Dog owners confused and grieving after pet's journey to England ends badly

When Emma and Sean O'Farrell started to plan their family's move from Toronto to England, there was no question their beloved dog, Scarlett, would come with them.

"Scarlett's part of our family, it was never an option to leave her behind," said Emma. "She was always coming with us."

Air Canada policy says when larger pets — like Scarlett, a 40-kilogram Bernese mountain dog — fly internationally they must be booked through a third-party company that specializes in pet transportation, and which is approved by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA).

The family hired Vancouver-based Worldwide Animal Travel (WAT). The price tag? $4,800.

"It's a huge expense," said Emma. "It's something you don't take lightly as an owner." 

The IPATA requires that members take the utmost care with animals. WAT and Emma corresponded via email about medication Scarlett had to take for arthritis, which is common for the breed. All details were approved by the company ahead of time

But the Toronto family's experience is a cautionary tale for anyone considering shipping their pet. Scarlett arrived in England unable to walk, and when her condition worsened over the coming days, the family's new veterinarian there recommended she be put down.

Scarlett had a check-up prior to the trip, and was cleared for take-off. And although Emma acknowledges the journey may have simply been too much for an eight-year-old Bernese — the breed's life expectancy is just seven to 10 years — she wants to warn other pet owners that there are risks associated with air travel.  

She is not alleging any wrongdoing by WAT or the airline. But she says when she told WAT about Scarlett's fate, and inquired about the dog's condition at various stages of the journey, she was unhappy with the company's response.  

"There wasn't a lot of sympathy, to be honest," she said. "I can return an item to a store and receive better service and understanding."

Go Public's investigation shows that a number of bodies have rules about the humane treatment of animals in transit, including the International Air Transport Association, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which said it follows the Health of Animals Act to cover the transport of "all animals into, within and leaving Canada, including pets."

Once animals are delivered to an airline by a pet transportation service, the airline assumes responsibility for the pets' well-being until they arrive at their destination. The cargo hold must be kept at a reasonable temperature, crates are secured and water is available.

After the seven-hour flight from Toronto to Heathrow Airport in London, Scarlett was examined by a government-appointed vet and her paperwork was checked. The vet noted in a report to Air Canada that she seemed somewhat "unsteady on her feet," but no other health issues were flagged. The dog was cleared to enter the country. 

A courier then took Scarlett some 160 kilometres to the O'Farrells' new home in Worcester.