Owner breaks silence about Golden Retriever killed due to airline negligence

João Fantazzini He is the guardian of the dog Joca, the Golden Retriever who ended up dying last Monday (22) during an air travel due to Gol’s negligence in transporting the animal. João and Joca’s flight left Guarulhos for Sinop (MT), but the dog was sent to Fortaleza (CE). Upon returning to the São Paulo airport, where the two would meet again, the animal arrived dead.

This Tuesday (23) the tutor broke his silence about the case and told TV Globo how he feels. He explained that he had a veterinary certificate indicating that Joca would survive a trip of up to three hours. However, with the airline’s mess, the animal spent another 8 hours traveling and did not survive.

Fantazzini said learning that his canine friend died under severe suffering is the worst part of the story.

“I’ve always seen people’s messages about dogs dying in this situation, but I never expected it, I think what hurts me the most is knowing that he suffered in there, because it’s not fair that he died like that”, he said.

The animal’s owner stated that upon disembarking in Sinop, he asked where he could get the dog, but was told that he would have to return to SP, due to the transfer error. Gol employees offered water and snacks while he waited for the flight that would take him to his reunion with Joca. In the meantime, the company also shared videos with João Fantazzini of his dog drinking water through the bars of the cage in which he was traveling.

On the other hand, upon arriving in São Paulo, he revealed that company employees informed him that the dog felt ill on the return flight, but avoided giving further information.

“There’s no one who can handle an airfield with 36 degrees of sun, and it’s closed in the box. They didn’t take Joca out of the box. He came back all wet. He got out fine and came back to me dead. Total neglect inside, because no one spoke to me. They came with snacks for me, and why would I want to eat? Do they think I need someone to give me a snack to eat? What I hope is that they pay”, he vented.

The dog was five years old and spent around 1h30 at 36ºC on the arrival and departure runway in Fortaleza. According to Fantazzini, trapped inside the transport box and without access to water or food.

According to Gol, the animal was monitored throughout the journey, but the death was unexpected, in São Paulo, after it returned. According to the death certificate, the animal died from a cardiorespiratory arrest, but the reasons have not yet been clarified.

“Sometimes I feel like it was selfish of me, that I could have left him here [em SP], but it was always me and him, always. When I left the house, he waited for me all day in front of the door. He was a son to me. I always said he was my best choice and now he’s gone,” said the man.

Man and dog would move to Sorriso, in Mato Grosso, and embark to arrive together in Sinop, from where they would leave for their new life.

See the full note from Gol below

“GOL deeply regrets what happened to the dog Joca and sympathizes with the pain of his owner. The Company informs that the dog Joca should have gone to Sinop (OPS), on flight 1480 on 04/22, from Guarulhos (GRU), however, due to an operational failure the animal was boarded on a flight to Fortaleza (FOR).

As soon as the tutor arrived in Sinop, he was notified about what had happened and his choice was to return to Guarulhos (GRU) to meet Joca again.

The GOLLOG team in the capital of Ceará disembarked the Joca and took care of it until it boarded flight 1527 back to Guarulhos (GRU). During this period, records of Joca being accommodated back on the aircraft were sent to the guardian. Unfortunately, shortly after the flight landed at Guarulhos airport (GRU), coming from Fortaleza, we were surprised by the death of the animal.

The Company is offering all the necessary support to the tutor and the investigation of the details of what happened is being carried out with full priority by our team. We sympathize with the suffering of Joca’s tutor. We understand his pain and are deeply sorry for the loss of his pet.”