A woman abandoned her pet dog at Brussels Airport after being told she could not board a flight with the dog in tow.
Staff at animal shelter SRPA Veeweyde in Anderlecht said they were “deeply shocked” on Thursday, 11 September, when a taxi pulled up at the shelter with a dog - an American bully called Pako - sitting in a cage on the back seat. His owner was nowhere to be seen.
According to the shelter, Pako’s owner had been refused boarding at Brussels Airport when she tried to travel with her dog. Airlines often refuse to allow American bullies to board flights due to concerns about the breed’s breathing difficulties.
But rather than deciding to abandon her trip, the woman called a taxi to collect Pako and take him unaccompanied to SRPA Veeweyde while she boarded the flight alone.
“The driver was completely caught off guard with an abandoned dog on his hands,” said the shelter.
“For our part, we took Pako in urgently, without any information about him: nothing about his routine, nor his medical care, nor even his papers - nothing. We are deeply shocked. This express delivery of an animal is unacceptable.”
A happy ending (of sorts)
Fortunately for Pako, the shelter managed to contact his owner’s family members, who have reportedly agreed to take him in.
In statement released on Saturday, the shelter’s president Gaëten Van Foidsenhoven said: “This morning, after a calm and constructive discussion with members of his family, we organised Pako's return under secure conditions, paying particular attention to his well-being. Pako was not returned to his owner, who will remain abroad permanently, but to relatives who came to collect him.”
Van Foidsenhoven said the situation was a reminder of the suffering endured by abandoned animals and the challenges shelters face when dealing with situations such as this.
“While Pako's story has a happy ending, we must not lose sight of the fact that too many animals continue to suffer from the lack of caution and judgment of people for whom acquiring an animal does not involve a life choice,” she said.
“At the heart of this situation is a sociable, well-balanced, affectionate dog who, above all, deserves to find peace and quiet. We hope that the family environment in which he has been placed will offer him the stability and affection he deserves.”
