Local Veteran's Service Dog Kept Off Plane, Raising National Awareness

A Marine Corps veteran and Fredericksburg resident reported on Facebook that he and his service dog were denied access to their American Airlines flight last weekend because gate agents claimed they were unable to prove the dog was indeed a service dog.

Jason Haag, said he and his service dog, Axel, made it through security just fine but were pulled out of line at the gate. He said they were “bullied” by American Airlines employees to the point they “had my wife in tears.”

Haag also noted he tried to comply with the gate agents and had never faced this issue in the past.

ABC News reported Haag, his wife and Axel were heading home from California, where Axel was named the winner in the Service Dog division at the 2015 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards on Saturday night. Haag and Axel regularly tour the country to explain how service dogs aid wounded veterans.

Haag reportedly received Axel to help him manage post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, according to ABC News.

An American Airlines spokeswoman confirmed with ABC that the airline did apologize to Haag and provide travel back to Virginia for he, his wife and Axel.

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