Hunting dog that Nevada baggage handler refused to put on plane for Corpus Christi found healthy

CORPUS CHRISTI — City staff have located a hunting dog and its owner that made national headlines after a baggage handler in Nevada refused to load it on a flight to Corpus Christi because it appeared emaciated.

Animal control staff met with the owner Thursday at his Southside home after locating him though his rental properties, said Lemont Baggling of the city's animal control department.

When staff visited, they found Tex, the 6-year-old pointer, that was nursed back to health by Nevada animal control officials and shipped to Corpus Christi.

Tex was taken to a veterinarian by the owner upon arrival in the Coastal Bend to be checked out and appears to be healthy, Baggling said.

"The dog looks nice and was very responsive," he said. "He had plenty of food and water and looks good."

The name of the dog's owner has not been released.

Baggling said Tex is used alongside other dogs on the owner's Kingsville ranch to locate game birds and has a naturally lean, muscular body.

"The body type is very similar to a greyhound," he said.

But when the 56-year-old baggage handler for Animal Terminal Services at Reno-Tahoe International saw Tex last month, she refused to load the dog on a plane because of health concerns.

She told The Associated Press the dog's body was covered with sores, and its paws were bleeding.

Tex's owner told city staff he had taken the dog hunting before the flight and had run it tired, accounting for its lethargic demeanor. The owner said the baggage handler overreacted.

The woman was fired from her position at the airport but has been offered her job back, according to news reports.

Local animal control officials plan follow-up visits with Tex to make sure the dog is being cared for properly, but consider the pointer to be in good hands.

"We're going to monitor just in case, but the dog doesn't appear to have any health issues at this time," Baggling said.

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