I’m sure we’ve all heard of a few stories related to people trying to bring strange or unexpected objects through airport checkpoints, but this one could arguably be one of the most shocking. A recent story out of Dane County Regional Airport in Wisconsin left people speechless and concerned as TSA agents discovered a live Chihuahua stuffed inside a backpack during the screening process.
TSA Great Lakes shared photos of the pup on Twitter with a warning for travelers to know their airline’s rules when traveling with animals, but this discovery brings up questions about animal cruelty and misunderstanding.
A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray @MSN_Airport this week. When traveling with any animal, notify your airline & know their rules. At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/JLOStCDsir
— TSA_GreatLakes (@TSA_GreatLakes) December 6, 2022
TSA Great Lakes revealed the strange incident on Twitter, saying “a dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray this week” in Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), in the US state of Wisconsin.
The photos showed a Chihuahua lying down in a zipped-up black backpack, which was placed in a tray that went through the carry-on baggage scanner.
Thanks to the shocked security staff, the tiny dog was soon freed.
People couldn’t believe that someone would put their pet through such an ordeal and took to social media to voice their outrage and confusion over what had happened.
Many slammed it as animal abuse while others speculated that it may have been an honest mistake due to misunderstanding airline regulations regarding pets flying as cargo or checked luggage.
When traveling with any animal – pet owners should be aware of airline policies regarding taking animals onboard flights as cargo or checked luggage so they don’t find themselves making careless mistakes like this.
According to Department Of Transportation regulations, all airlines must allow passengers with disabilities who use service animals — either emotional support animals or psychiatric service dogs — into both cabins and checked bags without additional fees if they meet certain criteria.
It’s important for everyone to be familiar with pet regulations before boarding a plane.
