Maia, a rescue canine, is “drained however in obvious good well being,” airport officers mentioned. Maia was taken to a veterinarian Saturday, they added. Delta, the airline that was chargeable for the canine when it was misplaced, mentioned Maia would quickly be reunited together with her proprietor, Paula Camila Rodriguez, 25, who lives within the Dominican Republic.
“We’re grateful for the teamwork that has led to our buyer’s canine’s restoration,” Drake X. Castañeda, a spokesperson for Delta, instructed The Washington Put up by way of e mail. “Delta is working to reunite the canine with our buyer as quickly as potential.”
Rodriguez arrived on the Atlanta airport, thought of the busiest on this planet, together with her emotional help canine on Aug. 18. However the two have been separated after Rodriguez was turned away at customs due to issues together with her vacationer visa, she beforehand instructed The Put up.
Rodriguez was flying from Santo Domingo to California to go to associates, and Atlanta was solely meant to be a quick layover. However as a result of she had obtained the incorrect sort of visa, Rodriguez mentioned she was instructed she must return dwelling.
Earlier than departing, she needed to spend the night time at an airport detention facility, whereas Maia was set to be housed at a Delta pet facility, Rodriguez recalled. The 2 have been imagined to be reunited for his or her flight dwelling the subsequent morning, Rodriguez mentioned.
When Rodriguez was able to board her flight to Santo Domingo, the Delta brokers on the gate couldn’t discover her canine.
Later, Rodriguez was instructed Maia by no means made it to the pet facility. Two days after returning dwelling with out her canine, Rodriguez mentioned a Delta agent defined Maia broke her provider in the midst of an lively runway whereas being transported to the pet facility the night time of Aug. 18. Airline staff ran after her, however Maia escaped right into a restricted airport space, Rodriguez mentioned.
Rodriguez was not alone within the seek for Maia. A Go Fund Me was established to gather funds to assist search for the canine; strangers and animal rights activists volunteered to assist; and plenty of despatched nameless tricks to Rodriguez about potential sightings utilizing the hashtag #whereismaia.
For weeks, airline personnel and native officers stored in search of Maia, in accordance with Castañeda, the Delta spokesperson.
This included following up on leads they got and searches utilizing night-vision goggles. Delta even flew Rodriguez’s mom to Atlanta to assist seek for the canine.
Rodriguez’s mom introduced a few of her daughter’s garments to plant a well-known scent across the airport, Rodriguez beforehand instructed The Put up.
Castañeda mentioned Delta will fulfill Rodriguez’s “needs for a way she needs to be reunited together with her canine,” and that Maia was dropped at a vet to make sure she is match to journey. The now-famous canine seemed to be in good well being, Castañeda mentioned.
Rodriguez didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Sunday night time, however on social media, she shared a video that confirmed her celebrating with family members. In an Instagram story, Rodriguez mentioned she was “over the moon.”
Maia got here into Rodriguez’s life in 2017 when Rodriguez discovered the canine inside a field on the road earlier than Hurricane Maria made its method by way of the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez deliberate to provide her a house till the storm handed after which take her to an animal rescue, however Maia received Rodriguez’s coronary heart.
Since then, the 2 have been inseparable and have shared a love for exploring, mountaineering and even browsing, if the waves aren’t too excessive, Rodriguez beforehand instructed The Put up.
