Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Federal officials in Texas investigate puppy’s death
Federal officials are investigating United Airlines’ animal transportation practices, after a 10-month-old French bulldog died Monday while he was stowed in the overhead compartment of a flight from Houston to New York.
According to the dog’s family and other witnesses on the plane, a flight attendant demanded that the pet’s owners place the carrier inside the overhead bin for the duration of the flight.
Though United apologized for the incident and took full responsibility Tuesday, the company said in a statement Wednesday that the flight attendant was not aware that the dog carrier had an actual dog inside.
In an interview with ABC13 in Houston, Sophia Ceballos, a young member of the French bulldog’s family, said she and her family told the flight attendant repeatedly that there was a dog inside the carrier.
“She said, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was a dog. I thought it was a normal bag.’ But we told her it was a dog; she’s lying,” Ceballos told the TV news station.
“DOT is looking into the circumstances surrounding the recent death of a pet on board a United Airlines flight and is in contact with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency that enforces the Animal Welfare Act and handles complaints about alleged animal mistreatment,” a Department of Transportation spokeswoman said Thursday.
Other government officials are also looking into the circumstances of the dog’s death, and about general practices of pet transportation on United Airlines.
The district attorney’s office in Harris County, Texas, where the flight originated, said in a statement Wednesday that its animal cruelty division is conducting an investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing.