Airline is Dogging Woman’s AKC Claim
By Robert Warne - September 16, 2003 A rash of costly dog death claims has prompted some airlines to ground certain pug-nosed breeds from flying through Bangkok and Singapore.
On August 28, five prized purebreds that landed in the two Asian cities overheated and went belly-up in the belly of the plane on the tarmac not long after their arrival.
One of the owners, Donna Rhodes wants at least $20,000 in compensation for her dog’s death.
Rhodes had recently purchased her purebred Pekinese, Molly, from London breeders and was in the process of flying the dog home to New South Whales when the unfortunate event occurred.
Her claim against Qantas seeks compensation for Molly’s market value; which includes loss of breeding proceeds, loss of bloodline, irreplaceability and nervous upset.
Qantas is currently looking into the events that led to Molly’s death, which if determined to be a result of natural causes would exempt the airline from any liability.
Back in Australia, Rhodes commissioned her own autopsy and the veterinarian concluded that the three-year-old Molly died of asphyxia, aspiration pneumonia, heat stress and minor trauma.
To reduce its liability exposure and to stop any more claims from going to the dogs Qantas has stopped transporting Pekingese, pugs and British bulldogs through Bangkok and Singapore.
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