A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about fostering a dog in the city. A friend of mine, in the East Village, recently registered herself as a foster parent for dogs rescued from kill shelters. It took some time before we actually got a dog, as they seemed to be getting adopted quickly, thanks to networks such as PetFinder. But last week, he finally arrived. When we picked him up from the shelter, he didn’t have a name. Looking down at the small, black- and brown-striped pit bull with floppy ears and beady eyes, I chose the name Harvey Goodboy. Harvey was adorable. He could coax a smile out of anyone passing by on the street with his curious eyes and wagging tail. Pit bulls have an overwhelming amount of energy and strength, as they are known for being bred illegally for dog fighting. Because of this problem, pit bulls are very common in New York dog shelters. If they haven’t been trained to fight, they are usually the sweetest animals. Harvey was one of the sweet ones. Still a puppy, he had to be trained not to play aggressively but was a fast learner. Aside from going for a long walk or playing with his toys, Harvey’s favorite activity was sprawling across my lap while I watched TV. In the spring, dog owners rule the sidewalk. It is nearly impossible to pass a block without seeing a dog on a leash, whether it is a small terrier with his spring vest on, or an enormous cane corso ready to plow you out of his path. Luckily, New York is full of parks and “dogruns” that allow dogs to play off-leash in a gated area. I used to be skeptical about owning a dog in the city, but with dog walkers, parks and dogruns, a well-cared-for city dog can get plenty of exercise, attention and be properly socialized with other dogs. And, of course, city dogs are always flaunting the latest fashion of the season! Harvey was eased into the Tompkins Square Park dogrun on a leash. To our surprise, he spent the entire time sitting on my friend’s lap, watching the other dogs! It’s hard to believe that a dog like Harvey was minutes away from being put to sleep. But the greatest news of all — Harvey Goodboy was adopted into a new family yesterday! -Courtney Centeno, account executive