there!
Second: My chihuahua mix, Amos, did nearly the identical route four years ago and was saved by a wonderful couple, now his Fairy Dogfather and Mother. Yikes.