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A charity boss has been left “heartbroken” after being informed her disabled dog wouldn’t be capable of be part of her for a holiday she received on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
Tammy Fox was chosen to be within the viewers of 410 volunteers for her work working Pumpkin and Friends, a charity elevating consciousness of disabled animals. The present lately ended with hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly confirming it can be happening an indefinite hiatus.
In one in every of its remaining episodes, Fox and the opposite volunteers have been gifted a holiday supplied by way of journey firm TUI – however she has now mentioned her paralysed pet Pumpkin is not welcome to go together with her.
The 43-year-old informed The Independent that the ordeal had “ruined the experience” of the present and she would “never watch Ant and Dec again”.
“We’re just absolutely heartbroken, it’s been a roller coaster,” she mentioned. “We can’t get a hold of anybody on ITV. No-one’s replying to us.”
Pumpkin, a two-year-old disabled West Highland Terrier, had been stamped on when she was simply 10 weeks outdated, leaving her with a damaged backbone, damaged legs, and fractured ribs.
Fox/s expertise of elevating the foster pet led her to arrange Pumpkin and Friends, a charity supporting over a thousand animals with diversifications and assist for disabilities throughout the nation.
She mentioned she was informed solely registered help canines might journey through TUI holidays whether or not by aircraft or cruise. After some negotiation and pushback the corporate conceded to permit Pumpkin to journey within the maintain, however Fox says “that would kill her [Pumpkin]”, with vets refusing to log out on the journey plan.
TUI mentioned its airline permits “assistance dogs trained and certified by an organisation that is a full member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) are permitted to travel in-cabin. Emotional Support Dogs and other pets without certification are ineligible for in-cabin travel.”
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However, Fox feels the coverage is unfair, calling it “discrimination against my disabled dog”.
“We’re not a greedy family. We were so thankful and so overwhelmed with the surprise from Saturday Night Takeaway,” she informed The Independent.
“It’s all just turned into a disaster, even if they said Pumpkin could go on the flight now, they’ve ruined it. I’ll never watch Ant and Dec again. They’ve really upset us.”
Although Fox and her household have been wanting ahead to the trip, she mentioned she would settle for the holiday worth being donated to her charity as a substitute, to assist her assist different disabled animals.
“We could use the money to look after people’s animals when they go on holiday, because there is nowhere to send them,” she mentioned. “When you have an able-bodied dog, they can do doggy day care, dog training or stay in kennels. When they’re paraplegic or in a wheelchair, no one wants them or they’re not insured.”
TUI mentioned that their coverage was not distinctive to their journey firm and is “standard across the UK”.
A spokesperson for the corporate informed The Independent: “We were delighted when Fox was recognised on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, we think she does amazing work.
“We appreciate she’s disappointed it’s not possible to bring Pumpkin on the holiday prize she was awarded, but sadly UK airline policies prohibit non-assistance dogs travelling in an airplane cabin.
“We’ve discussed this with Fox and understand she doesn’t want to travel without Pumpkin. Whilst we’re tied to terms and conditions and policies around the prize, we’re in touch with her team about other ways we might be able to support the charity as a gesture of goodwill.”
The Independent has contacted ITV for remark.
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