no, at least the adoption papers I signed definitely was not a purchase. Ownership technically remains with the shelter I adopted her from, and there's clauses in the contract regulating sale or transfer of the animal to anyone else which needs to be aproved. Not that I would ever do that....

P.S: Since the logistics likely remain the same for the dog transports regardless of AA pulling the program or not nothing would change for the passengers in the line behind if the shelter instead of AA paid for the passage - the person who complained would have to wait even longer because now payment of the transport charges would need to be processed in addition to everything else.

P.S.: AA gets several hundred dollars from my dog every year. She's been across the Atlantic and all over the US quite a few times now, first at $150, now at $175 a pop. Too bad she's not eligible for AAdvantage membership and can't get any miles! Time to petition AA to allow animals to have an AAdvantage account