For 45 days, a dog named Pandora was lost at Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) after the pet was misplaced during a stopover in São Paulo. Pandora and her owner, Reinaldo Junior, were flying towards the Brazilian city of Navegantes with GOL Linhas Aereas.

What happened?

On December 15, 2021, Reinaldo Junior was flying between Recife and Navegantes, with a stopover in São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport. He was accompanied by his five-year-old dog, Pandora, who was being carried onboard in a kennel.

While at Guarulhos, the airline staff informed Reinaldo that his dog had been lost. Initially, the airline said the dog had bitten her way out of the kennel and escaped through the loading cargo area.

Reinaldo asked the airline for permission to go into the cargo area and look for his dog, but he wasn’t allowed to do so. After that, he canceled the rest of his trip, remained in São Paulo, and started looking for Pandora.

As reported by local media outlets like Aeroin and UOL Noticias, the case of the missing dog quickly went viral in Brazil.

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GOL goes into action

Following the disappearance of Pandora and the public outrage, GOL hired a company called Busca Pet to look for the dog. The airline also paid for Reinaldo’s stay in São Paulo while he was looking for his dog.

Nonetheless, GOL only paid Reinaldo’s stay for three days and later left the owner on his own. As reported by local newspaper O’Globo, Reinaldo filed a lawsuit against the airline. Simple Flying reached GOL Linhas Aereas for comment. The airline stated,

“On Sunday afternoon, GOL happily received the news that Pandora was found and is healthy. The company immediately offered additional assistance, such as an appointment with a veterinarian, and appointed an employee to accompany the process. Nonetheless, the owner of the dog rejected our help.” GOL is also offering Reinaldo a ticket home.

The public outrage grew even higher after a security video was published, where Pandora could be seen freely roaming through Guarulhos. According to the airline, the dog managed to escape from the airport and was quickly lost from sight following that.

The authorities at Guarulhos also helped Reinaldo to look for his lost dog, according to local reports. Nonetheless, time went by, and Pandora seemed to be lost entirely.

GOL
The MAX recertification has offered a change of pace. Photo: Getty Images

Then, a miracle

On January 30, 2022, a month and a half after Pandora’s disappearance, Reinaldo posted a video on social media with his dog.

According to data provided by the airport, Pandora was eventually found inside the airport. Pandora was found under a bridge in Terminal 3 of the airport. Somehow, the dog managed to return to Guarulhos. She lost eight kilograms (17.6 pounds) of weight while away from her owner.

GOL in 2021

Last year, GOL Linhas Aereas was Brazil’s third-largest domestic carrier, behind Azul and LATAM. The airline handled 18.8 million passengers and held a 27.9% market share. GOL had the worst recovery in the country, only bouncing back 52% of its pre-pandemic traffic levels, particularly impacted in the international segment, a market that only recovered by 1.95%.

What do you think about Pandora’s story? Let us know in the comments below.