HOUSTON – Almost two dozen pets died in the care of airlines during a six-month period this year, according to animal incident reports to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Local 2 Investigates searched through the records and found 22 pets have died after their owners handed them over to airlines, including animals on Houston flights.
"They killed our dog. They murdered him," pet owner John Von Anchen said.
Von Anchen and his wife said they wished they never trusted Delta Airlines with their beloved pug dog, Jay.
"He looked at me with those big round eyes, like, 'Don't leave me. I need to travel with you, and not in the suitcase,'" said Julie Von Anchen. "Maybe we shouldn't have taken him at all. Maybe I should have asked, double checked, three times checked."
American, Continental, United and Alaska Air all reported animal deaths in animal incident reports to the U.S. Department of Transportation, but Delta reported the highest number of pet deaths in the six-month period. It is a small percentage of animals that die compared to the number of animals that fly, but, if it is your pet, it doesn't matter.
"They killed my dog and they have killed other peoples dogs and cats and other pets," said an outraged John Von Anchen.
Two pet deaths involve Houston flights during the summer. A 2-year-old French Mastiff named "Duke" on a flight from New Orleans to Houston and a pet Yorkshire Terrier on a flight from Houston to Salt Lake City. The airline animal incident reports to the U.S. Department of Transportation both state the animals had pre-existing health conditions before flying.
Many airlines have restrictions on pets that travel by plane. Some airlines do not take pugs or other snub-nosed dogs because they do not travel well.
It is not just pet dogs dying on flights. An American Airlines incident received national attention when the owner made a Facebook page about Jack the cat lost in American Airlines baggage claim at JFK airport in New York. The cat was finally found after two months, but it was so malnourished the animal eventually died.
"It seems the airlines aren't equipped and aren't really set up to handle pets, but they take them on anyway," said Von Anchen.
Delta reached what it called a compensation agreement with the Von Anchens over the death of their dog. The airline said it transports pets safely and it will continue to do so in the future.