VerticallyChallenged
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Customs Officials Find Miniature Horse Cooped Up in Dog Kennel
by: The Associated Press
September 28 2007, Article # 10509
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When U.S. customs officials were checking on a large dog kennel inside an airplane that landed at the world's largest airport, they were surprised to find a hunched-over Miniature Horse looking up at them.
The incident could land the airline and the passenger transporting the horse into some trouble because the USDA says transporting the horse in a kennel falls under animal cruelty regulations, said Customs and Border Protection spokesman Mike Balero. He declined to identify the airline and passenger involved.
A USDA spokesman did not immediately return a phone call for comment on Friday (Sept. 28).
The plane was traveling from Germany to Guatemala with a stop Sept. 18 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
"Anything arriving into the United States has to be cleared by us," Balero said. "It was listed as a pet but it was a horse."
Officials had to get a USDA veterinarian to check the horse, which customs officials said appeared to be healthy. It was brought back to the aircraft the next day, but placed in a much bigger container--one suitable for a horse, of course.
"It wasn't a blatant attempt to smuggle an animal. He thought it was a pet," Balero said.
Balero said he did not know the dimensions of the dog kennel.
by: The Associated Press
September 28 2007, Article # 10509
ARTICLE TOOLSPrint Email
Republish Link RSS
When U.S. customs officials were checking on a large dog kennel inside an airplane that landed at the world's largest airport, they were surprised to find a hunched-over Miniature Horse looking up at them.
The incident could land the airline and the passenger transporting the horse into some trouble because the USDA says transporting the horse in a kennel falls under animal cruelty regulations, said Customs and Border Protection spokesman Mike Balero. He declined to identify the airline and passenger involved.
A USDA spokesman did not immediately return a phone call for comment on Friday (Sept. 28).
The plane was traveling from Germany to Guatemala with a stop Sept. 18 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
"Anything arriving into the United States has to be cleared by us," Balero said. "It was listed as a pet but it was a horse."
Officials had to get a USDA veterinarian to check the horse, which customs officials said appeared to be healthy. It was brought back to the aircraft the next day, but placed in a much bigger container--one suitable for a horse, of course.
"It wasn't a blatant attempt to smuggle an animal. He thought it was a pet," Balero said.
Balero said he did not know the dimensions of the dog kennel.
