Paralyzed dog quarantined at JFK over health risk, could be euthanized soon even as activists say it's not sick
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A paralyzed rescue dog has been left alone at the JFK airport after she arrived in the US a few days ago. The animal has reportedly been placed in quarantine and could soon be euthanized after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials wrongly assumed that she poses a public health risk.
Berry, a border collie mix, was flown from Jordon to New York City on Monday, August 24. But Meredith Festa of the New York-based non-profit Paws Unite claimed that the airport CDC workers refused to free her. They wrongly assumed that the dog was sick. “She’s scared and she can’t walk and she’s sitting in her own pee thinking, ‘Where are all the people that cared for me?’ It doesn’t sit right in my stomach,” Festa told the New York Post.
According to reports, the wrong assumption regarding the pooch’s health happened because of her disability and also a typo in her rabies paperwork. Festa and other animal advocates stated that the CDC workers said the animal must be in quarantine for 28 days. Festa also added that the person who was assigned the task to transport Berry abandoned her, possibly because of too much red tape. The animal is currently in the custody of Royal Jordanian Airlines.
Festa said that by Friday, August 28, the airline has to decide whether they will keep the dog alive and send her to a CDC-approved quarantine facility or she will be euthanized. “The airline decides whether she lives or dies. I don’t think she should have been flown thousands of miles to die,” she mentioned, adding that her organization, Paws Unite, has, however, initiated to take up Berry’s financial responsibility. Due to her disability, Berry needs special attention, which includes taking regular medication, using a hind-legs wheelchair, and having her diaper changed on time.
Meanwhile, a non-profit animal rescue group, named the Kris Kelly Foundation, has also posted a video of Berry and tagged a message along with it for help. The post’s caption read: “PARALYZED DOG STUCK IN QUARANTINE AT JFK AIRPORT FOR NO REASON!” as it continued, “From Lara Abdallat below @laraabdallatt Please DM her if you can help. On aug. 24th I flew a paralyzed dog from Jordan to newyork - JFK. Not my first time to fly a paralyzed dog to find it a loving home within our American friends. All papers are verified and certified. Fully vaccinated passport, health certificate and bill of lading. Again, Berry is fully vaccinated, healthy but paralyzed.CDC at the airport claims that berry is ill, which is not true. And they told us never to fly paralyzed dogs again to USA premises.”
It added: “Please I need help, advice, a lawyer. CDC wants to run a test, which we don’t mind. But also wants to put the dog in quarantine for 4-6 months. And the airport facility can’t keep her there that time. Or they want us to make the one easy decision which is to euthanize berry. Is this justice. We flew berry for a better life. Is this justice and ok by the people of America. The people of freedom and humanity?”
Kelly also told The Post: “This is ridiculous … If they won’t give her back, they should release her to an outside rescue.”
