Dog boils to death on sweltering hot airport tarmac after being left there by Virgin staff leaving owners heartbroken
Kristina and Neil Maccabee are distraught after their beloved French bulldog Bruno died on a Virgin Australia flight over Christmas.
They had taken their pet from their Wentworth Falls home, about 100km west of Sydney, to visit family in Townsville for the festive season.
Kristina told the Courier Mail: “He was our family, he came everywhere with us, every moment shared. We love him more than anything and we are completely devastated."
They flew back with Virgin from Townsville, Queensland, on Boxing Day, but Bruno was found dead in his carrier at Sydney Airport.
Neil said he dropped him off about 10.45am at Townsville Airport. The cargo check-in point was closed due to the public holiday, so baggage handlers took Bruno.
French bulldogs are brachycephalic, which means their respiratory system has been adversely affected by the breed’s distinctive flat-nosed face.
Kristina explained: “The breed is special; they don’t have the cooling capacity of other dogs.”
She said this was specifically detailed in the paperwork lodged with Virgin.
Her husband gave the dog a drink and also asked the baggage handlers to top up the water container in Bruno’s carrier before putting him on board.
Neil said: “I was worried about him being on the tarmac in the heat for too long.”
But the Maccabees were horrified to see him left outside in the blazing sun when they boarded their flight.
Neil added: “I could see his container on the tarmac behind all the baggage and that was around 11.55am. We don’t know how long he was out there.”
His wife estimated that Bruno was in the heat for up to 40 minutes.
Upon landing at Sydney, their worst fears were realised.
Kristina said: “I went to the cargo terminal to pick him up. The girl behind the counter could not make eye contact with me and my heart sank.
“Then a nice gentleman from Virgin came running and he told us the dog didn’t make it, he was dead on arrival.
"I just wanted to hold Bruno and I could see that he has obviously suffered, he got on the plane all fresh and he was all sweaty and had been sick and his water container was empty.”
The Maccabees said that although it was a public holiday, “if this was a human, they would not have dropped the ball due to staff shortages".
The couple added that pets “are not just standard baggage. [There is] no excuses for neglectful treatment of animals.”
Virgin has promised the couple a full investigation after it has seen CCTV footage from Townsville.
A vet at animal charity RSPCA – which will also investigate the incident – attributed Bruno's death to heat stroke, after carrying out an autopsy.
Virgin Australia has been slammed for the dog’s death on the Courier Mail's Facebook page, with Sharon Balta commenting: "Losing a pet is terrible enough but to lose Bruno in such terrible circumstances is horrible.
“Pets should be treated just like humans would be. Would those baggage handlers or Virgin airlines have left a baby or an elderly person on the tarmac like that? I can’t see the difference.”
Another pet owner said that Virgin “left our poodle on the tarmac for over an hour on a stop-over from Melbourne one Christmas.
"She was fine, but it was traumatic watching the heat come off the cement and seeing my baby in full sun. Now, if we fly, we take the earliest flight in the day and only fly direct.”
A Virgin Australia spokesperson said: “We are very sorry to hear of Bruno’s passing as our team take great care and pride in ensuring guest’s beloved pets are safely transported around the country.
“We are taking this matter very seriously and investigating how it occurred.
“Virgin Australia adheres to stringent guidelines when transporting pets and we regularly review our handling processes to ensure that the highest standard of care is undertaken.”
On its website, Virgin Australia warns that when travelling with pets, “Brachycephalic or snub-nosed dog and cat breeds, including crossbreeds, are more likely to suffer from respiratory distress and heat stress, placing them at risk during air travel.
“It is recommended that you check with your vet about the suitability of air travel for these breeds."
Virgin Australia Cargo also "strongly recommends that if the temperature is forecast above 25 degrees Celsius and or it is a multi-sector journey, guests should consider changing your flight to one where the temperature is more conducive to your pet’s comfort."
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