If you've ever seen the classic Futurama episode "Jurassic Bark," which was based on the true-story of remarkably faithful dog Hachiko, then you already have some idea of just how devastating the relationship between man's best friend and a pizza delivery boy can be. If you're a dog lover and you haven't seen it, go watch it right now. And after you finish getting that dust out of your eyes, you'll have another prism with which to appreciate what the owners and regulars of Arturo's Pizza in Greenwich Village are going through right now.
Arturo's beloved regular, Honey, a Bichon Frise, passed away last month close to the ripe old age of 20 (approximately 96 in dog years). "Everybody in the neighborhood knew her and loved her," said Lisa Giunta, co-owner of Arturo's. When she was little, she was taken in by Giunta's father, Arturo, who opened the restaurant in 1957 on $3,000 borrowed from family. She became a fixture of the restaurant, and it seems she was spoiled by Arturo and his wife Betty, an opera singer: every evening at 5 pm, Honey would sit at table No. 5 for the family meal, enjoying everything from pizza to mussels with linguine and chicken francese with angel hair pasta.
For years, the owners would hold lavish birthday parties for Honey outdoors by the side of the restaurant, or at the parking lot at nearby St. Anthony's, with doggie treats for all the neighborhood dogs. "Lisa is such a kind person, and she did so much to make dog owners feel at home in her part of the Village. Honey was part of that as well," said local resident Brian Dunleavy. Honey was obviously well cared for, treated to acupuncture treatments, swim therapy and many slow walks. She almost didn't get these last couple years though: when Betty died four years ago, she had grown so close to Honey that her dying wish was to put the dog down and be buried beside her, which her daughter ultimately couldn't go through with, despite the dog having arthritis, eye problems and cancer.
