Do you remember the shocking story reported by Travel Noire last month about TSA agents finding a cat zipped inside a passenger’s bag through the X-ray at JFK airport? Now, Wisconsin Transportation Security Authorities were stunned after a passenger sent their dog through an airport X-ray security machine. “A dog was accidentally sent through the X-ray,” TSA Great Lakes tweeted about the incident, which happened at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison. Accompanying photos show an X-ray outline of an unidentified small brown dog packed into a small backpack like a canine contortionist. The incident sparked online outraged protests, accusing the owner of animal abuse.
As ABC reported, the owner of the dog had reportedly denied informing the screeners of her pet before putting the bag on the conveyor belt. However, the tweet didn’t specify if she was trying to intentionally smuggle the pup or had simply forgotten about the animal in her luggage.
Animal abuse
The TSA’S tweet received several heated comments. Many accused the owner of animal abuse.
“ That is inhumane to carry a pet in a sealed backpack. Most likely they were trying to get past not having to pay the carry-on pet fee. Sick.” one person tweeted.
“The animal should be taken from his owner. This is clearly not an accident! The animal could be having troubles breathing in that backpack. This is animal cruelty and the owner should be out in jail…” another person commented.
In the same Tweet, TSA posted a video showing the proper way to travel with your pet. “This is a TSA PreCheck passenger traveling with a cat. If you think your pet will attempt an escape, ask to speak with a supervisor before removing the animal. Alternative screening options may be available.”
It is important to remove the pet from the carrying case and place the case through the X-ray machine. “Travelers should maintain control of their pets with a leash and remember to remove the leash when carrying their pets through the metal detector. Animal carriers will undergo a visual and/or physical inspection,’ TSA stated on its website. Passengers must check with your airline for their policy.