Woman says airline unloaded bomb-sniffing dog upside down

CHICAGO — According to a photo tweeted by a woman Tuesday, a dog was shipped upside down in its crate on a United Airlines flight at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

WMAQ reported that, according to Caitlin Johnson, a woman who said she works for a boarding facility in Virginia, a bomb-sniffing dog was improperly unloaded.

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"Hey, @united, care to explain this? You see those (expletive) arrows? You've got the dog completely upside down," Johnson tweeted with the photo Tuesday.

But Johnson did not take the photo. She told WMAQ that the dog's handler took the photo while waiting at the airport. Johnson said the handler spoke with an airline manager, who said it was not their fault.

WMAQ reported that the handler then contacted the company Johnson works for, which she said shipped the animal and typically sends K9s through United.

Johnson said she tweeted the image to prompt a response because,"No company wants anything taken to social media," but she would not say what company she works for.

"We are continuing to review this and have confirmed that the dog is unharmed," Erin Benson, a spokeswoman for United, told WMAQ in an email. "We are attempting to contact the owner to follow-up. At United, we are committed to providing the ultimate in safety and care for animals traveling with us."

Cox Media Group