Quick-thinking flight attendants save French bulldog's life midair

Michele Burt said that two JetBlue flight attendants saved the life of her French bulldog, Darcy, who was struggling to breathe, by giving the pooch an oxygen mask. Photo / Facebook

A JetBlue flight crew is being credited with saving the life of a French bulldog that was having difficulty breathing while mid-flight from Florida to Massachusetts.

The dog was on board JetBlue flight 330 from Orlando, Florida, to Worchester, Massachusetts, on Thursday afternoon when the Frenchie — a three-year-old named Darcy — apparently started showing signs of hypoxia, or insufficient oxygen, according to a lengthy letter that the dog's owner sent to JetBlue.

In the letter, Darcy's owner, identified by ABC News as Michele Burt of Boston, wrote that after Darcy started struggling in her underseat pet carrier, she took the dog out and put it in her lap.

It was then that she noticed Darcy's tongue had turned blue and "she was panicking and breathing frantically," the MailOnline reported.

When a flight attendant 'politely' told Burt that it was airline policy that the dog remain under the seat in its carrier, Burt apparently told them that Darcy "appeared to be in medical distress."

Burt wrote that two flight attendants, Renaud Spencer and Diane Asher, then brought over bags of ice to help cool down Darcy, but she continued to pant heavily.

"Renaud, who explained that he also had a French Bulldog Penelope brought a small oxygen tank with a mask attached and offered it saying 'maybe this will help'. I placed the mask over her face, and within a few minutes she became alert and after a short time she didn't want the mask," Burt wrote.

"I believe Renaud and Diane saved a life, some may reduce the value of the life because Darcy is a canine, I do not."

While en route from Florida to Massachusetts, Darcy suddenly started struggling to breathe and her tongue turned blue. After being treated with the oxygen mask, she recovered. Photo / Facebook

Burt wrote that Darcy has completely recovered from the incident and noted that she will not be flying with the dog going forward, unless her vet okays it.

"Though some may reduce the value of a pets life and applying lifesaving efforts to a dog the attendants applied their skills in a humane and caring way that I like to think represents the best in all of us as human beings," Burt wrote.

She accompanied the letter with pictures of Darcy wearing the oxygen mask and being held by flight attendant Spencer while deplaning.

"We all want to make sure everyone has a safe and comfortable fight, including those with four legs," JetBlue said in a statement to ABC News. "We're thankful for our crew's quick thinking and glad everyone involved was breathing easier when the plane landed in Worcester."

Burt noted in her letter to the airline that she was traveling with her husband and three small dogs — including Darcy — and had done so for 12 years without any previous problems.

Short-nosed dogs, include Frenchies, are said to be more likely to experience breathing problems while flying, due to being more vulnerable to changes in air quality and temperature, Fox News reported.