A couple’s move across the Atlantic with their furry friend did not go as planned.
Madison Miller arrived at the Nashville International Airport on December 1, expecting to pick up both her husband, James, and their dog — a black Labrador mix named Bluebell.
As Miller told The Washington Post, when she went to pick up Bluebell from the cargo company that works for British Airways, IAG Cargo, she was met by workers with bizarre expressions.
“Well, your dog’s okay, but we think she’s been sent to Saudi Arabia,” a staff member told Miller.
The Millers were moving back to the U.S. from just outside London in order to be closer to family. Finding a way to get Bluebell across the pond was challenging, as they could not find a Britain-based airline to Nashville that allowed pets in the cabin.
The only option was to fly Bluebell in the cargo hold.
“Honestly, we even looked at how much a private jet would cost, I was that nervous about it. And we went, ‘Okay, we definitely can’t afford that,’” Miller said.
So, the Millers began training Bluebell for the flight about six months before the move, including getting her accustomed to the kennel she was meant to spend eight hours inside.
Bluebell’s trip ended up taking 63 hours instead.
While Madison flew a day earlier to Nashville to prepare, James took Bluebell on his flight with British Airways. However, a different dog — reportedly the one destined for Saudi Arabia — was the only pet to arrive in Nashville.
Bluebell was located over 7,000 miles from their new home in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She was flown back to London’s Heathrow Airport, where she received a checkup and was taken out for a walk, and then sent to Nashville, according to Miller.
IAG Cargo admits that Bluebell’s journey was longer than it should have been.
A spokesperson wrote, “We are very sorry for the recent error that occurred during Bluebell’s trip to Nashville. We take the responsibility of caring for people’s loved animals seriously and are investigating how the redirection happened.”
Even after being reunited with her family in Nashville, Miller said that the 3-year-old pup was not acting normally and was prescribed anxiety medication.
“She became our shadow, which she wasn’t before,” Miller said.
She also acted destructively when left alone, tearing through bedding and chewing through doors.
Missy Matusicky, an assistant professor at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, said that being in a cargo hold is stressful for animals for several different reasons and that the consequences may never go away.
“This is a heartbreaking experience for this dog to have to go through,” she said.
The Millers have asked IAG for $10,000 in compensation for costs incurred before and after the alleged incident. For now, the Millers are working on making Bluebell comfortable in their new home.