Airline Staff Rallies Around Abandoned Dog To Save Him From Euthanasia

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A traveler from Asia arrived at San Francisco International Airport in September accompanied by a small puppy. Despite subjecting the pup to a 12-hour plane ride and the usual chaos of traveling, the traveler failed to provide the required documentation to customs officials.

Rather than attempting to resolve the issue, they left the puppy’s leash with United Airlines staff and continued their journey without the animal.

The six-month-old Shepherd mix endured a challenging trip from China to the United States. However, entering the country wasn’t as simple as just enduring a long travel day.

Animals arriving in the United States from another country, particularly those at high risk of carrying rabies, must provide the necessary paperwork and undergo a quarantine period.

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Polaris’ travel companion did not possess the appropriate documentation required for the pup to enter the United States.

Abandoned at the Airport

When Polaris was refused entry into the United States, his previous owners chose to abandon him at the airport and proceed to New York without him. Rather than resolving the issue, they left him all by himself in a busy and disorderly airport.

Whether they failed to comprehend the situation or were indifferent to it, abandoning Polaris at the airport meant he would ultimately be put down.

However, the United Airlines employees were unwilling to allow this tragic outcome to occur. They petitioned the CDC, seeking permission for Polaris to remain in the United States, and pledged to act as his caretakers until he was cleared from quarantine. They took charge and resolved the situation when the dog’s owner failed to do so.

While awaiting deliberation, Polaris resided on-site. The team made sure he was exceedingly comfortable, and a dedicated group of dog parents took turns walking, feeding, and keeping him company.

“From the moment Polaris was placed under our care, our entire United SFO team devoted themselves to him 24/7 until we obtained clearance to safely keep him in the United States,” declared Vincent Passafiume, Customer Service Director at United.

Fortunately, permission was granted, allowing the young pup to stay in the states. However, this meant that Polaris, named after the airline’s business class, had to endure a four-month quarantine after being transported to the Los Angeles quarantine station.

With time passing, over thirty individuals expressed interest in becoming his new forever family. To assist in the selection process, the airline employees sought the help of the San Francisco SPCA to narrow down the candidates. Their sole requirement was that he must be adopted by a United Airlines employee, which the SPCA was able to limit to five potential adopters.

Vincent stated, “We wanted him to be adopted by someone from our United family due to the overwhelming support our team showed him.”

After the selection process, William Dale, a pilot who had recently relocated to San Francisco with his wife and two children, was chosen as Polaris’ new owner through a random drawing. The family was ecstatic and eager to witness Polaris exploring and playing in their backyard.

In honor of Polaris’ release from quarantine, the airline organized an adoption event in one of their terminals and donated $5,000 to the San Francisco SPCA.