Two sisters were forced off Amtrak after riders claimed their pet Pomeranian was barking and pooping on December 21 when traveling for Christmas holiday.
The pair were heading to Chicago but, were removed by police when the train stopped in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The women then had to rent a car and drive through storms in order to get to their loved ones in time for Christmas.
Brent Bell, a dog trainer and passenger on the train and took a video of the harrowing ordeal, told KTLA News it was ‘over was a little bit of dog poop that they cleaned up immediately.’
These poor timid women were just shocked that this was the treatment that they were getting,’ he said, and began recording because he ‘knew he would be witness to an injustice’, claiming he was ‘tired of unfairness.’
Amtrak claimed the dog ‘created a disturbance by repeatedly barking, urinating and defecating,’ on the train.
After the pair were removed, Amtrak later apologized and said they were welcome back on the train with their dog.
Bell, a dog trainer, said he is familiar with Pomeranians and their temperament and sympathized with the two women, who were holding the dog on their lap during their journey to keep the pup calm. One of the sisters spoke with Nexstar’s KDVR off-camera.
She told the news outlet that she picked up poop from the train, but claimed it was not her dog’s and did it out of courtesy for the other riders.
She also claimed that the train’s conductor and others were targeting them throughout their raid on the train, and one of them was apparently harassed while going to the bathroom, which she said upset her.
Amtrak spokesperson Kimberly Woods said in a statement: ‘We apologize for the inconvenience and disruption to our passengers’ holiday travel on December 21.
‘Out of concern for all our customers on Train 6, two passengers were told to deboard after their dog created a disturbance by repeatedly barking, urinating, and defecating in the customer seating area.
‘The dog’s owner was given multiple warnings about the dog being on the seat and was given advance notice about stops where dogs could be taken on walks. Several nearby passengers also asked to be moved because of the noise and odor.’
Over a Zoom interview, Bell said he told KDVR that he asked the people in the car they were in if anyone was ‘bothered by this little teeny dog?’, but he said that, no one came forward.
