French social media users unite to try to find tourist's lost dog

The dog escaped from an Air France plane at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle

The dog escaped from the Air France jet as ground staff were unloading the plane (stock photo for illustration only)
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Police and social media users are united in attempts to find a tourist’s lost dog, after the dog escaped from a plane during freezing conditions at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

A young woman, Miša, was travelling with her dog Amalka on an Air France flight, when the dog managed to escape from her crate upon landing. Miša had been connecting through Paris, on her way to Dallas in the US, to visit her partner.

Miša believes that the dog, who is two, was scared by a “brutal landing”, and escaped while ground staff were unloading luggage from the plane’s hold. Amalka was last seen on November 21.

After discovering her dog was missing, Miša immediately launched an appeal to help find her on social media. The post spread quickly online, with users sharing the post in sympathy, particularly after a video emerged of Amalka running around outside the airport in the middle of a blizzard.

In its own statement on X (Twitter), Air France said it was taking the escape very seriously. It wrote: “The search is continuing and every effort is being made by Air France (which has mobilised seconded staff and volunteers), Paris Airport and the air transport police to find the animal.”

It also added that it had arranged for Míša to stay at the airport until the dog is found.

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There have been some sightings of the dog, including in a forested area at the end of the runway, but so far it is not responding to Míša's calls. A firefighter team and a drone have also been mobilised as well as a vet equipped with a tranquilliser gun that could help to safely capture the dog. 

A cage was also installed over the weekend in the area where Amalka was last spotted. 

Yet, Míša has blamed the escape on what she calls “Air France negligence”, and accused the airline of not doing enough to help find her missing pet.

Read also: Woman loses pet dog in France - then finds it in Portugal