Houston Family's Dog Dies in United Airlines Plane Cargo Hold
A Houston family is upset about the loss of their dog that died in the cargo hold of a United Airlines plane. The airline, which has the worst record for pet deaths in their flights, is being held responsible by the family for the death of their pet.
ABC News reported that Lulu, a 5-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was cleared to fly by a vet prior to the flight. Unfortunately, the plane was delayed due to bad weather and spent nearly two hours on the tarmac.
The flight finally departed from Houston after 3 p.m. CDT and landed in San Francisco four hours later. Upon arrival, however, Lulu's owners were told that she had died on the plane.
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The Rasmussen family blamed the airline for their dog's death. They said that there were problems with the air-conditioning in the cabin during the delay, something that could have contributed to Lulu's death. Luckily, the family's other dog, Ginger, arrived in good health.
United has issued an official apology regarding the incident saying that they are offering their condolences and assistance to the family. They added that they are deeply upset in the rare instance when a pet is injured when traveling with them. The company is now conducting a thorough review of the incident.
The incident clearly doesn't help United's reputation especially regarding pet deaths on their flights. The airline has seen more than its fair share of pet injuries and deaths; enough for them to have the worst statistic in that category.
Lulu's case is just the most recent accusation of animal cruelty that the airline is facing. United is also currently facing legal action from the owners of a giant rabbit that died after one of their flights.
For the moment, the Rasmussens have not issued a statement on whether they would also pursue legal action against the airline.
