Thai woman sent back with her dog squad

Pakvimol Thangtha, a Thai national, had apparently thought she could take her 31 pets out of Sahar airport for a walk. However, she would now have to board a flight on Thursday with all of them and head back to the place from where she came.

Thangtha landed in Mumbai with two full-grown Pugs and 24 puppies of the breed, four Chihuahuas and a golden retriever from Bangkok on Tuesday. She told the customs officials attached to the air intelligence unit (AIU) that she owned all the dogs. However, a senior customs official said, “The four-hour travel for the pedigreed canines, especially the month-old puppies, could have ended as the final flight as they were simply checked in along with other baggage items on the plane. Another passenger, S Rao, who owns a cinema theatre in the Jayanagar region of Bangalore and who accompanied Thangtha, was also detained. Both passengers were fined Rs75,000 each.”

Joint commissioner of customs (AIU) Satish Kumar said, “We had cautioned Jet Airways last week when a cargo of ornamental fish was detected on one of its flights from Singapore. Dogs and other animals have to be declared on the load sheet of the airline as special cargo so that proper temperature is maintained during flight to ensure the safety of the animals.”

However, Jet Airways spokeswoman Srirupa Sen said, “The issue is between the customs and the passenger. The airline has no role in it.”

Later at night she said carriage of live animals was accepted by Jet Airways after verifying relevant documents by the check-in staff and at stations like Bangkok, by local health authorities.

“Shipment of live animals is done by loading them safely in aircraft hold under notification to the commander.” She said Jet Airways was guided by the local rules at the point of origin and destination and observed the guidelines laid down by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.