After an agonizing month filled with heartache and anxiety, a dog owner’s tireless search for her missing canine companion ended when her adored dog was found safe and sound at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
The airport’s dedicated operations team alleviated Paula Rodriguez’s anxiety, facilitating this happy reunion.
Missing Dog Found Safe at Atlanta Airport
On August 18, Delta Air Lines passenger Paula Rodriguez and her 6-year-old dog Maia left their residence in the Dominican Republic for a two-week vacation in California.
However, as they arrived in Atlanta for a layover, their plans took an unexpected turn.
At the Atlanta airport, border patrol officers informed Rodriguez that her tourist visa did not meet the requirements.
They canceled her ticket and instructed her to return home on the next flight, separating her from Maia and forcing her to spend the night in a detention center alone.
In a devastating turn of events, Rodriguez had to relinquish Maia to a Delta agent the next day, anticipating a speedy reunion upon her return from Punta Cana.
To her surprise and dismay, Maia never returned to her side. Due to her inability to remain in the United States for more than 24 hours without a visa, Rodriguez was compelled to board her flight without her beloved companion, resulting in a distressing and anxious journey home.
“Everyone who knows me knows what she means to me,” said Rodriguez of her cherished pet. “I never leave the house without her. She is so well-behaved that I take her literally everywhere, including restaurants. She is my companion in all endeavors.”
Read more: North Carolina Tribe Explores Recreational Marijuana Legalization: Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians
Heartbreaking Revelation: Delta Accidentally Releases Missing Dog on Runway
Two days after Maia’s disappearance, a Delta representative broke the heartbreaking news to Rodriguez that her kennel had been accidentally opened during transport on the runway, allowing her to escape into the runway’s center.
Despite Rodriguez’s ceaseless endeavors to contact Delta and inquire about Maia’s status, weeks passed without any updates.
Working closely with the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation and other stakeholders, Delta conveyed its concern and commitment to reuniting the pet with its owner.
Rodriguez sent her mother to Atlanta to assist in the extensive search efforts across the expansive 4,000-acre Hartsfield-Jackson Airport after revoking her tourist visa.
Maia’s disappearance weighed heavily on Rodriguez, who described her ordeal as living in a nightmare.
However, Atlanta Airport officials declared the miraculous discovery of Maia on a day filled with overwhelming joy and relief, ending three weeks of uncertainty and anxiety.
CNN has contacted Delta Air Lines for additional information regarding Maia’s escape. Still, the focus remains on the heartwarming reunion of a devoted dog owner and her loyal companion.
Read more: SpaceX Achieves Success: 22 Starlink Satellites Launched Successfully
