When your best friend, family member, entertainer, consummate food thief and all-around character says, “It’s been 15 years. I love you with all my heart, but my job here is done. It’s time to go”, the heartbreak is immeasurable. Growing up without a four-legged friend but finally bonding with a furry soulmate in my thirties, I finally had the blessing of understanding unconditional love.
My first puppy love, Chance, a magnificent black standard poodle, a person in a fur coat, came into my life 29 years ago as a package deal with the woman who would become my wife. Fourteen years later when we said goodbye to him, I didn’t know that I could feel that kind of pain. It was a bottomless pit of loss I couldn’t understand. I cried and swore I would never have another four-legged child. That lasted 48 hours when I suddenly found myself secretly writing the breeder, “Does Chance have a continued line?”
Chance’s nephew, Leo, a majestic gentle soul, arrived at home aged three months. There was a sense of guilt. How can one love a second child as much as the first? How can one not? Leo became everyone’s magic dog. He was the glue to our home, bonding us and guests alike. We lived in France at the time, and Leo had the run of the house and the neighborhood. Then, when he was eight years old, we moved to Florence and found ourselves in a complicated situation. My wife and I both travel for work, and Leo needed care we could trust completely.
For seven years, we managed through the kindness of friends and neighbors as well as the Miramiao groomers in Bagno a Ripoli. Then, last May, we were both away for work and Leo spent the weekend with friends. He was prancing about, full of energy. A day later, he simply walked over to the front door, lay on his mom’s shoes, and he went to sleep forever. On his own terms, in his own time, at nearly 15 years. So nobly he lived and so nobly he left us. A post-mortem revealed no physical stress; it was simply “time”. While no less heartbreaking, some comfort can be found in the mystery of nature.
This time we talked to our breeder right away, who scoured the world for a new black standard poodle. We found little Enzo, just born in South Carolina, one of a large litter, kept behind from being offered to adoptive families, to be the breeder’s parents’ baby. But for personal reasons, the parents were not able to take on a new companion, and so Enzo was looking for a home. His name wasn’t Enzo at the time, but as he was about to become ours, he needed to be “Italian”. Enzo was meant to live in Italy, but bringing him to Florence at the height of summer, safely, legally and without cargo travel, felt nearly impossible. I was prepared to fly to the United States myself, but summer heat, airline restrictions and the reality of cargo travel made every option feel wrong. Then a friend, Jen Gammell, said, “Have you tried TuscanHound? They are meant to be the best. Here’s the phone number.”
I got in touch with proprietors Maryanne Day and Chloé Waller. It’s no exaggeration when I shout from the tops of our majestic Florentine hills that TuscanHound, in my opinion, is up there with the David and all the other miracles of Florence. I personally experienced the care and precision of TuscanHound Air when we air-transported our puppy using their Executive Pet Travel Steward (EPTS) service. From South Carolina to New York, New York to Milan and finally Milan to our doorstep in Bagno a Ripoli, Enzo traveled in-cabin, accompanied by veterinary-trained staff, with every vaccination, document and comfort meticulously arranged. He had his own seat and was held to allay any worries at leaving his birth pack for his new forever home. Photos, videos and updates were sent to us every step of the way. When he arrived with Maryanne at our doorstep, we held him and cried. Our little Enzo was home safe. Let’s put it this way. Only once in my life have I flown in a private jet and that was as a guest of a wealthy friend. Enzo was not a guest on his flight at three months old. He was the captain!
Our little Enzo now has cultural experiences all over the city. In his notable red scarf, he is taken to the Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti, piazza della Signoria, art galleries, theatres and restaurants. He sees more than I do.
Behind the care at TuscanHound
Maryanne Day, CEO of TuscanHound Air and founder of TuscanHound, was born in New York and moved to Florence in search of la dolce vita. She was struck by how dog-friendly the city was, but she also quickly recognized what was missing: reliable professional services designed to support modern pet owners. In 2009, Maryanne founded TuscanHound, a full-service cage-free boarding and care company near the Ponte Vecchio and with free-roam villas in the Tuscan hills. It is a purpose-built commercial space designed specifically for dogs, setting it apart from pet daycares that operate from home. Later, she expanded to TuscanHound Air, providing in-cabin and private ground transportation for pets across continents, ensuring they travel safely, comfortably and stress-free.
Chloé Waller entered the story first as a client. She came to Florence and relied on Maryanne’s pet sitting services. One afternoon, she picked up her dog, Dexter, and together they enjoyed a pizza in the piazza. She joined Maryanne in 2018, later becoming co-owner, helping build TuscanHound into the luxury pet care company it is today. Chloé now leads TuscanHound’s operations, providing structure and continuity, while Maryanne focuses on TuscanHound Air. Together, Maryanne and Chloé also facilitate adoptions, rescuing animals from shelters, providing support for senior pets, and ensuring every animal in their charge experiences love, attention and dignity.
