Michael ‘Mike’ Contillo, a California resident, has filed a lawsuit against Alaska Airlines, claiming negligence led to the death of his beloved three-year-old French Bulldog, Ash. In an interview with Daily Mail, Contillo recounted the distressing experience he had while traveling from New York to San Francisco on February 1st this year.

Contillo and his father had booked first-class tickets to ensure comfort for their two dogs, Ash and ten-year-old Kora. However, shortly before their departure, they were unexpectedly instructed to move from their seats in the fourth row to the eleventh row for safety reasons. Contillo expressed concern that moving the dogs could cause respiratory and cardiac issues, especially before takeoff. Despite his worries, he felt compelled to comply with the request.

After the seat change, Contillo noticed Ash’s breathing became rapid and labored, and he exhibited signs of anxiety. Although he thought Ash had settled down and was merely sleeping, he later discovered the tragic truth upon landing at San Francisco International Airport—Ash had passed away, with his body already stiff from rigor mortis. Contillo, overwhelmed with grief, broke down in tears.

He pointed out that the flight lasted approximately five hours, and rigor mortis typically sets in around four hours after death. He believes that if he hadn’t been forced to change seats, Ash would have made it through the flight safely, which is why he had initially purchased first-class tickets, including a fee for bringing his dogs aboard.

Contillo criticized Alaska Airlines, arguing that the flight crew’s actions to relocate them did more harm than good. “Who were they trying to protect?” he questioned, noting that he had not received a refund for the fare difference between first class and economy.

As the product manager for the legal company LegalOn, Contillo described the pain of losing Ash as deeply distressing, inflicting severe emotional trauma. In his lawsuit, he asserts that Ash held a unique value, akin to that of a child. He fondly recalled Ash as a joyful dog, stating, “I’ve never seen a dog so happy to be alive.” Kora, meanwhile, remains healthy and resides with Contillo in San Francisco.