A woman was forced to flush her emotional support hamster down the toilet before her flight as she told the animal would not be allowed on the plane.

Belen Aldecosea was travelling from Baltimore to South Florida last November when she was told that her comfort animal would not be permitted to travel with her. Aldecosea told her lawyer that Spirit Airlines had previously stated that the hamster, Pebbles, would be allowed on the flight. She also claimed that a member of staff told her to flush the animal down the toilet - which she did. The Miami Herald reports that Aldecosea was travelling to South Florida to have a growth removed from her neck. The 21-year-old arrived to the airport with all of the necessary documentation declaring that Pebbles was an emotional support animal. However, when she arrived, Aldecosea said that one member of staff told her that she could either flush the hamster down the toilet or set her free. Aldecosea told the publication:

“She was scared. I was scared. It was horrifying trying to put her in the toilet. “I was emotional. I was crying. I sat there for a good 10 minutes crying in the stall.”

The student went on to say that she didn't want to set Pebbles free because she didn't want her to die that way. Spirit Airlines has taken responsibility for giving Aldecosea the incorrect information regarding emotional support animals. The company denies that one of their employees told the women to flush the hamster down the toilet. Aldecosea has since gotten a replacement hamster.