Jose Cabezas/Reuters
United Airlines on Saturday confirmed it had accidentally loaded a dog onto a plane bound for St. Louis this week, leaving several dozen passengers delayed for a last-minute flight diversion. Natalie Noonan, a spokeswoman for the airline, told The Washington Post that Flight 3996 was diverted to Akron, Ohio on Thursday because the company “chose the fastest option to reunite the dog with his family.” Passengers forced to accompany the dog on its journey were compensated for the delay, Noonan said. At least 33 passengers were on board, according to CNN. The airline has made headlines this week for three separate dog-related incidents, one of which was fatal. A French bulldog forced into the overhead compartment for the duration of a three-hour flight died Monday. A day later, a German shepherd meant to be shipped to Kansas City was mistakenly sent to Japan by the airline.