Nashville Family's Dog Flown to Saudi Arabia Instead of Tennessee by Mistake
WDRB News
A move to the United States turned into an unexpected trip to Saudi Arabia for a newly-adopted dog from London.
The five-year-old mixed Labrador named Bluebell was getting ready to join her new family in their move to Nashville and flew out of London's Heathrow Airport with her human father, James Miller, on Dec.1.
However, after James arrived at Nashville International Airport, Bluebell's crate was discovered to be on the wrong plane and was instead on a jet-bound trip to Riyadh.
In the end, it took more than two days for James and his wife, Madison, to be reunited with their new pet.
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While their airline, British Airways, has offered 50,000 frequent flier miles as a form of compensation, the Miller family is looking to receive approximately $10,000 for Bluebell to be able to receive medical attention in the form of anxiety medication and behavioral therapy.
They are also looking to use the funds to replace household times, including a door and a crate, that Bluebell destroyed following trauma from the event.
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"We simply cannot leave her alone," Miller explained to NPR about Bluebell's behavior following her ordeal to get to Nashville.
"The first time we tried to leave her at home alone after the ordeal she ripped through her kennel in the first 10 minutes. The next time she chewed through a wooden door crying the whole time."
British Airways did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty
IAG Cargo, who assists with pet travel on the airline, expressed in a statement to WSMV-TV that it was working with the Millers to resolve the situation and apologized for what happened during her travel experience.
"We are very sorry for the recent error that occurred during Bluebell's trip to Nashville," the company said.
The company added that it takes full responsibility for the event and has opened up an investigation.
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"Whilst Bluebell's route was longer than it should have been, we ensured she was on the first flight back to Nashville from London Heathrow. During her time with us she received refreshments frequently and had time outside to stretch her legs – including regular walks and eight hours with the team at the Heathrow Animal Reception center who cared for her. Despite these measures, we understand that this has been an upsetting situation for Bluebell and her owners and remain in contact with them to resolve the situation," its statement added.
A representative for IAG did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
