United Airlines is once again facing criticism for its treatment of animals — this time for sending a beloved family pet to the wrong country.
A 10-year-old German shepherd named Irgo, who was meant to fly from Oregon to Kansas to join his family in their new home, was mistakenly flown to Japan after being placed in the wrong kennel. Owner Kara Swindle arrived in Kansas to pick up the family dog, and instead discovered a Great Dane in his place. The Great Dane had been destined for Japan, but baggage handlers mistakenly switched the two dogs in Denver.
“They had no idea where the dog was,” said Swindle to CNN. “I burst into tears instantly because this has all just been a whirlwind. They didn’t know [where Irgo was] until 2:30am on Wednesday when the plane landed in Japan.”
United Airlines released a statement regarding the mix-up.
“An error occurred during connections in Denver for two pets sent to the wrong destinations. We have notified our customers that their pets have arrived safely and will arrange to return the pets to them as soon as possible. We apologize for this mistake and are following up with the vendor kennel where they were kept overnight to understand what happened.”
Irgo is heading back to his intended destination via private charter, but his guardians are concerned about his ability to survive another long haul flight of at least 16 hours.
This is United’s second animal-related incident in less than a week. A 10-month-old French Bulldog died after a flight attendant insisted the dog be kept in the overhead storage compartment for the duration of the flight. Usually, pets that are flown in-cabin are kept underneath the seat in front of the owner, where they can be closely monitored.
The airline is currently being investigated for the incident by the Harris County Animal Cruelty Task Force in Texas, and charges may be filed.
Following this recent death, United introduced a new in-cabin policy stating animals will not be stored in overhead compartments, and will issue special luggage tags to customers that are travelling on board with pets.
United Airlines have an extremely poor record with animal welfare. Last year, 18 of the 24 airline pet deaths in the U.S. happened on United flights. A further 13 pets ended their United flight with some kind of injury.
Christopher Berry, staff attorney at Animal League Defense Fund, urges all carriers to make improvements to procedures when transporting animals, whether in-flight or in cargo areas.
“The law doesn’t treat them as family members, even though many people see them that way,” said Berry. “I suspect that in these cases, the animals, for liability purposes would be treated as – and I hate to say it – luggage.”
Here at Lady Freethinker, we believe that animals are NOT luggage, and we are asking United to enforce stronger, more effective policies to protect the animals that they are transporting. Sign our petition to make sure that mistakes such as this do not continue to happen to our beloved pets.
SIGN: Justice for Dog Who Died after being Forced to Fly in Overhead Bin
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Terrible; things need to change so this NEVER happens again.
sanction the airline owners and managers.. stop airline operations for murder of animals..
I agree there’s other. Airlines out there that would be glad to have my money for my pet to fly
You got that right what would happened if they ever told a parents parent to put there screaming baby up in an over head compartment all these people needs to sue united airline cause are just like part of there family
they are damn lucky the dog survived all this flying time. the dog is 10 yrs. old. someone needs
to be fired. or some ones…
here they go again keeping animals out of owners reach they are the worst case airline that ive now read about what would have happened if their dog had gone to china the same with the other dog where was he going? they could have both ended up in the meat trade this is so evil & disgusting & they should be held accountable for this action & never to work again poor animals suffer in everyway by in humans who dont give a dam.
People you have got to find another more responsible airline to fly. United Airlines is a terrible airline and most of their employees do not value their job or anyone else’s animals or luggage. United Airlines apparently has poor leadship from top to bottom that misplacement of animals and luggage is the norm for them and shoulders shrug in a noncaring, so-what fashion. I can’t forget the last story about the foggy-brained United Airlines flight attendant who told a passenger that she must put her crated dog in an overhead compartment since it wouldn’t fit under the seat. What kind of rational person would say that? She should have known that a plane’s overhead compartment is sealed and nothing or no one can breath in there. Once again, a very poorly trained employee suggesting a very stupid yet deadly solution.
What an utterly disgusting airline!
Fire United Airline!!!!!!
United is so careless with animals. Why don’t they just stop animal transport!
Idiots
The F.A.A. Should revoke their license and shut United Airlines permanently!!!! They also need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!!! United needs to learn animals are NOT LUGGAGE!!!! They are creatures who are living , breathing, feeling, things who are loved and part of someone’s family. These incidents have happened one too many times!!! A example must be made of United until this animal cruelty stops!!!!
As far as I’m concerned I’m FINISHED with United. First poor little Kokito and now this total screw-up. Let other airlines beware, people will boycott you too if you don’t care for your precious animal charges properly.
I’d never fly United with a pet! They don’t care at all. It’s all about the flight attendant being wrong but thinking they are right! United has had 18 of the last 24 pet deaths on a plane in the last year?!?!?! And another 13 pets injured on their flights! SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE FIRED!
Thank you for sharing, This mistake should never happen ! Poor dogs ! Be careful airlines. These dogs and other animals are living creatures like us.
Everyone should boycott UNITED
Thank you for your candid reporting of what truly happens in these situations. The public really needs to know what happens to animals that travel on the airlines. I seriously doubt that United will take any measures to feed the animals that they have misdirected due to current lapse of attention (to put it mildly). I feel sorry for people and their pets that must travel this way. This is really inhumane and causes an immeasurable amount of suffering for the family and pet(s). In the future, it would be a good idea if people, who are in a situation where their job might take them abroad, would consider a smaller pet that they could take onboard and monitor. Or they could perhaps re-home their pet with someone they trust (preferable to death). I doubt our legislators care enough to create any legislation with sufficient teeth to combat this problem. Seems to me there is a niche market here for caring/luxury pet transportation. Unfortunately the common person wouldn’t be able to afford it.
It is high time that airlines are regulated regarding pet travel. Any airline employee who mishandles or instructs someone to mishandle an animal should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law as if the incident had happened non airside. Better y et tgey sgoild be forced to suffer tha same trwatment that yhe animal received. ????
Herewith is a public awareness bulletin that everyone needs to read regarding animals handled on airside.
There is no overseeing body for animals on airside at airports and in the air. Neither the SPCA nor the Humane Society has jurisdiction on airside.
Airside is a free-for-all when it comes to handling animals. There are no regulations except animals can’t be loaded with dry ice in cargo holds. Animals are considered baggage or cargo and are treated exactly as such; bags and cargo are loaded around animal cages in aircraft cargo holds and sometimes stacked over top of them as well. Animals are exposed to extreme noise and temperatures. They are stacked on metal tub carts-sans shocks with other bags or cargo. When these carts are taken from the baggage makeup hall to the aircraft for loading they are usually left under the tail of an aircraft and exposed to loud high-pitch APU noise. Occasionally a departing aircraft at a neighboring gate requires an air start which is deafening. Animals on tub carts are sometimes left in the baking sun or freezing temperatures.
Airlines are not responsible to feed or water or walk the animals. And animals traveling across a border travels in-bond; therefore, the kennel cannot be opened at any time regardless of how many hours or days an animal is in a kennel, including if time is lengthened due to aircraft delays of any nature such as mechanical issues.
Many owners leave food in a bag taped to the top of a kennel. That food will never be given to the animal unless the owner has paid for a pet hotel during layovers.
Many owners don’t put water in kennels for their animals and if they do they put it in shallow dishes. Kennels may bounce in tub carts and ride up steep belt loaders, which potentially spill water into kennels. If there is no blanket inside to help absorb the water then it lingers at the bottom of the kennel. Cargo holds in aircraft such as A320s, A321s and other airbuses are not heated as such but rather receive residual cabin heat only thus bulk hold floors can get extremely cold and even be covered in ice on arrival; therefore, water on kennel floors in these cargo holds can freeze, freezing animal paws into the ice. Extremely deep water dishes attached inside kennel doors as well as thick bedding are strongly recommended.
One newspaper reported that after a dog died in a cargo hold the airline claimed “ground handlers are trained to handle animals and are animal lovers.” Neither is accurate. Ground handlers receive very little animal handling training and while some may love animals many others do not for personal or religious reasons.
Unless an independent overseeing body is on sight monitoring all loading and offloading of animals on airside little will improve. We need to campaign for this change to take place.
The federal food inspection agency has oversight on food-producing animals at airports, but even this receives little oversight and is fraught with corruption.
I am a 30-year veteran airport ground handler who has seen much animal suffering on airside.
If the author of this petition would like more information please feel free to contact me.
Sorry, their act together!!
Stupid dead beats !! About time they got they’re act together. ????
No more United Airlines!!!!
All of these incidents make me so angry. there is no reason for any of this to happen and especially with that poor little Bull Dog and the stupid attendant saying she didn’t know a dog was in the crate. anybody with eyes could have seen the dog in the crate especially since they paid for the dog to ride in the cabin. I would have flat out refused to put the dog in the overhead bin. United airlines needs to go out of business or not fly pets at all anywhere. I personally would never fly United. I personally would rather drive than fly anywhere with any airline because of the stupid rules and regulations that apply to apply to everyone except the terrorists. I don’t trust them to keep me safe in the skies.
Goodbye United Airlines – I have too many options when I need to travel. Dogs are family – you are despicable and heartless.
#boycottunitedairlines!
United needs to “airline up”. Either get it right or get out of pet .travel. Your record is unacceptable that so many injuries a n deaths have happene