'Why was my dog flown to Saudi Arabia instead of Nashville?'

Madison Miller tells The National her dog is still traumatised more than a week after being reunited

Bluebell, a five year-old Labrador mix, was flown to Riyadh instead of Nashville. Photo: Madison Miller

The owner of a dog flown thousands of miles in the wrong direction to Saudi Arabia instead of the US says her pet is still suffering with crippling anxiety, which requires medication three times a day.

Madison Miller says she has yet to be given a satisfactory answer about how the mistake occurred, neither has she received compensation to help pay for the dog's medical bills..

She was relocating to Nashville with her husband James when she boarded a British Airways flight in London, Heathrow, believing their dog had been placed in the hold.

But after attempting to pick Bluebell up on arrival in the US, she was told an error had been made and the five-year-old dog had been flown to Riyadh instead.

They were eventually reunited after a 60-hour separation.

IAG Cargo, which handles BA cargo, has since apologised for the error.

But Ms Miller said the Labrador mix has been left with separation anxiety, which causes her to be destructive.

“She chewed through her crate the first time I tried to leave her, and chewed through a wooden door when we tried to leave her the second time,” she told The National.

“Since then we have put her on anxiety medication, which she takes three times a day. We are hoping that with time and training she can regain her confidence in being left alone, and being around strangers.”

The couple are seeking compensation from BA and IAG to pay for training to help her cope.

But the companies have so far refused.

“They have not changed their position. They have not responded to us further despite the press,” she said.

Madison Miller with Bluebell. Photo: Madison Miller

“It is very upsetting and frustrating.”

Ms Miller said the couple are still unclear how the process went wrong.

BA's vice president of customer service told them there were multiple safety checks in place.

“That the people who drove Bluebell to the plane should have checked her paperwork to ensure she was on the right plane, and that the loaders should have checked her paperwork, and more,” Ms Miller said.

“Yet all those people failed to check her paperwork and loaded her on to the wrong plane. I am not sure how it happened, and BA has not provided any further information on why this error happened.”