Report:

Event: AVIH /Dog Injury

Carrier: Delta Air Lines

Flight: DL754

Date of event: 05/30/2024

Type of Incident: Injury

Breed: Black Lab

Age: Unknown

Brief Description of Incident: An adult dog traveling via Delta Cargo was noted to be bleeding from its mouth upon arrival in ATL. A lead baggage agent noticed that the dog was bleeding and not fit to transfer to its connecting flight. The baggage agent brought the dog to the cargo warehouse and informed the lead cargo agent. The lead cargo agent followed internal procedures to obtain care for the dog, which included the notification of the nearby animal transportation/boarding facility for assistance. The owner of the facility came to retrieve the dog and take it to a local veterinary emergency hospital. A veterinarian examined the dog, and it was determined that the dog sustained injuries to its lower jaw, presumably while attempting escape its crate. The dog was bleeding from its gums and multiple teeth were broken or missing. The dog required surgery (dental extraction and suturing) and medication (pain relief and antibiotics) and the veterinarian proceeded to provide care for the dog. The owners of the dog were notified and pleased that veterinary care was provided for their dog. After receiving veterinary medical care and being released from the veterinary hospital, the dog was reunited with its pet owner.

Description of the Cause of Incident: No external damage to the crate was identified. Based upon the findings, we determined that the injury was self-inflicted. The dog bit down on the ventilation opening on the inside of the crate and his teeth and lower jaw became entrapped by the crate. During the process of getting its jaw free, the dog injured itself.

Description of Corrective Action Taken (if any): All agents followed Delta Cargo’s internal procedures to obtain veterinary care for the injured dog. No corrective actions required.