Irgo never expressed any desire to see Japan, but the 10-year-old German Shepherd found himself on an unexpected flight from Denver to the Tokyo area thanks to a United Airlines screwup Tuesday.

The family dog was supposed to be eating kibble in Kansas City, but when Kara Swindle, whose family was moving from Oregon to Wichita, Kansas, showed up in the airport cargo facility Tuesday night, a beautiful Great Dane puppy popped his head out of Irgo's kennel instead.

"I burst into tears," Swindle said.

"To see this dog instead of my dog was just the ultimate nightmare for a dog owner," she said.

United Airlines didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on this story but issued a statement to a Kansas City TV station. "An error occurred during connections in Denver for two pets sent to the wrong destinations. We have notified our customers that their pets have arrived safely and will arrange to return the pets to them as soon as possible. We apologize for this mistake and are following up with the vendor kennel where they were kept overnight to understand what happened."

The Swindle family was in the process of moving from Salem to Wichita, this week. Irgo, the beloved German Shepherd, was a key ingredient.

But Swindle said something went wrong at the dog resort in the Denver International Airport.

The Great Dane, she said, was bound for a military family stationed overseas. Instead the giant puppy was bewildered in the Great Plains. "I would love to know what they are thinking," she said of the other family.

The Swindles lived in Oregon for the past 21/2 years and were ready to move into a new home in Wichita.

Kara's husband, Joseph, got a job transfer. He was out of the country this week, so Kara was traveling with the couple's two young children. Irgo and his ear infection were supposed to be there, too.

She's been assured that the dog is doing just fine in the Narita International Airport.

He was checked by a veterinarian, Swindle said, and they've been sending the family photos of the dog in good spirits. He's being fed and walked.

He also will be flying in the main cabin on the way back, hopefully, to Wichita.

"Someone from Japan is flying back with him personally," Swindle said.

Irgo is expected to arrive by 8 p.m. Thursday.

Swindle said this was the first time she'd ever brought the beloved dog on an airplane.

She won't be doing it again.

She also has no desire to go to Japan.

UPDATE: As of 7:43 p.m., Joseph Swindle said the company was flying Irgo home to Wichita on a private charter.



-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen