Dog Shipping Problems - Cross Posted with Permission

[Novel]

From:
Marcia Deugan
ZIYADAH Sussex Spaniels
Copperquest Chocolate Labradors

Last Friday had to be one of the very most frustrating days of my entire
life. Never have I encountered, all at once, such a group of un-co-operative
uncaring people all working at the same company. The company is Delta
Airlines.

Looking back, I should have realized that something was different. I have
shipped puppies with Delta for over 30 years. This time, when I called the
Pets First desk to make the reservation, at about 6 am one morning I got a
recording telling me that it was closed and that I should call back during
office hours. The recording did not say what those office hours were.

When I finally did get through to them later in the day after being on hold
"waiting for the next available representative" for 25 minutes I made a
reservation for last Friday, Feb. 3, 2006 for a puppy to go "Pets First"
from Ft. Myers FL to Bloomington, Illinois, with a change of planes in
Atlanta. I specifically asked them to check that the planes were big enough
for a 200 crate, and was assured that both were full size Delta jets.

I went up to the airport cargo on Thurs. Feb. 2 to do the paper work ,
surrender the health certificates, etc. since the flight was at 6:55 on
Friday morning and this would simplify . On Friday morning, I took puppy ,
crate, newspaper, towel, stuffed toy, baby blanket, an unopened bottle of
water , dry food in a zip lock bag, and plastic dishes attached to the door
of the shipping crate. Every inch of the crate and all items were examined,
approved , and placed in or taped to the crate. This was at 5:30 in the
morning.

My name and number, owner to be's name and number , were on at least 3
pieces of paperwork attached to the crate. My name, address, and telephone
number are on the crate side in black laundry marker. Puppy was to arrive in
Bloomington at 11:30. At that time the new owner called me. The puppy was
not on the plane.

She was frantic. No one had called either of us. The airline did not know
where he was. An hour later he was located in Atlanta. They informed us that
he was not on the plane because they had used a different plane that did not
allow dogs. So they just let him sit there. THEY NEVER CALLED TO LET US
KNOW!.

No other flight with appropriate plane was scheduled that day. It was then
arranged that he would fly (at 2:40 pm) to Peoria, Illinois and arrive there
at 3:20 (change of time zones) . OK - things happen. Not happy, but puppy
would get there and new owner would drive to get him in Peoria. Then 3:20
arrived, so did the plane, and THE PUPPY WAS NOT ON THE PLANE. THEY NEVER
CALLED EITHER ONE OF US TO SAY THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ON THE PLANE. I had
called the Pet First Desk and been on hold for 60 minutes one time before
giving up and 50 minutes another to make sure he was on the
plane and never contacted a real person. The tracking site on the Delta web
site would not show anything. A
real person told us later that they DO NOT TRACK DOG SHIPMENTS, ONLY PLANES.

It took two hours for them to find him, still at the Atlanta airport. I was
FRANTIC - I am 10 hours away from Atlanta. The new owner (at the airport in
Peoria) was frantic. Once they located him ( I am going," has he been out to
potty, has he got water,
was he offered food?" - oh yes, he is fine, right here in front of me
wagging tail)

Arrangements made to put him on a plane at 8:40 pm. Got through to the pet
desk at 9:00 - NO - THE PUPPY
WAS NOT ON THAT FLIGHT - HE WAS STILL IN ATLANTA. Told to call a "logistics"
number I found that he had
not been put on that flight because it was carrying dry ice. BUT THEY NEVER
CALLED EITHER OF US TO TELL
US-------------WHY WHY WHY------------silence. Now, They told me, he would
have to go to a kennel as they couldn't keep him at the airport for over
four hours. I am to the screaming stage - he has already BEEN at the D------
airport for over 12 hours. Is the puppy OK, is he dehydrated? Has he been
allowed out of the crate, does he have water? Puppy, they said , is
fine. Will go to a kennel I will be billed. They have no idea when puppy
will fly to Illinois ALSO TELL ME NOW THAT HE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SHIPPED
OUT WITHOUT A FAX FROM ME CHANGING HIS DESTINATION. NEVER
EVER MENTIONED THIS BEFORE ALL DAY LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tell them to hold - using cell phone I call Kitty Cahoon who is at dog

shows in Atlanta. Kitty immediately agrees to go and get the puppy - I
convey this to the idiot that I am talking to who then transfers me to
another idiot who says that they won't
release the puppy to anyone without a FAX. I stop trying to reason with them
and scream that it is now 11:30 at night and I don't have a bloody FAX
machine. No budging them. A rule. A contract that I signed that morning
giving them jurisdiction over the puppy.

I tell them that the contract has already been broken by THEM - that it was
to deliver the puppy to Bloomington 12 hours earlier. I finally told them I
would find a FAX machine if I had to drive 100 miles to do that - to not
send the dog to a kennel. I am terrified that I will never see this puppy
alive again. Finally my daughter gets hold of someone in the newspaper
office that she knows and a FAX is sent.

Kitty picks up the puppy. He is, thank God, alive He is also dehydrated, un-
watered, un-fed and in a kennel with urine and stool, dirty paper, bedding,
and toys. To her it seems he has never been taken out or fed or watered. In
that shipping crate for 18 hours. They go back to the show grounds to her RV
and I sink to the floor crying and threatening to sue Delta for the inhumane
and callous way they have managed to lose this pup and cause trauma to us
all.

This is Sunday. Puppy was not in good enough shape to try to fly him
yesterday. Fluids have helped and he is now back to acting good. Delta wants
to "start over" to get him to Peoria. They also want me to pay another $200
to do so. Guess what - I have called my credit card company and that charge
already there will be disputed until the day I die. I WILL NEVER USE DELTA
TO SHIP A PUPPY AGAIN. I will tell everyone I know of the horrible way we
were treated. I will contact every Delta official that I can get a
name/address for. Any other suggestions? I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH.

All through this whole thing not one employee of Delta ever apologized for
the problems. Not once did anyone, except for one ticket agent in
Bloomington, even express sympathy. I told the last person I talked to at
the Atlanta airport that if that puppy died that "heads would roll". Well,
the puppy has survived. Kitty has him safe with her. We don't know at this
time if he will continue his trip or what. Right now we are just glad that
he is alive. But heads are still going to roll.

Please feel free to post to any and all lists and concerned people so they
can't do this to anyone else.

Marcia Deugan
ZIYADAH Sussex Spaniels
Copperquest Chocolate Labradors

[Novel]

And just this week:

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_046134654.html
Westminster Dog On Loose At JFK
Feb 15, 2006 3:06 pm US/Eastern
Whippet Escaped At Noon

(CBS) QUEENS At around noon today, one of the entrants in the Westminster Kennel Club show got out of its carrier on the tarmac and is on the loose at JFK.

The dog, a whippet, was being loaded onto a Delta Airlines plane to California outside Terminal 3, when he escaped.

He has been on the run ever since.

Port Authority police are doing everything they can to safely recover the dog, which is believed to be in the area of the marsh by Jamaica Bay...

[calgal]

Good Lord!!! One reason I would never fly a dog. If that had been a small dog puppy, it would have died!!

How on earth did that little whippit manage to get out of it's crate? Sounds like maybe someone took him out and maybe kept him. That poor dog. How scared he must be and I do hope he's found.

[RIo&Nickysmommy]

I can relate when I moved to NY from Las Vegas I had RIo who was 6 months old. SO he had to go under instead of uptop with me. I was not happy about it but was the fastest way. When I got on the plane asked them is he on it he was they checked. Ok Land at Kennedy was told the dogs are the first thing off the plane and they will bring him out by baggage had hubby their who was already in NY. Figured by the time I got to their he would be their. (Hence I have nothing against people who spak diffrent languages having jobs) Yet why the heck would they have someone who works in that area to help with lugage ect that doesnt speak english or who could care less. Tried everyone to find my dog no one would help. I even went to where you getr scanned for boarding and stuff and made a scene their and refused to move till someone found my dog. No one would help (Good thing it was prior to 911 otherwise I would have been locked up. Finally found and information booth in Kennedy ariport begged the people to help me they found someon two hours later they pull Rio's cage out he was in a room they normally don't put them in. He was soaked and scared and hot. I pulled him out of the cage and carried him out was told cant do that. I was like sure as heck I am. Wrote letters tried contacting them no response and a little while later they went out of business It was National Airlines. When I was getting Nicky from Las Vegas all went fine for the life of me can't remeber who I used but all was great. Boy I can feel for you and that poor pup. You really should do something because their is no excuse for this to happen ever! It is outrageous. Plus nobody takes any accountability with these companies. The dog who is also lost in NY is just horrible. I wont be flying my guys again not after all the horror stories and what I went through with RIo. Good luck I hope things work out for you.
RIo&Nickysmommy

[Novel]

Just a note:
This is a cross post, not my personal experience, but that of Marcia Deugan

[FarCritter10]

That is so horrible Novel. Maybe everyone here can e-mail Delta telling them how they feel. I will, I know that.