Qantas Stops 3 Autism Service Dogs at LAX gate
Karen Shirk, executive director of 4 Paws for Ability in Xenia, Ohio, her dog trainers, and three newly trained autism service dogs, were blocked from their flight to New Zealand. Three families who had raised the needed funds were waiting breathlessly for the group from the agency to arrive.
Because of a mix-up and lack of communication between American Airlines and Qantas, Qantas refused to let the dogs board without special certification. You can read the details here, but one problem remains: how does 4 Paws get a refund on the $30,000 plus that came out of 4 Paws pocket and is committed to helping other children with disabilities?
Here’s the link to another New Zealand newspaper article that tells of the joy of these autustic children and their families. It’s a rough life for families of autistic children, and now this new financial burden appeared in their midst.
Can someone help resolve this issue?
Karen Shirk was recently named one of CNN’s heroes, and is a person who needs every ounce of energy she can get to advocate for children with disabilities. And run a household. And manage her myasthenia gravis. Plus, she is in the process of adopting three beautiful children from Haiti to join Aaron, who came from Bulgaria.
August 7th, 2009 at 8:29 am
[...] autism assistance dogs — a story in a New Zealand newspaper last week reports that Quantas forbid three autism assistance dogs from boarding a plane in Los Angeles. Qantas said it allowed service dogs to travel in the cabin if they were registered, such as guide [...]