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A beloved dog suffered horrific injuries at the hands of airline personnel after escaping her travel kennel and the airplane’s cargo hold, then running loose on the tarmac for more than two hours.
The Golden Retriever, named Er Mao, had traveled with her owner on a China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai to the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport when she somehow escaped from both her travel crate and the plane’s cargo hold, and began running loose on the airport’s tarmac.
In a post on the Chinese social media site, Weibo, the dog’s 23-year old owner shared that the Golden retriever was discovered missing after the flight landed in Wuhan.
“I was very worried because I remembered reading about cases online of dogs being beaten to death after escaping,” the dog’s owner wrote. “I asked the airport staff what to do, would it be beaten? The reply was not to worry, airport staff will not hit the dog and they would help to find it.”
After searching for more than 40 minutes, airline employees returned Er Mao to her owner inside a large net, presumably used to capture her. That’s when her owner discovered the dog had been severely injured, covered in small cuts and puncture wounds and bleeding from her eyes. Airline personnel initially told the dog’s owner that she must have fallen from a platform and sustained the injuries to her face and body.
“I was extremely angry and disappointed,” Er Mao’s owner wrote. “This was like having my own child hit and having the aggressors shirk the responsibility. I had no energy to argue with them, I quickly sent Er Mao to be checked. Its fur is long and hid its injuries.”
The dog’s owner rushed her to an emergency veterinarian for treatment. The dog’s injuries suggest that airline staff used either a spiked whip or fired an airgun at the dog in their attempt to capture her. The dog’s injuries were not consistent with falling from a platform as the owner was told.
Although the airline eventually accepted responsibility for Er Mao’s injuries and compensated her owner for veterinary expenses, they have not explained how the injuries occurred.
According to the South China Morning Post, the airport issued a statement saying that the animal was restrained under its emergency response measures.
“In order to prevent the dog from running loose on airport runways or car parks, which could result in severe causalities, airport employees carried out restraining measures based on aviation laws and regulations,” the statement said.
Er Mao is currently undergoing treatment for her multiple injuries. She is at risk of blindness due to injuries to her eyes.
Joan Reynolds
says:What is going on here is that the airlines employs the Chinese people who have no regard for dogs or cats for that matter. This article came from the South China Morning Post. I so hope that the owner of this dog sues the $$$$$ out of this incomplete foolish airline that thinks little of life of a pet. Shame on all that had a part in this. cruelty to the highest!!!!
Seth Tyrssen
says:What do you expect from people that have a Dog Meat Festival? That said, YES, sue the bastards out of business.
Janice Meyer
says:This poor beautiful dog had no fault in this. If they didn't keep him contained, it's the fault of the airline employees. The fare for her travel was paid by her owner and is expected to be kept safe. The poor soul looks like they sprayed her eyes with pepper spray or stronger. This is totally animal abuse and those responsible for the multiple wounds all over her body should be arrested and charged with top level felony animal abuse and given a prison sentence. Maybe that will teach them the importance of our pets and that they are considered family members. There's no excuse for what these inept employees did to Er Mao. This indeed makes me leery of this airline and I certainly will never use them for my flights. The entire incident could have and should have been avoided with proper training. It's obvious there needs to be a complete turnover of employees.
Janice Meyer
says:One thing I forgot to mention. The numerous wounds on Er Mao's body look like they were done with a taser and that would be inexcusable. Those tasers are meant to take down adults, not small dogs. I'm really surprised they didn't kill her with all the things they did to her. She also has a hole in the skin under her left eye that looks like a place where a barb struck her. Er Mao's owner and best friend should file legal action against the airline requesting payment of all medical (now and future) expenses, emotional and psychological damage to her, and pain and suffering she had to endure because their employees did not do their job properly in all instances.
obx
says:wow and to take pic the dog is being held by the neck??? would be nice to know which airline did this…. along with the person or persons holding the poor terrified dog by the neck wtf….. as far as the owners I hope you sue the DOG S*IT OUTTA THEM !!! period no discussion .. no comments needed .
Nancy
says:Why would they want to use a spiked whip on a dog they wanted to catch? That would only make the dog run more due to fear.The poor dog was tortured for something that it had no control of. Horrible airline.
Yaselin
says:These irresponsible and cruel act committed by the airline employees is unforgivable. I know that the owner of this poor creature only cares that she is well and heals soon, but he must not let go of the mistreatment and suffering this dog went through. He paid for his pet to travel safely and safely, it wasn't free, and it's obvious that she escaped because she was nervous and scared which is very normal. There is no right or excuse to injure an animal so badly and horribly, there are other safe ways to do so for animal welfare. These people must pay by the weight of the law as it should be. This owner should seek justice for his pet. This beauty deserves it, she also has rights.
Bonnie Hofmann
says:This is inexcusable. Everyone should boycott this airline!!!! Such disregard for safety and life!! A net would of worked just fine. It did not need spikes in it.
Frances
says:Horrible what was done to this dog, people need to be held responsible for the cruelty. Would have been much better instead of trying to catch the dog themselves, since the owner was there, get the owner to help, the dog would be much more likely to respond to the owner.
Sadly it could have been much worse, thinking of the dog at the Auckland Airport in New Zealand was shot and killed after running loose on the runways, which happened around March 17, 2017.
Bessie Potter
says:That is really sad. All life forms should be treated with respect. Sadly. Few give it. The airlines definitely needs to be held accountable for the actions of it's employees. Using a spiked whip is never okay. Torture. Abuse is never okay
Rosalie
says:Sue the Airline this is unacceptable people let them get away with it therefore they will not change its high time show them a lesson and save some other pets from this kind of abuse
Ibelievable !!!!!!! I'm never gonna fly fwith this flight company
Marcia
says:Sue the Airlines! They are responsible for hiring the SOB that abused your dog! OMG that poor dog suffered with all those injuries. Compensation for the vet bill is not enough! That dog was traumatised as well as the stress the owner wen through!
Need compensation for that!