Gadling

How is a dog worth $20,000? To whom is it worth this much? How do they arrive upon the 20,000 figure?

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HA HA HA, I saw the headline and said I bet you $20,000 it was Delta that lost the dog and HA HA HA I was right. They are the CRAPPIEST most DISGUSTINGLY CHEAP and FILTHY airline I have EVER been on. My Pilot was like 12 years old, the one stewardess (both times) was NASTY and basically threw peanuts at us and the staff in the airport looked like and acted like they were recruited from HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT HEADQUARTERS. I gaurantee one of their DRUGGIE employees stole the dog and sold it somewhere else.

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btw, I bet you Delta had to take out a personal loan to pay the $2,800 back for the dog. That must've dang near broke the bank for them. I reiterate, worst airline ever! First time we flew in to NYC and had a connecting flight with Delta, all planes got grounded because their crappy company's servers all went down. We were stuck for hours after being loaded and unloaded on the plane. Then going out of NYC, they had us sit on the tarmac for almost an hour because they had overbooked our flight and we were "too heavy" so they were trying to get passengers to get off the plane of their own free will for a lousy hotel room and a chance to go through the same BS the next day. HA! I'd rather hitchhike than take Delta again- Probably end up with a better quality of people anyway than the crooks they've hired.

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As a breeder, I ship dogs all over the US. Even though it is against company policy to open a crate with an animal in it, I see it done ALL the time. They want to hold the puppy or see what makes them so valuable. I can almost bet my last dollar that the airport wanted to see what a CH. show dog looked like and opened that door. I have started cable tying the doors shut. If one of mine gets out, they have lots of plaining to do Lucy.

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first of all, there was only ONE flight attendant and the plane was the size of a closet and dirty! the flight attendant was rude! She huffed whenever asked for anything and got into actual arguments with the customers on board and actually threatened to go get the pilot at one point because the guy she was talking to told her she was rude. (while we were grounded and she wanted us to get off the plane because yet another Delta screw up) The check in counter was appaling. The girls behind there were so busy talking about their personal lives that any time approached, they treated us like we were inconveniencing them- imagine that, having to WORK at WORK! Both of my flights were a nightmare and the Delta lobby was scuzzier than a grey hound bus station. I would have gladly helped the attendant if I wasn't so exhausted from getting on and off the plane and moving my luggage and car seats and children around because they couldn't decide if they were coming or going. On top of that, we were flying into NY from Italy and a little tired. Is it too much to ask for customer service and maybe a polite attitude from the airlines we just dropped thousands of dollars to fly with? All the other airlines seemed able to comply but Delta. AND BTW, WE ARE IN THE MILITARY! I see military pilots and have some that are my FRIENDS and they are not young at all- they actually have to shave in the morning. I wouldn't work for Delta airlines if it was the last job on earth, and frankly, I wouldn't fly with them if they were giving away tickets. I'm allowed to say that because I gave them the chance and both times they blew it. It's called customer service and satisfaction which they do not have. Should've stayed bankrupt and out of the skies.

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LOST MY A**!!! That dog was stolen and sold to the highest bidder!!!

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Tamster, excuse me? Are you suggesting to Stacy that she should have helped the stewardess? How insane!!! Enormous ticket prices and now we have to wash dishes on the plane? What next?

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Same goes for related animal bording homes. My friend lost her prize cat during a business trip only to return and discover the Home could not account for her beloved cat! How does an animal just dissapear? Neglect or possible inside issues of course with neglegent staff. She started digging in legally and discovered they were licensed under three dfferent LLC's making recourse nearly impossbile. Just how many like this incompetents are out there???

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I travel alot and Delta is the one airline I will never fly again. Besides having less leg room than other carriers, they stole my husbands suitcase on the return from a dream trip from South America. I say stole because there were so few people on the flight, we got there hours early and watched it go on the plane. And the icing on the cake was that because it was an international flight, they would only give us HALF of the money they pay out for lost luggage. The airlines just don't get that the little trinkets brought back from a trip of a lifetime costs pennies, but it is worth the world to the traveler who has acquired them.

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Haha, they talked to animal psychics, that is one of the most ridiculious things I have ever heard. Animal psychics have to be one of the biggest scams EVER....next to real psychics of course. Anyone can be an animal psychic, actually right now I can tell you what all of your pets want....they want food....aw man, I am so awesome, I am going to write a book.

But really, sucks to lose a dog whether it's $20,000 or $75 from a shelter.

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What a sin! I feel for the family who lost their pet. It's like losing a family member. It's very sad and I hope that Vivi is infact alive and well. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and I hope Vivi will be returned to you someday soon. As far as Delta goes, it's too bad that they are that irresponsible and stupid to lose an animal. Now we know we can't trust them with our most special possesions.

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Delta = Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive

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I WILL PAY 1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE SAME RETURN OF VIVI.

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As a breeder, owner and handler of champion miniature longhair dachshunds and involved heavily in the sport of dogs, the $20,000 figure is low depending on the dog. If one of my girls were lost by an airline, I would be out to own the airline. Dollar amounts for champion show dogs are based on their winning record and progeny. We as breeders make absolutely no money on our dogs. To have a top dog and to get to Westminster will cost you thousands of dollars each year, in travel expenses, advertising, entry fees, handler fees and more. Most of us are just average people with a GREAT LOVE for our breed, and we breed ONLY to produce the best dogs we can. 95% of what we breed goes to pet homes, that we carefully select and interview prospective owners to assure that they know about our breed. I and all of my breeder friends live by this ethical creed. We have contracts that are signed stating to the new family that if they ever decide that they are unable to keep their pet, that that dog is returned to us, no exceptions. Also on our contracts are spay and neuter requirements, pet dogs MUST BE SPAYED OR NUETERED. RESPONSIBLE breeders do not breed dogs that have allergies, hereditary diseases or any other problems. Why would we want the owners of our dogs to have enormous vet bills? This is in a nutshell is why the $20,000 figure. I am very disappointed when I get a call from someone looking for a puppy and I quote them from $500 - $1200 depending on the puppy and they tell me too much and hang up. Then why did they take the time to contact the AKC, local breed club, or however they got my phone number, if they just wanted a backyard bred puppy. OK, so they pay $200 for a dog with “papers”, but how healthy is that dog. I want to tell them, well you will just have to pay for it later in vet bills. I only breed once or maybe twice a year and none of my bitches is ever bred more than 2 or 3 times. Currently I have my puppy of a lifetime, after 30 years of dachshunds, I have what I believe, and so do judges and my friends, my first real chance of being a winner at Westminster. I will be looking for someone to help me get this dog to Westminster. $20,000, not much money for a beloved pet and show dog!

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Out of all the bitchin on here about service and all the money the airlines make. Blah Blah Blah. Airlines DO NOT make bank on every flight. A flight from ny to ca the company may bank about 2000. IF that. You guys don't realize how much fuel costs, How much the shitty food your eating costs, or how much it cost to deice an aircraft. Fuel cost anywhere from 4.22 all the way up to 6.00 a gallon. It depends on what state your in. Jeta fuel where i am we charge 4.28 a gallon and we are the cheapest on the feild. Before you start spouting off about how expensive it is to fly, think about how much money the airlines DO NOT make when your bitchin.

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I worked for Northwest Airlines in the late 80s....loaded planes in Minneapolis/ St Paul. While I was there a small box was lost in transit. It was very valuable to the owners and an all out search was ordered to find it....it wasn't found until spring thaw when the snow berms made by plows, around the ramp, started to melt away...voila, there was the box that had been lost for nearly 3 months..and in it was an urn holding someones cremated ashes. No wonder the company never told us what we were looking for.

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I've SEEN that dog recently!! The dog-psychics were right, he IS in Brooklyn. I saw the dog taking a DUMP on a sidewalk at Kings Highway and E. 14th Street about a month ago!

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