EUROPE DIPLOMATIC

The recent case of animal cruelty exposed Aeroflot inhumaine practices of transportation of animals with luggage, leaving a passenger devastated when receiving two cats crushed in cages, and one frozen to death. Brutal destruction of all tree cats, belonging to the same passenger, caused public outrage in Russia and beyond. (Image above: illustration).

The company acknowledged the need to change rules of animal transportation after the incident with Maxim Chumachenko, who reported death of two pets crushed in cages and the frostbite of a third cat after following Aeroflot rules to surrender the animals to the luggage compartment of a Boeing 777.

Upon arrival at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport from the USA, the passenger received, according to him, “two broken boxes thrown from the third floor” with lifeless animals inside. The victim believes that employees of the Aeroflot, should be prosecuted for cruelty to animals. The management of Aeroflot company acknowledged responsibility for the incident.

Maxim Chumachenko said that on January 22 he arrived from New York at Sheremetyevo. “In the cabin, I transported two cats and three in three different containers (in the luggage compartment. One on flight to Sofia and two to Moscow,” Mr. Chumachenko said.

According to him, in Sheremetyevo he was given “broken boxes with animals” that “seemed to be thrown from the height of the third floor” – the cargo compartment of the Boeing 777 is situated approximately at that height. “Aeroflot employees provided me with the necessary assistance so that I and my cats got on a flight to Sofia, ”said Mr. Chumachenko.“ One cat died of internal bleeding on the Moscow-Sofia flight, and the second two hours after landing on the table at the veterinarian” devastated cat owner said.

Russian Aeroflot company is notorious for cruelty to animals, causing passengers to invent different ways to disobey the rules in attempt to save their pets lives. Recently a passenger became world famous, sharing his trick of avoiding to surrender his overweight cat Viktor to luggage. Fat cat Viktor enjoyed the flight next to his master, but Mikhail Galin lost thousands of spared airmiles (400K) in Aeroflot reprimand measure, He said he never regretted it, because he does not put price on his pet’s life.

AMENDED: According to the owner both cats crushed in cages in luggage department during transportation died from massive internal bleeding. The complete autopsie results will be issued on January 27. Image below: one of the cats killed during travel with Aeroflot. (Source: social media)