Service Dog's Journey to Autistic Girl in Portugal Finally Approved After Airline Battle

A service dog named Teddy was recently at the center of an international incident, prevented from boarding three separate flights to Portugal with his 12-year-old autistic owner, Alice. Alice's family, who relocated to Europe for the father's work, had been attempting to bring Teddy to them since April 8th. TAP Portugal, the airline, repeatedly refused to allow Teddy to travel in the cabin, suggesting the cargo hold as an alternative—a solution Alice's sister in Brazil deemed unacceptable, as it could endanger Teddy's well-being. The situation escalated to include a court order, yet the airline remained firm in its position. However, after intervention from Brazil's Ministry of Ports and Airports, an agreement was reached, and a dog trainer, Ricardo Cazarotte, will now escort Teddy to Lisbon this Friday. "It's a relief," said Renato Sá, Alice's father, in a statement, "After weeks of uncertainty, Teddy will finally be with Alice."