AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 12
Chester,
Come Home
A quest to bring home a beloved dog, stranded
abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic
C
hester the cocker spaniel has a travel history that's the
envy of most humans.
His owners, Phil and Lynn Baca, take this good
doggo with them when they travel. Chester has explored the
markets of Portugal by paw; he's savored nibbles beneath
restaurant tables in Italy. But it was during the final leg of the
Bacas' last trip in Croatia when Chester learned what we all
eventually learn: Travel doesn't always go as planned.
Unexpected news forced a heartbreaking decision, a sad
good-bye and a quest by people in multiple countries to get
Chester back home.
Dream Vacation, Nightmare Ending
When the Bacas left for Europe in December 2019, barely
anyone had heard of COVID-19. By the time they were
wrapping up their trip in Croatia in March, the pandemic had
evolved into a worldwide crisis. Borders were closing, health news
was worsening and their relatives back home weren't the only
ones begging them to return early.
" We were getting regular communications [from the U.S.
State Department] that were saying, 'Go home, go home, go
home. And if you can't, then be prepared to stay indefinitely,' "
Lynn says.
Amid increasing uncertainty, they decided to return in
mid-March. But a problem emerged. To book a plane ticket for a
dog, one must talk with an airline representative. As COVID-19
created travel chaos, almost all calls to airlines resulted in busy
signals, hours-long holds and disconnected lines. Increasing
travel restrictions meant fewer options each day.
The Bacas were desperate for help. They reached out to several
organizations, as well as politicians back home, seeking
assistance. The group that returned their call for assistance was
AAA: Travel agent Chelsey Fink told them she was on the case.
She worked with them, brainstorming ideas and checking in to
see how they were doing. She took on the Bacas' dilemma as a
personal mission.
" I was using our booking system to see what I could find,
which flights were operating, which flights still had availability, "
Chelsey says. " Once we sorted that out, we ran into the very hard
information that [the airlines] were not going to allow Chester to
go with them. "
A new pet embargo restricted Chester from flying on a
passenger airline. The Bacas had three options: to stay in
Croatia indefinitely as borders closed and a pandemic
worsened; for either Phil or Lynn to stay with Chester while
the other one went home; or to have Chester stay in Croatia
until they could figure out a way to get him back.
COURTESY OF PHIL AND LYNN BACA
by Jen Tota McGivney
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AAA Traveler - Spring 2021
AAA Traveler - 2021 Spring 2021
Departures
Because Someday
Travel Buzz
Places We Love
The Islands are Calling
Chester, Come Home
Aye, Scotland is for You
Agent Spotlight
The Best of the West
Hit the Trail
Going Dutch
Cabot Trail
Trip Notes
Idyllic Islands
The Road Less Traveled
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - AAA Traveler - 2021 Spring 2021
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Cover2
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 1
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Departures
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Because Someday
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Travel Buzz
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 5
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Places We Love
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 7
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - The Islands are Calling
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 9
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 10
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 11
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Chester, Come Home
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 13
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Aye, Scotland is for You
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 15
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 16
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N1
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N2
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N3
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N4
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N5
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N6
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N7
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N8
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N9
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N10
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N11
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N12
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N13
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N14
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N15
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - N16
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Agent Spotlight
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - The Best of the West
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 19
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 20
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 21
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Hit the Trail
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 23
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Going Dutch
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 25
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 26
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 27
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Cabot Trail
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 29
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 30
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Trip Notes
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - Idyllic Islands
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - The Road Less Traveled
AAA Traveler - Spring 2021 - 34
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