A naughty Golden Retriever pup has eaten her owner’s passport days before he is set to marry his fiancee in Italy, putting a potential dampener on their plans.
Eighteen-month-old Chickie – short for Chicken cutlet – may have had other plans for her owner Donato Frattaroli and his fiancee Magda Mazri, from Boston, who are expecting to tie the knot at La Torre di San Marco, an old watch tower overlooking Lake Garda in Gardone Riviera, in northern Italy, on 31st August.
The couple had just been to City Hall in Boston to fill out some forms ahead of their wedding before coming home on Thursday, 17th August, and setting the passport down on the counter.
The dog reportedly jumped up onto the counter and decided that Frattaroli ‘s travel document was her new plaything.
Donato said: “Our extremely cute 1.5-year-old Golden Retriever decided that maybe she doesn’t want us to go away to get married, so she hopped up on the counter and decided my passport was a nice new toy to play with.”
After realising that the most important pages in the passport were now shredded, he said that he did not think that he was “that polite”, but added: “I mean, she’s a 1.5-year-old Golden Retriever puppy, couldn’t be a cuter culprit.”
Magda, who is in medical device sales, contacted her congressman, US Representative Stephen Lynch’s office, which was then reportedly in contact with the couple, along with the office of Senator Ed Markey.
Donato, whose family owns several restaurants across Boston, said that he might be able to be seen in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, before flying back to Boston to catch the flight to Italy.
While it usually takes 8 to 11 weeks to obtain a new passport, it can be done in 5 to 7 days if expedited, and even sooner if it is an emergency.
Donato, who has been with Magda for four years, said: “I’ve heard in some instances that you could walk out the door with a passport. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I would leave that office without one.”
He added: “The most important day of my life is coming up, I’ve got to make sure I’m there for it. It’s almost like the ‘Dog ate my homework’ excuse but with slightly bigger ramifications.”
Donato’s dad was born in Gardone Riviera before emigrating to the US at the age of 14.
The couple are expecting 86 guests from the US, four from Australia, four from Italy, and four from Morocco.
