Dog Reunites with Family After Alaska Airlines 'Misstep' Kept Pet from Boarding Owner's Flight

Moose the dog is back with his family after missing the flight he was supposed to take with his owner.

According to WTVD, Moose and his owner went to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Tuesday night for an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle. Moose was ticketed to travel in the plane's climate-controlled baggage compartment, not the cabin. Unfortunately, the dog didn't make it into the baggage compartment of his owner's flight.

"Due to a misstep in the cargo loading process, the dog did not make the trip," Alaska Airlines said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. As a result, Moose stayed overnight with staff members at the North Carolina airport to wait for a Wednesday morning flight to Seattle. But Moose went missing before he could make the flight.

"While waiting to load the dog on the Wednesday flight to Seattle, the dog was taken for a walk. When it was time to place him into the crate, the dog pulled away, shook loose from its collar, and ran away," the Alaska Airlines statement continued.

In response, the airline started a search for Moose. Clarence Kinley, a supervisor with Wake County Animal Control, told WNCN the agency received a call to he -

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lp with the search on Wednesday morning.

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"We were unable to get within 20 to 30 feet from it at any point in time. Most of the time, when we spotted it, it would take off running," Kinley said of trying to secure Moose. Wake County Animal Control stopped its search Wednesday afternoon, but other agencies continued to look for Moose. Alaska Airlines said it also flew Moose's owner back to Raleigh to assist with the search.

On Thursday, Moose was located and secured. "The airport's fire rescue team picked up the owner yesterday, who had been searching in a different area, and brought her to Moose the dog. She coaxed him to her, and he's safe and sound," Alaska Airlines shared in its statement.

The airline added that Moose enjoyed breakfast at the airport before departing for home with his owner.

"We sincerely apologized to the owner for what was a stressful situation," Alaska Airlines concluded its statement.

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