“US Airways prevents military dog war hero from flying to DNC,” the Washington Times reports:
A bomb-sniffing military dog that has served two tours in Afghanistan was refused passage on a U.S. commercial flight to the Democratic National Convention last week by a pilot who was concerned the K-9 could be aggressive.
The 6-year-old German shepherd named Kevin was prevented from boarding a US Airways flight from Phoenix, Ariz., to Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 1. The dog has flown on other commercial flights previously, usually sitting on the floor at the row of seats next to the bulkhead of the passenger cabin with his Navy handler.
On the evening of Sept. 1, the dog and handler were preparing to board the US Airways flight at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix when the captain of the plane asked if the dog was trained to attack, according to a source with direct knowledge of the incident.
Handlers aren’t supposed to divulge details about the training of military working dogs, said the source, who didn’t want to be named. When the Navy handler didn’t go into detail about Kevin’s training, the pilot decided not to allow them on the flight.
A spokesman for US Airways confirmed the incident but said the captain was trying to protect other passengers.
And also trying to save the dog itself, of course.
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