Video Shows Airline Workers Struggling to Contain Escaped Bear in Cargo Hold

Pets that are too small to fit in a carrier under an airplane seat are forced to fly in the plane's cargo hold alongside passengers' checked baggage. It can be a scary thing for both owner and animal alike, including the possibility of the furry friend breaking out of its crate. Aviation workers in Dubai had to confront this reality head-on, but not with a dog. Instead, they had to contain a bear that had run amok inside the plane.

Viral video shows the tarmac employees at Dubai International Airport—the world's busiest for international travel—as they try to close the cargo hold door while a hulking bear attempts escape. The Iraqi Airways flight had arrived from Baghdad, and customers were less-than-enthused about the hourlong delay on the ground.

While having a pet bear might seem like something out of a movie, it's not totally uncommon. Keeping predatory animals as pets in Iraq, and especially in the capital of Baghdad, has become a popular sign of wealth among the rich. Meanwhile, Iraqi authorities have struggled to enforce laws protecting wild animals as a result of the unconventional pets.

According to The Associated Press, the bear's transportation was in compliance with the law and with procedures and standards approved by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). An anonymous representative for Iraqi Airways confirmed to the AP that the animal was being flown back on the return flight to Baghdad, but declined to name its owner.

Iraqi Airways addressed the snafu in a statement shared with CNN. The country's flag carrier took responsibility for what happened and explained how they remedied the situation. "The delay happened because of a shipment in the cargo hold," it said. "Upon arrival to Dubai Airport, the animal escaped the crate specified for its shipment."

They then were able to corral the animal and send him back from whence he came. "The plane crew coordinated with UAE’s authority who sent a specialized team to sedate the animal and take it off the plane," the statement noted. "After checking the plane and making sure there [was] no damage from this incident the flight returned to Baghdad."

Related: Watch Two Pilots Fly Over Dubai in Jetpacks

It turns out it wasn't the only bear onboard the aircraft. The Iraqi transportation ministry told CNN there were in fact two bears on the flight. "Two small, endangered bears were shipped from Baghdad, and when the flight arrived in Dubai, one of the bears broke his cage, forcing health and environment authorities at Dubai airport to sedate it," the statement said. The exact species remains unclear.

Next time you check a bag and find new scratches on it, you may want to ask yourself what—or who—might have been down there with it.