A woman claims an airline killed her beloved pet dog after placing him in the cargo hold where he froze to death.
Maria Fernanda Echeverry was travelling between Puerto de Asis and Santiago de Cali in Colombia with airline EasyFly on 15 January.
After her flight, she took to social media where she accused the company of killing her pooch Homero.
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EasyFly issued a statement saying that Echeverry did not present proof Homero had been vaccinated or documentation that would allow her to take the canine on board.
The company added that it is the owner's responsibility to know if their pets are able to travel as they should know the physical and emotional needs of the animal.
Echeverry claims she was told she wanted to travel with her dog in the cabin when she bought her ticket but was told he would have to go in storage when the time came to board the flight.
She says she was shocked and horrified to find Homero's carrier under 'several bags' and the dog dead inside.
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She went on to say the airline handed over the carrier without any explanation as if it were 'any other object, avoiding all responsibility'.
In her social media post, Echeverry said a vet and expert in animal transportation had told her the plane she was travelling on was not equipped to transport the American Bulldog as the low temperatures cause hypothermia and hypoxia in the breed.
The Attorney General's Office said they are investigating the incident and reminded transport companies of their 'legal obligation to guarantee the life and the physical or emotional integrity of the animals and families that use their services'.
As yet, there have been no further reports on the investigation.
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Last summer, 38 French Bulldogs pups were found dead on a plane that arrived in Canada.
According to officials, at least 500 puppies were on the Ukraine International Airlines plane that arrived at Toronto Pearson Airport and 38 had tragically died.
Many of the other dogs were suffering from dehydration, vomiting and weakness, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has said. The agency said in a statement: "Upon inspection, it was found that 38 were dead on arrival.
"Ukrainian International Airlines is a member of the International Air Transport Association, which has voluntary guidelines airlines should follow to ensure animals are transported safely.
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"CFIA officials are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident and will determine next steps once the investigation is complete."
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