On 11 September, Pako, an American Bully, was dropped off in a taxi heading to the SRPA Veeweyde shelter near Brussels, Belgium. His owner had just abandoned him after being refused boarding on a plane due to the breathing risks associated with his flat-faced breed.
As a brachycephalic dog, Pako can't travel in the cabin or cargo hold without putting his life at risk. Faced with this restriction, his owner chose to take her flight alone, leaving her dog behind. "Rather than cancel her holiday or find a responsible solution, she took the plane and called a taxi to send us her dog", the shelter wrote angrily on its Facebook page. The driver found himself completely bewildered by this unexpected passenger.
An abandonment and a new chance
The shelter called this act "shocking and unacceptable" and initially considered filing a complaint against the owner. Eventually, after a "calm and constructive discussion with her family members", Pako was handed over to relatives of his former owner, who has stayed abroad to live.
The dog has now found a safe and suitable environment. Of course, the shelter will ensure everything goes well for the pooch.
