Woman accuses airline of freezing her dog to death
A woman has accused an airline of killing her dog during a flight after he froze to death in a cargo hold.
On January 15, Maria Fernanda Echeverry said she was travelling between the Colombian cities of Puerto de Asis and Santiago de Cali on an EasyFly flight with her dog Homero.
Echeverry took to social media after the incident to accuse the regional airline of killing Homero.
She claims she specifically said she wanted to travel with Homero in the cabin when she purchased her ticket, but was forced to put the dog in storage when boarding.
Echeverry said after the plane landed she was shocked to find her dog’s carrier under several other bags and Homero dead inside.
She claims that the airline simply gave her the carrier without any explanation as if it were “any other object, avoiding all responsibility”.
In her post, she said that a veterinarian and expert in animal transportation told her the plane she was travelling on was not equipped to transport her American Bully as the low temperatures cause hypothermia and hypoxia in the breed.
EasyFly issued a statement saying that Echeverry did not present proof Homero had been vaccinated or documentation that would allow her to take the canine on board.
They added that it is the owner’s responsibility to know if their pets are able to travel as they should know the physical and emotional needs of the animal.
The Attorney General’s Office said they are investigating the incident and reminded transport companies of their “legal obligation to guarantee the life and the physical or emotional integrity of the animals and families that use their services”.
There have been no further reports on the investigation.
Newsflash/Australscope
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