Delta Airlines Held Puppy Hostage For 33 Hours, Says Passenger

A Minnesota woman claimed that Delta Airlines held her dog “hostage” at a Guatemalan airport for 33 hours last week, demanding payment for the puppy before giving it back. Mary Nguyen said the airline refused to give her back her dog until she gave them $3,000.

Nguyen, 25, said the incident occurred last week when she paid private company Pet Air Carrier $3,000 to ship her German Shepherd, Bunny, to Central America. When Nguyen's husband attempted to get Bunny from the airport at La Aurora International in Guatemala City, Delta said it did not have the correct paperwork, according to Marketwatch.

Officials told Nguyen that although they had the paperwork online, they would need a hard copy in order to release the dog.

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“They have all the documents they need on their scratch pad to release her but refuse to do so without the hard copy that they lost [but tracked down],” Nguyen told CBS News Friday. “The document has been in their possession the whole [time] since I’ve surrendered my dog over.”

Nguyen said 8-month-old Bunny was finally released after a grueling 33 hours.

“THANK YOU EVERYONE!” Nguyen posted on Bunny’s Instagram account after they were reunited. “Bunny has been released from @delta and we’re just waiting to be given the okay to be able to take her home now. Bunny’s got several open wounds on her, we will be taking her to a vet the minute we can.”

Delta, however, contested the incident. The airline said it was not their employees who held Bunny but officials at the Guatemalan airport who were responsible, a representative for Delta told Fox News Wednesday. Delta also said they worked continuously with the customer and the airport to get the documents necessary to release Bunny. In addition, a spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that they would be refunding the customs fees and taxes Nguyen had to pay to Delta in addition to shipping fees, hotel fees and other additional expenses.

“We know that pets are important members of the family and worked directly with the customer to ensure that she was reunited with her dog in advance of the paperwork arriving,” Delta told Fox News. “We are fully refunding the shipment.”

Incidents involving pets aboard airlines are far from rare. Delta was the second worst airline in terms of animal deaths, according to the Department of Transportation. Five animals died aboard Delta flights in 2016, or 1.23 deaths per 10,000 animals. United Airlines was ranked as the worst for flying animals, with nine animal deaths in 2016.

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In one particularly high-profile incident in April, the world’s largest bunny died on a United flight, according to its owner. The 10-month-old bunny named Simon was on his way to a new home with an unidentified celebrity owner but was dead when he arrived at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.

“Simon had a vet’s check-up three hours before the flight and was fit as a fiddle,” breeder Anette Edwards told reporters at the time. “Something very strange has happened and I want to know what.”

United, however, said the bunny died after the flight and not during it.