A golden retriever was found dead after it arrived from Shenzhen at Wuhan airport on June 11. (Photo/ hxnews.com)
(ECNS) -- The owner of a golden retriever that died during a flight has refused to accept reimbursement from the freight forwarder, while the airline said it's still investigating the death.
The dog's owner, surnamed Zuo, said she was looking forward to the results of the investigation by China Eastern Airlines.
Zuo said on Weibo that she entrusted Shenzhen Dogeer Freight Forwarder to deliver her pet dog by air on June 10. However, the dog was found dead when it arrived from Shenzhen at Wuhan airport on June 11. A picture showed the body of the dog lying in a cage surrounded by a wire fence. A steel bar and wire near the dog's head showed signs of damage.
Zuo said she paid Dogeer 1,931 yuan ($284), which covered airfreight, ground transport freight and a packaging fee.
A statement issued by the carrier, China Eastern Airlines, said the packaging around the dog cage was damaged when it arrived at the airport and that the dog was found dead.
A manager with Dogeer denied responsibility for the animal's death, arguing that the airline would not accept the dog if the packaging was substandard. Dogeer agreed to pay Zuo 5,000 yuan as compensation in advance.
China Eastern Airlines said that an investigation was underway, adding that it has signed an agreement with Dogeer, saying that the carrier will be responsible for the animal's death.
However, Zuo said she doesn't understand the agreement, and refused to accept the compensation.
A lawyer suggested that the carrier and Zuo should hire a professional organization to identify the cause of the dog's death.
