Death of a Dog

Concerning the death of the little bulldog who was put into an overhead bin by a stupid stewardess — he barked for 2 hours! And then died. How can the stewardess say she didn’t know there was a dog in the bag? This is so horrible I can’t stand to hear any more reports about it!

38 thoughts on “Death of a Dog

  1. Carol B

    It makes me sick to my stomach. I trust there will be consequences.
    What a horrible and senseless death!

  2. Janice

    Such a senseless death. Beyond comprehension. I am not sure who’s more to blame though, the stewardess or the family for not checking to see if it’s okay to bring a dog on board. So sad for that little dog. Jan in MA

    1. Susie Q

      They DID check and it was ok…… there is so much in the news about people being “taken off” planes these days they probably did not want to make a BIG scene.

  3. Judy Brennan

    This is animal abuse. How horrible. I just can’t imagine what that little puppy was going through. SO sad. So sorry to hear this. My heart hurts for this puppy.

  4. Carrolyn v

    Thank god the world has more people like you who profess and share their love of animals! When I was a very little girl, I remember wanting to make a pet of a grasshopper (in a shoe box I had prepared with a cap of water, grass etc). He kept jumping away and I would have to catch another!. My friend told me to just pull off the big hind legs and he couldn’t jump away. I didn’t want to because I thot it might hurt them. She said it didn’t. So I proceeded to do that when my father saw what I was doing. In his wisdom, instead of yelling at me, he gently asked if I didn’t think it might hurt the grasshopper. I informed him my friend said it didn’t, I was about six…she 8. My dad then just asked if I had asked the grasshopper. I can still remember the shutter go down my spine with the realization of feelings etc of others…and esp gods creatures. To this day ….60 years later…I even take spiders outside rather than squash them. That flight attendant needed my father……and a jail sentence.

  5. Robin Rauk

    Mary, she knew exactly what she was doing, I guess if that would have been Liberty I would have been kicked off the flight. there is no way a flight attendant would talk me into putting my dog in a enclosed bin in a already stressful situation!! I feel bad for the owner and all the people in the area that knew what was going on. She should be FIRED. And the airline needs to do more training..

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Robin – I would have gladly left the flight – with my dog – if they tried to put her in an overhead bin!

  6. Kathy

    I get so sick each day hearing the stupidity of people in our country. Human heart tells you if a dog is barking there is something wrong and speak up or check on it! I hear a child or a baby scream in a store or parking, I start heading in that direction. Innocent victims whether animal or human depend on responsible adults to care and tend immediately to them.

    1. Susie Q

      Responsible adults – that’s the problem ….. there seem to be fewer and fewer…..

  7. Linda

    I was so upset to hear this story on the news last night….That poor , poor little dog—I don’t think I could ever bring my dog on a plane for any reason—I don’t trust checking a dog either.. good thing I will never have to as far as I know ..why wasn’t there anyone who took compassion on that little barking dog????? I don’t understand it at all…That flight attendant should be fired….

  8. Kathy

    I’m with you, all I see and hear on this stupid person and so many other stupid and cruel people and what they do to these poor babies and animals it’s just sickening the worst part is doesn’t seem like any of them ever pay for their stupidity and coolness to a living breathing thing

  9. Sue H

    Wow! I hadn’t heard of this. That flight attendant needs to be canned & fined and still that wouldn’t be enough.

  10. Vickie Devore

    In order to keep my sanity, I say a prayer for the animal (or other living things); and tell God I sure hope he has a VERY special place for these idiots.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Vickie – I’m going to try to subscribe to your attitude. There is no way I would have stayed on that flight if my dog was not safe.

  11. Fiona at Ice Bear Quilts

    I agree, this is an appalling example of cruelty and stupidity. I would have demanded to speak to the purser or the captain (and there is no way I would have allowed my puppy to be put in a locker), but I can also understand that a stressed and less assertive passanger might eventually comply, assuming that the stewardess knew what she was talking about. I am however amazed that none of the surrounding passangers intervened and that no one checked on the dog in the course of the flight! It is a sad comment on human nature, and of course, the victim pays the ultimate price.
    I well remember as a teenager seeing a dog locked in a hot car in the sun at the supermarket. I went into the supermarket and asked them to call over the loudspeaker to see if the owner could be found: no response. The manager called the police, and when they arrived, they smashed the small side window without hesitation and rescued the dog, who was in a pretty bad way, but did recover afterwards. When the owner eventually got back to the car, they were furious: not grateful at all that the police had saved their dog’s life, just angry about the broken side window! So they ended up with a hefty fine for animal cruelty and the dog was rehomed, (with owners who loved him dearly). It would have haunted me forever if I had not tried to help, and with the aid of the manager and the police, a tragedy was averted. People need to speak out, when they see something cruel, not just turn the other way.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      What a compassionate thing you did for that poor dog in the hot car! Wasn’t there another animal lover on that flight who could have helped that poor dog? He barked for two hours! Take the dog out of the overhead bin and land the plane to take me off if necessary. I’m beginning to think the owners have to take some responsibility – they heard him barking above their heads! For two hours! I can hardly go about my daily work today thinking about this poor little dog.

  12. Sue

    What’s a mother to do?

    Knowing how United handled the doctor who refused
    To get off his flight, the poor women probably felt
    She didn’t have any options.

    United best train their employees better.

  13. Launa

    Very sad happening. Then there’s the teacher who fed a sick puppy to a snapping turtle in his class. A very nasty, heart breaking experiment. Who hires these people…better yet who is going to fire them?

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Laura – I had not heard the story – please don’t tell me any more details except where it happened. It breaks my heart. Hug Pepper for me!

  14. Cindie - WI

    I just said to my husband this morning that I can’t that poor puppy out of my head. 🐾
    Glad to hear I am not alone.

  15. Carmen

    So many questions about this. The mother has a language barrier, which I am sure did not help the situation. Why didn’t one of the other passengers do something? Or another flight attendant? So, so sad.

  16. Teresa

    I haven’t read the story you guys are commenting on but I’ve flown on several flights where people had their dogs, loose but on a leash, just laying under the seat in front of them. I chatted with a lady one time who had brought her dog onboard and it was laying on the floor under the seat and she said, it is not required to have them in a kennel but they must lay on the floor and of course, not be a disturbance to other passenger’s. In other words, they must be trained to behave and stay in their own space throughout the flight. So, that said, makes you wonder if there was more to story here that the flight attendant asked them to put the dog in the overhead compartment and that the family did it.

  17. Anne

    Inconceivable that this would happen. My heart breaks for the family and I hope that this is a wake up call for bystanders to speak up especially to help those who do not speak English well. And for bystanders to speak up for defenseless animals. I don’t know the full story-did anyone at least check on the dog during the flight?

  18. Lynn Handberg

    You would think another passenger would have heard the dog barking – for two hours – and attempted to rescue the dog. Was the dog brought on inconspicuously cuz the owner didn’t want to pay extra for the flight? The owners have much responsibility also.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      I heard the owners paid the $200 for the dog’s “ticket”. They have to take some ownership here.

  19. Diane

    When did we lose all common sense? We used to be smarter, I think. I feel sorry for the three little kids, too. I still remember when my first pet died. So sad for all..

  20. Linda Schluchter

    Isn’t that horrible, I cried when I heard the story early this morning and saw the picture of the beautiful baby on the news. The flight attendant needs to be punished, not just loose her job. I’m not one who would arbitrarily sue someone but in this case I do think the family has the right to sue for the pain and suffering of losing their family member. There was a policy to put small carriers under the seat in front of them and that’s what they did but the attendant was either not trained or simply throwing around her weight and made them put the poor puppy in the cabinet. Shame, shame on that woman! So sorry for the suffering family.

  21. Jan B

    I’m with you Mary! This is so ridiculously stupid on the flight attendant’s part that to me it shows common sense has completely disappeared! A friend of mine who flies fairly frequently with me said that the small dogs only have to fit under the seat for takeoffs & landings. Thereafter you can keep it’s carrier on your lap to talk to & comfort your dog. Additionally, some airlines will even let you take a small, trained dog out of the carrier while in flight & hold it on your lap! There was ZERO reason to keep that poor dog in the overhead section for more than 2 hours. There’s little air in that compartment & after barking (& probably annoying other passengers) for 2 hours, it was thirsty! There is NO, NONE, ZERO, NADA reason for this type of “human” behavior! That dog was in a pre-approved airline carrier! The woman also had a baby or small child with her. I give her credit for even trying to fly with those responsibilities. She did all she was supposed to do! I would now OWN United Airlines if that happened to my dog! I would sue them big time! I, too, am angry & can’t get past it & then I saw the Mom interviewed on TV & her daughter was crying just so upset that her dog was DEAD! It’s just beyond heartbreaking!

  22. Ruth Bridges

    So this is my thinking. The dog barked for two hours ? After take off why wouldn’t you get the dog out of the bin , what are they going to do kick you off the plane ?

  23. Jan VanDeWalle

    All this news is not getting out to everyone, There hasn’t been much on the news here. I can’t believe that a stewardess would be that dumb. tonight I just heard that a dog got shipped to Japan by “mistake” Where does this all end.

  24. Felicia Hamlin

    In the news it said that the dog carrier was sticking out into the pathway,can’t think of the right way, then the flight attendant had said that she didn’t realize that there was a live animal there. I, too can’t understand how anybody could hear this poor little dog bark and do nothing about it. It people hear a baby cry they usually complain or try to help, but nobody bother to check on that innocent animal. The mom had her hands full and she probably was afraid to check. I read that that dog breed have more problems because of the configuration of their noses. In any case, like so many of you have said, there is a lack of compassion, common sense and responsibility.

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