A quick-thinking Air Canada pilot saved a dog's life this week when he redirected a Toronto-bound flight in order to keep the pooch from below-freezing temperatures after a heating malfunction in the cargo hold.
The flight, which originated in Tel Aviv, was nearing the Atlantic Ocean when the pilot realized there was a glitch, making it unsafe for the French bulldog to travel into such frigid conditions, reports Canada's City News.
Seven-year-old Simba and his owner, German Kontorovich, were dropped off in Frankfurt, Germany, where the pup boarded another flight. The duo were reunited at Toronto's Pearson Airport.
"The temperature was falling, as it is very cold at the high altitude where our planes fly," Peter Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for Air Canada told The Huffington Post. "While a heater is not normally a critical component, on this particular flight there was a live animal in the hold. With the altitude it can become very uncomfortable, and possibly the situation could have been life threatening if the flight had continued."
Ultimately, the diversion set Simba's fellow passengers back about 75 minutes, but overall, they seem not to have minded. Come on, would you? Look at that face.