Indirect travel itineraries are nothing new. But a pup's mysterious trip to Hawaii while traveling from Seattle, Washington to Jackson, Mississippi, seems especially roundabout.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi, named Bethany, was reported missing Nov. 28 after the dog's owner, champion dog breeder Paul Chen, said that his pup did not arrive at their destination. American Airlines tracked the animal down in Honolulu after she went missing during a layover at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, in Texas, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
Thinking Bethany had been lost or stolen, Chen offered a $1,000 reward for her safe return. The airline offered little explanation for the mixup, saying it would return the dog "in the next couple of days."
"We are currently working with the owner to reunite him with his puppy as soon as possible," American Airlines officials told NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth in a statement. "We take the well-being of our four-legged passengers very seriously and we apologize for this mistake."
Airline spokeswoman Andrea Huguely later told the news station that Bethany was headed back to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday and would be reunited with her owner in Mississippi on Tuesday. She was reportedly under the care of a veterinarian.
"She took a little bit of a vacation to Honolulu," Huguely joked. "She has been well taken care of the entire time."
CBS News in Dallas-Fort Worth reports that airlines losing animals is rare -- just 52 instances in the last decade. But sadly, according to U.S. Department of Transportation figures, 4 pets died and 5 were injured during air travel in the first nine months of 2015.
Chen, who owns Afara Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis in Vashon, Washington, could not be reached for comment.
Also on HuffPost:
