[News] Airline Loses Chesapeake Woman's Yorkie

[icy]

Hope that they find her soon. At this point, I really do hope that someone stole her and have her healthy and happy in someone's home

[nafretiri]

The very reason I will not ship a pup or dog. When I buy a dog, I fly to wherever it may be to pick it up and carry it home. When I send out a pup, either myself or my hubby get on the plane, and deliver it to the buyer's local airport. I have heard of this happening too many times, and these guys are too helpless and preciouse to ship them like a package.

[tonyismybabyboy]

I drove 9 hours to get my puppy (N Illinois to S Missouri) and then back that same night. I couldn't imagine ever shipping my little Tony, he is just too fragile.
praying for apple

[Mz_s3ski_Kitt3n]

oh my goodness !! our prayers w/ her !!

[HighlandYorkies]

I feel sick at reading this thread...you'd be worried enough about a little dog, or any other animal for that matter, having to go in the hold of a plane - but for it to be lost and hungry and bewildered is horrific
I can't say how much I hope she is found, and very soon.
Maybe a baggage handler has her, fingers crossed !
DEBRA x x x x

[gingismom]

Did anyone even think that maybe the breeder did receive the dog and it died and to releave herself of replacing it she said it didn't arrive. And furthermore why would the owner leave the dog in the airport if it missed its flight, my heart and prayers go out to her, but I would never leave my dog anywhere over night especially an airport. Airports do have surveillance cameras maybe someone stole the dog.
But if the dog was not eating at 3 months I fear she wasn't healthy, I've bought puppies when they where only 6 weeks and they eat just fine. When a dog is not eating its usually sick, I feel she should have took the dog to the vet unfortunately there are many irresponsible breeders who only care about the money. I bought a dog recently and now I'm in court suing her because she refuses to replace the dog. The dog was sick with pnemonia or parvo and I'm sure she knew but just kept quiet so she could get the money. This was a woman whos been breeding for 25 years and claims she loves her dogs. Here the law states its 41 days after the purchase considering you take the dog to the vet within the first 3 days you have the dog. Don't give up and keep pushing to find out what really happened. Best of luck and you are in my prayers.

[mire]

Airline can't find puppy shipped from Norfolk to Dallas
By JANETTE RODRIGUES, The Virginian-Pilot
? June 24, 2006



CHESAPEAKE - It's one thing to lose a piece of luggage, but another to misplace a puppy.

But that's just what happened when a Chesapeake woman recently used Delta Airlines to ship her 3-month-old Yorkshire terrier puppy from Norfolk International Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Courtney Johnson, 26, said Friday the last time she saw her teacup Yorkie, Apple Riley, was in the crate she had lovingly filled with the puppy's blankets, chew toys, "Vicious" T-shirt and pink hoodie, for a trip to Texas last Saturday.

The dog never made it to Dallas - or Atlanta or Pittsburgh - as Delta customer service representatives initially told Johnson.

"The latest as of Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. is they told me they could not find her," said Johnson, who was not on the flight. "She was no where in the airport."

A Delta spokeswoman said what happened is a rare occurrence, but it does happen. The airline has wrapped up the investigation into Apple Riley's disappearance.

"We did notify the customer that we were not able to locate the animal, so this has moved into a claims process," said Gina Laughlin of Delta. "And we are working with the customer right now to work through the claims process."

She would not speculate on the odds of the puppy being alive.

This isn't the first time Delta lost a family pet. In March, the airline lost a champion whippet named Vivi after she broke free of her crate, newspapers reported. The dog was never recovered, and the airline settled with the sight hound's owner for $2,000 in search-related fees.

Also in March, a New York bulldog breeder said Delta "forgot" about her puppy for a day when he missed a connecting flight, newspapers reported.

Johnson is heartbroken. She had been saving up to buy the $1,500 puppy for a long time. It cost her $200 to have her shipped from Texas.

"I had to save my money for a very, very long time to be able to afford her," she said. "I have wanted her all my life, and I had her for two weeks. Everyone who saw her just fell in love with her."

Johnson was sending her back to Kimberli Wood, a Texas Yorkie breeder, because she was worried about the puppy. Apple Riley was listless and wasn't eating, despite an overnight trip to a veterinary hospital.

As nervous about Apple Riley as a new mother, Johnson was in constant contact with Wood. The women agreed that maybe the puppy needed some extra TLC.

"Sometimes these little, itty, bitty ones are finicky," Wood said.

The women believe Delta was negligent. They wonder why no physical trace of the dog or the carrier have been found. They speculate that someone may have stolen Apple Riley.

Teacup dogs - toy breeds that weigh less than 2 pounds - have been popular pets and fashion accessories for a few years. They have become popular dognapping targets because they can sell for upwards of $1,800.

Sometimes dogs are stolen for even more sinister reasons - to use as bait to train fighting dogs.

Johnson and Wood said they were told a number of stories by airline officials between the time they realized the puppy was missing and when Delta admitted it had misplaced the pet.

"The airline told the breeder that she was in a kennel overnight and they would send her to Dallas on the first flight in the morning," Johnson said. "The breeder called the kennel and found out she wasn't there."

When asked why no trace of Apple Riley or her carrier were found, Delta had no answer.

"Delta deeply regrets that this unfortunate situation has happened," Laughlin said. "We are committed to working with this customer to finalize the claims process."

Wood, who has been a dog breeder for nearly a decade, said she will never use Delta again to ship an animal. Johnson plans to speak to a lawyer.


Reach Janette Rodrigues at (757 ) 222-5208 or janette.rodrigues@pilotonline.com.

[mire]

I have not found any other article on the Internet that updates this story...

[gingismom]

It makes me so mad and sad at the same time. The company has made this mistake before and apparently its a reocurring problem. I know how I would feel, that poor girl must be so unconsolable. The airline is acting like its no bi deal. They should check out the servailance cameras something has to show up, dogs in crates don't just pick up and disappear. I hope she sues and wins and Delta should get a fine. I hope to God she finds her dog, because in these situations thats all a person really wants. I'd really like to know the update on the story.

[mistyinca]

I see this is an old story, and the first I've seen it...but, I'm sorry, too many things sound not right to me.

Would anyone here put a tiny (teacup) yorkie that had not been eating well on a plane back to the breeder? If it had not been eating well, how's it going to do in a very stressful situation where it will be for at least 8 hours (if all went right). No. No. No. The whole thing is fishy to me. Sounds like the owner and the breeder are up to something.

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

I am so sorry to hear this...and hope that Apple is safe somewhere..

[SasquatchMommy]

I'm from Norfolk, outside of Chesapeake, and when this first happened it was all over the news. Since then, almost a year and I haven't heard one follow-up. I was really suspicious about the story when it first aired too, because at that time I was working on my hubby about getting a yorkie, and Apple just seemed toooooooo small to make that trip back to the breeder, expecially being sick and coming all the way here from Texas once already. Maybe the owenr was just inexperienced, or worse. Who knows. I'll be sure to post an update if the local news ever gives one!

[I Love Bailey]

This story is so sad, this is why I would never ship a puppy. You have no idea what happens to them once they are out of your hands.

I found one follow up story:
http://content.hamptonroads.com/stor...n=66366&tref=y

She did get compensated for the puppy.

[Rhapsody]

How awful! This brought me to tears.

[pat022351]

OMG - little Apple Riley is just too adorable - I hope someone has her and is loving her right now.