[News] Airline Loses Chesapeake Woman's Yorkie
 

A Chesapeake woman was thrilled to get a new pet, but when the puppy wouldn't eat, the breeder suggested for a short time, she send it back to it's mother. She put it on a flight for Texas. And now the puppy is missing.

"I've already communicated with the kennel. I've already communicated with the airlines in Atlanta, in Norfolk, in Texas. No one knows where she is. She's completely vanished," said Courtney Johnson.

Johnson is terrified of what may have happened to the 3 month old Yorkshire Terrier she named Apple. She bought the puppy from a breeder known as Kimberli's Kuties, who came highly recommended by several friends.

But for two weeks, the playful puppy wouldn't eating properly. Johnson feared Apple needed to be with her mother a little longer and the breeder agreed. So on Saturday afternoon she sent the puppy back to Texas through Delta Cargo."I received a phone call at midnight letting me know she had missed her flight, but that she'd be on a flight first thing in the morning. First thing in the morning, I get a call from the breeder saying she didn't make the flight and they did not know where Apple was," she said.

Since then Johnson has spent a lot of time on the phone trying to locate Apple, but to no avail. "I have been hung up on. I have been told it's not a child, it just a dog. My biggest fear is that they've pushed her somewhere. They've just looked right beyond her and she's now gone three days and she's not eaten or drunken anything," she said.

Johnson says she almost prays that someone stole Apple. At least that way she'd know her puppy was being cared for. But at this point, she can't even get that confirmed. "I've been waiting all my life for this puppy. I've saved my money and I've saved my money and finally, when I was able to afford her and be able to take care of her, she's gone and no one has any answers for me," she said.

Your NewsChannel Three spoke with Delta Airlines spokesperson, Gina Laughlin.She told us delta airlines deeply regrets what happened and hopes to return the puppy very soon. Laughlin also told us they launched an investigation into what happened. However, Johnson tells me, Delta has not even called.

http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp...9&nav=ZolHbyvj

poor apple. i hope and pray she's ok. :(

Awwwwwh!! That is so sad Apple and her mommie will be in my prayers also!

How sad. I hope everything turns out okay

How horrible. What makes it worse is that Delta has not personally contacted her. I hope that she is found soon.

did they even confirm that the puppy was put onto a plane or just left sitting somewhere? how can you loose someones dog? seems fihsy? i think i would involve the police! maybe a disgruntaled employee stol her then quit? i would sue them so fast it's not even funnY! poor little puppy but why would you fly it back to the breeder at 12 weeks? maybe the breeder got her back and isn't fessing up? who knows. i don't see why she didn't try to give the dog something else to eat until she did or take her to the vet. i hope the puppys ok whever happened!

airlines lose luggage all the time why in the world would you trust them with a living thing. i would never ever ship a dog. i won't even take my lab with me because she can't come on the plane with me.

How horrible!!!! I feel so bad for this woman. My heart goes out to her and Apple :(

how horrible!!!!!!I know when I got holly she flew by Delta also. They forgot to put her on her connecting flight also(she was flying from Missouri and had a layover in Ohio then to Philly). But Delta called me and she was put on the next flight. My heart goes out to them. Poor Apple...I hope she is Ok.

Maybe all us yorkie lovers should start calling Delta airlines and threaten them that we will not use them anymore if they cannot come up with a ligitiment answer for where apple is. If she was stolen then they need to say that. Or we should start calling the local news in our states/cities and tell them how Delta cargo did Apple and I bet they will get on the ball and do something. Delta don't want to be air cleaned like that they will do something to shut us up. We really need to do something because if we let them get away with this they will continue to do it to other people and that is UNFAIR.

Ohmygosh that is horrible, I feel for the lady that just bought Apple. I had Diamond shipped to me via Delta from Oklahoma to Virginia and she arrived just fine but I was worried sick about her the whole time. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if she didn't arrive in Virginia like she was supposed to. I really hope the find an answer as to where Apple is. :(

An absolute NIGHTMARE! How could this happen? I seriously doubt that this dog was lost. My suspicions is that someone saw this cutie pie in a crate and decided to take the dog.:mad:

I agree I think someone stole her too. I hope everything turns out good and that she as alive and well.

If the puppy was three months old it was old enough to be away from it's mother. Why didn't she just take it to the vet? Flying it back to Texas makes no sense.....which is beside the point now anyway. Airlines do not treat live animals with the sensitivity and care that they should. There are always stories about crates that are smash and the pets inside missing. Or food and water was overturned and the animal dehydrated or starved. And those are just a few of the less horrible situations that I've heard about.

This is really something else again!! Right!

I'm not so sure that I'd be in a hurry to "sue" anyone. This attitude and threatening to do this does little more than really make everyone not want to help you. Plus - no one knows what has really happened yet.

My Bichon flew from California to me on Delta -- He arrived early, and they couldn't contact me because I wasn't home. But, when I got there - he was the star of the show. All the Delta employees were in love with him and wanted to take him home themselves.

And - two of my friends (one - a very close friend) are pilots for Delta. They are the greatest people in the world - dog lovers themselves.

I know there are always some bad employees (bad apples) every place. You just don't need to be dealing with any people like this right now.

Something is so "wierd" about this whole thing. I sure hope you share with us what happened when you find out. And, of course, you'll be keeping on top of this constantly until you learn what happened.

We need "Columbo." He'd find your pup.

Please keep in touch.

Carol Jean

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