Delta loses dog on flight from Mexico City

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By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Paco, a cuddly Dachsund and Jack Russell terrier mix, found Josiah Allen on the beach in Puerto Vallarta.

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Josiah Allen, Special Paco was with his new family for four days before the scheduled flight to Canada.

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"He just came and sat beside us, stayed all day," said Allen, a college student from Ontario, Canada. "We left to go to the pool and when we came back he was there, waiting."

Allen, 19, and his girlfriend decided to take the one-year-old stray home, spending roughly $100 on vaccinations. They treated him for ticks and fleas and bought a leash, collar and crate for the trip back to Canada. "He was going to be our dog," Allen told the AJC.

They flew AeroMexico to Mexico City. No problem. They re-checked the dog for their non-stop Delta flight to Detroit. "They put up a fuss, saying [the crate] wasn't big enough," Allen said. "We had to talk to a supervisor, put him in, take him out, put him back in." The airline finally relented.

It was the last time Allen and his girlfriend would see Paco, their dog of just four days.

They waited 20 minutes to claim Paco before being told the dog didn't make the flight. Allen said he was told not to worry, that their pup would be shipped from Mexico City the next day to his home in Ontario.

"They were very reassuring," he said.

But Paco never showed. Trying to get answers, Allen said he was transferred to several different Delta employees before an airline representative acknowledged the dog was missing.

"We don't know where he is," Allen was informed.

His friend in Puerto Vallarta contacted the Mexico City airport and was told Paco had broken out of his crate and escaped, which Delta later confirmed to ABC News.

"Our staff have conducted exhaustive searches to locate the dog which escaped from its kennel on May 3 in Mexico City," Delta spokesman Susan Elliott said in a statement. "In the meantime, we have been in contact with the dog's owner to inform them of the situation and to offer our sincere apologies that we have been unable to recover the dog."

Allen said he first learned of that account through media reports, adding that Delta didn't become attentive to his predicament until after he posted his story on The Consumerist website. "I don't believe he just dashed out of the crate, not at all," he said. "He was a very timid dog."

Delta has offered to reimburse the young couple $380 plus a pair of $200 vouchers for a future flight.

"We just want some answers," Allen said. "I never wanted this to become an issue, but they made me jump through hoops just to get information. I want to know how this could have happened."

He said he tries to be optimistic about Paco turning up but noted "it's getting harder to remain hopeful."

As for the vouchers, Allen said he's not interested. "Where can you go for $200?" he asked. Besides, Allen said, "I don't think I'll be flying Delta again."