A Hong Kong rescue dog becomes an instant online sensation after a video of the Dachshund traveling business class last December went viral.
The pampered Hong Kong rescue dog, a miniature long-haired Dachshund named Fifi, traveled from Hong Kong to Paris via Turkey with her fur mom, Helen Rosalie.
Rosalie, who is British, adopted Fifi in Hong Kong three years ago when the pooch was only one year old.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP)’s report, Rosalie described Fifi as “the most chilled dog” and that she was “calm and collected” during the entire 11-hour flight.
Fifi’s video while flying business class was posted on the pooch’s Instagram account December of last year.
However, the video didn’t go viral, not until a few weeks ago when a Facebook page reposted it as a Facebook Reel with the caption, “This is what success looks like when you have millions of followers on pawnly fans.”
The Reel has garnered over 260,000 likes and 16,000 shares while the original post on Instagram has amassed almost 400,000 likes.
And while Fifi looked comfortable and unbothered during the flight, many online users were not.
One user wrote, “I just grew up where the cost of a dog in first-class could feed a couple hundred starving kids, get them some clean clothes and maybe save literal lives, so this is hard for me to see.”
And another one wrote, “It seems a bit sad that you’d prefer to spend tens of thousands on a dog and call it your daughter, when there are thousands of children in care homes that could become a real daughter.”
But other users came to Fifi and her owner’s defense saying, “If owner can afford it, why not!! No one’s business but [the] dog and owner!! Love it.”
“fabulous! and so this should be allowed, don’t care to know pets are down in the belly of the plane scared and god only knows what else,” another user wrote, referring to the terrible conditions dog have to endure on some flights.
Some might have criticized Fifi’s luxurious travel arrangement, but there is no denying that the pet travel services business is booming.
As a matter of fact, it has become increasingly popular for pet owners to share and charter planes so they can travel safely and comfortably with their furry friends.
Furthermore, according to the Allied Market Research, the global pet travel services market was valued at $782.4 million in 2021 and is now forecast to reach $1.3 billion by 2031.
