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British Airways flight
50th for partners
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Allen, Endal, Ikea, Sandra and the British Airways flight crew.
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CANINE Partner Endal, arguably now one of the most famous assistance dogs in the world, and his human partner Gulf war veteran Allen Parton broke another personal record by taking their 50th flight together with British Airways recently. The event was made that bit more unusual as at their side, at 32,00ft was Canine Partners' golden retriever Ikea, one of the charity's demonstration dogs owned by Allen's wife Sandra Parton. Assistance dogs are now allowed to travel comfortably in the cabins of aircraft now which removes the need for sedation and crating in an aircraft hold. Normally only one dog per flight is allowed but as Endal and Ikea live and work together they were permitted to fly on the same aircraft.
Both dogs were given two complementary seat spaces, so they were able to stretch out in relative comfort, Endal sleeping all the way except when the lunch was been served. Allen says it is so funny to see the differences in the two breeds. Endal looks out of the aircraft window and sees a cloud and you can see his brain thinking "can I chase it?" Ikea on the other hand looks out and sees the cloud and thinks "is it going to crash into us?" ... He really is a little worrier.
Allen was accompanying his wife Sandra, Canine Partners' puppy operations manager, on a visit to Canine Partners puppy satellite in Scotland, 30 miles north of Dundee. "The flight coming in to Edinburgh was extremely rough because of extreme gales," said Allen, and the announcement from the flight deck really summed it all up ... "we hope the landing was as interesting for you as it was for us on the flight deck up front!" You can't explain to the dogs what is happening during a flight but they both behaved impeccably, despite the turbulence they had to endure. The British Airways cabin crew really went out of their way to ensure that both Endal and Ikea were comfortable throughout their flights and ice cubes and water provided (plus the odd half a sandwich).
"Our fellow passengers, especially the children, were really amazed to see the two dogs getting on to the aircraft," said Allen, "and I think Endal and Ikea caused a delay in the turnaround as during disembarkation everyone wanted to pet and say hello to them on arrival at our destination.
2008 is being celebrated as the year of the assistance dog and Canine Partners and the other assistance dog organizations are planning various events to recognise and raise awareness of the work these amazing dogs carry out. Allen said faithfully, "Endal has been working at my side for 12 years now and the partnership has only been as successful as it is because of the help and assistance given to us by a very special group of people which includes the staff of British Airways. The skies really have no limits for Endal and I", he said.
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