An emotional support dog that belonged to a passenger managed to escape her carrier following a flight to Paris. The lost dog led to an extensive search across the airport that lasted over a week and a half.
The search for the missing dog caused the airport to close two of its runways later in November. The dog and her owner were eventually reunited.
Attendants Go Searching for Amalka
A dog named Amalka ran away from a female Croatian traveler named Míša, 19. Míša and her dog traveled to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France from Vienna, Austria on 19 November. Amalka freed herself during the unloading process where she got out of the carrier that contained her.
Pet travel organization Fly Together (@Flytogether_2021) uploaded a video to Instagram of what appeared to be Amalka walking across a runway in the distance. In the video, Míša expressed her frustration and blamed her airline Air France for ‘negligence’ that led to Amalka escaping. The owner also states that nobody aside from her friend Carina was attempting to help her find Amalka.
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After several days, a widespread search picked up involving airport employees, airline workers, and police officers. Personnel even worked overtime to search for Amalka during evening hours.
Air France was available for comment to members of the media. A spokesperson gave updates on the search:
“Air France confirms that a dog managed to escape from its carrier cage during unloading operations AF1139 from Vienna on November 19, 2024. The animal has been seen and approached several times, but so far it has not been possible to capture it. The search is ongoing and all efforts are being made by Air France (which has mobilized dedicated personnel and volunteers), Paris Airport and the Air Transport Gendarmerie to find the animal.”
The spokesperson also notes that the airline had been covering Míša’s hotel fares while the search continued.
Two Runways Temporarily Closed Down
On 26 November, two runways at de Gaulle airport closed down temporarily so police could launch a drone to locate Amalka. Police and other personnel spotted the dog multiple times but evaded capture ‘for days’. Police even considered tranquilizing the dog so she could be captured.
Shortly after the runway closures, Amalka was found at a park within Dammartin-en-Goële, a nearby town. France Bleu Paris uploaded a video to X to reveal that Míša was reunited with Amalka again.
The Air France spokesperson had an update for media outlets following the end of their search:
“After several days of intense searches, we are delighted to confirm that Amalka has been found and returned to her owner. Both will be able to travel to their final destination soon.”
