Recently, an 8-year-old New Zealand Maine panda named “Mittens” was mistakenly sent back to New Zealand when it moved to Melbourne, Australia with its owner because its carrier was covered by a wheelchair in the cabin and was not noticed by the baggage handler. It experienced an unexpected journey of 24 hours and three flights.
The owner, Margo Neas, waited for three hours at Melbourne Airport without seeing his beloved cat before learning about this strange accident. The Air New Zealand crew turned on the cargo hold heating during the return flight to ensure the safety of the cats. In the end, although Mittens lost weight and was under stress, he remained healthy and unharmed. When reuniting with his owner, he was unusually clingy.
The airline has apologized and fully reimbursed the expenses, promising to improve the process. Previously, Southwest Airlines in the United States also refused to carry passengers due to cats’ excretion issues, which sparked controversy. Experts remind that long-haul flights can put a lot of pressure on pets, and they should be chosen with caution if not necessary.
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