Search Continues For Larry As International Outrage Mounts Against Air Canada
SACRAMENTO (CSB13) — The story of Larry the Italian greyhound has gone global, as viewers are sharing their outrage over Air Canada's response to losing him.
Fliers are spread out around San Francisco looking for any sign of where Larry could be as the search is now in its fifth day.
The only leads so far unnerving, with a few people reporting seeing Larry near traffic along Highway 101.
"We don't know if he's alive dead, injured or what happened," Larry's handler, Jutta Kulic, said.
Duncan White and his wife, however, are shocked that this could have happened to a pet on his way to a new forever home.
"I was totally shocked and very very upset," White said. "You look at their website, they say they take great care in shipping animals, and obviously it's not true."
Air Canada's Facebook page has been hammered by people outraged at the company's response to inquiries about how Larry went missing, and what procedures were in place to prevent it from happening again.
The email that sparked outrage came from Air Canada Spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick:
"I think I would just ignore, it is local news doing a story on a lost dog. Their entire government is shut down and about to default and this is how the US media spends its time."
The couple who were ready to take in Larry aren't surprised people are angry about Air Canada's response.
Kulic also isn't surprised by the online outrage from around the world about Air Canada's mistake.
"Animal lovers around the world are angry and upset with what this airline has done."
On Friday, the man behind the accidental email talked to The Toronto Star.
"I guess I'm the poster child now for Be Careful With Email," Fitzpatrick said. "We didn't ignore [CBS13]. It wasn't like we didn't respond. We'd given them our statement and there really wasn't more to say."
A quasi apology in an intentional email came from Air Canada on Friday.
"We remain focused on efforts to locate Larry and will be reviewing the circumstances of what happened. Air Canada acknowledges inappropriate comments were made. these comments do not reflect Air Canada's standards or professionalism."
But missing from that statement was an answer to our questions about whether policies were followed and will they be reviewed.
For now, Kulic's phone is ringing off the hook with reporters from all over the world, as the continues her search for Larry.
"I've had almost no sleep for a week."
This isn't the first time Air Canada has been in hot water over missing pets.
In 2002, a couple from Solano County filed a $5 million lawsuit against the airline after their tabby cat named Fu was lost on a flight from Toronto to San Francisco.
The White family says it's weighing its options, and could possible seek compensation depending on what happens, which could involve a lawsuit.
