Like losing your luggage, but so not really

Move over, Harry Potter: Delta makes dog wholly disappear from flight

Aren't love stories uplifting? Feel free to swoon along with us for this fairytale.

Boy meets Girl. Boy and Girl couple up. Boy and Girl commit to Pivotal Relationship Point #1 - Vacationing Together (in Puerto Vallarta, but that's not required). Boy and Girl meet puppy-eyed Dog, a vagabond of a canine looking to renounce his Mexican citizenship for the good life up north.

Boy and Girl take the requisite next step before procreation — Pivotal Relationship Point #2 - Dog Adoption. Boy and Girl take Dog to get some shots (not of Jose Cuervo, mind you), a few baths, and a couple rounds of antibiotics. Presto change-o, Dog is ready to join Boy and Girl's newly minted family!

Boy and Girl must return to the colder climes of their home country, Canada. Boy and Girl purchase an airline-approved tricked-out cargo ride for their pimpin' new Dog. Boy and Girl fly AeroMexico to Mexico City, and switch to Delta for their flight to Detroit.

Boy and Girl arrive in Detroit. Dog, however, does not deplane in Detroit. Boy and Girl discover that Dog never boarded in Mexico City. Not to worry, though. Boy and Girl are Delta-assured that Dog will be sufficiently watered, fed, and tequila-ed, and booked on the next flight to Detroit.

Boy calls the following day to get an update on Dog. Delta feigns ignorance about any such critter. Boy, after being shuffled through the involuntary-hum-inducing Muzak underground, is informed that Dog got loose and made a break for it. There are no further details on Dog.

Does this sound like the stuff of which your nightmares are made? Unfortunately, this is the reality for Josiah, his girlfriend, and their pooch, Paco.

You ask incredulously, "How on earth can an airline lose an entire living creature?"

Well, it'd definitely behoove someone to check the backyards of those Mexico City employees, papi. 'Cause it wouldn't be too savage to assume that the stool will mark the spot. But no one can be quite certain of Paco's whereabouts for the time being.

Compounding the appalling oversight, Delta presented Josiah with a mere $200 voucher as a half-assed oops-we-lost-your-dog offering — which was only the refund of the pet transportation fee. Which can only be used as a credit on future Delta flights. Future flights that Josiah and his lady love will never, ever take. Because they possess functioning brains.

After further prodding, Delta issued a sheepish apology with its tail between its legs, and added two more $200 travel vouchers to the pot. Because, you know, money is a terrific substitute for being pawed by a warm, wriggling, fuzzy little body, snuggled under the covers, enthusiastically licking your face without prompting.

As easy as it may be, don't get that appealing display of adjectives and affections confused with a cheap Vegas hooker, folks. Money can't buy you puppy love. Now someone tell Delta.

So tell us ... how many suckers would you rip to shreds if your beloved furry family member met the same fate?

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family vacay with the dinos

Dino-sized Texas state park declared No. 5 best for families in 2026

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Dinosaur Valley is the best place for families to camp in 2026.

Camping trips are core memory makers for children, and Dinosaur Valley State Park in North Texas has emerged as one of the top five best places to camp with kids in 2026.

The campground at Dinosaur Valley was the only Texas locale to be included in The Dyrt's 2026 list of the 10 best family-friendly camping destinations in the country. The winning sites "pull out all the stops" with activities, playgrounds, fishing opportunities, and much more to cater to young campers.

Dinosaur Valley State Park is located in Glen Rose, 60 miles southwest of Fort Worth and about a four-hour drive from Houston. As its name suggests, dinosaurs once roamed the park and left tracks in the bed of the Paluxy River, which visitors can still see and experience for themselves today.

"The sheer wonder of standing in an actual dinosaur footprint is something children never forget, and the park makes it easy to find them," the report said. "The park also features a dinosaur interpretive center and life-size dinosaur replicas that kids of all ages will love."

Dinosaur Valley State Park dinosaur tracks See the dinosaur tracks for yourself.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

The park offers many more activities for families to enjoy, such as 20 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding tours, or swimming and fishing in the river.

The Dyrt says there are 70 campsites for visitors to book, which include sites with electricity, hike- or walk-in primitive camping areas, and 20-person group camps. Nightly rates for camping trips range from $16-$60, plus the $8 daily entrance fee.

In addition to the well-kept campground, reviewers praise the park's dedication to preserving its dinosaur tracks and the natural landscape.

"Every camp spot has its own water source and electricity hookup, [which] makes a huge difference at the hot Texas summer days and perfect for spending the nights not in a complete dark in case you’re using only a tent without a generator," one reviewer said. "The trails are great even in the Texan summer as many of them are beside the river where you can cool off. Highly recommended for families with kids all ages!"

The top 10 best places to camp with kids in 2026 are:

Normandy Farms Campground, Massachusetts
Greenbrier Campground, Tennessee
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Florida
Spacious Skies Bear Den, North Carolina
Dinosaur Valley State Park Campground, Texas
HTR Niagara Campground, New York
Camp A Way Campground, Nebraska
Ocean Lakes Family Campground, South Carolina
Jellystone Park Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Minnesota

travel camping campsites campgrounds texas dinosaurs north texas vacations road trips family vacation