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| Lamar Patterson: Basketball star's dog seized from hand luggage | Lamar Patterson: Basketball star's dog seized from hand luggage |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Australian authorities have seized a French bulldog from a US basketball player after he flew into the country with the pet in his hand luggage. | Australian authorities have seized a French bulldog from a US basketball player after he flew into the country with the pet in his hand luggage. |
| Former NBA player Lamar Patterson, 27, was stopped at Brisbane Airport on Thursday after his dog, Kobe, was discovered by border officials. | Former NBA player Lamar Patterson, 27, was stopped at Brisbane Airport on Thursday after his dog, Kobe, was discovered by border officials. |
| The dog was taken into quarantine and is to be deported to the US on Friday, authorities said. | The dog was taken into quarantine and is to be deported to the US on Friday, authorities said. |
| Australia has strict animal quarantine laws to prevent importing infections. | Australia has strict animal quarantine laws to prevent importing infections. |
| Actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard famously fell foul of Australian quarantine laws in 2015 when they smuggled their dogs, Pistol and Boo, into the country. | |
| Patterson, who signed with Australian team the Brisbane Bullets this week, had spent "most of the morning with customs officials", the club said. | Patterson, who signed with Australian team the Brisbane Bullets this week, had spent "most of the morning with customs officials", the club said. |
| He had first boarded a domestic flight in the US on American Airlines, which allows pets on board, before connecting to a Qantas flight in Los Angeles. | He had first boarded a domestic flight in the US on American Airlines, which allows pets on board, before connecting to a Qantas flight in Los Angeles. |
| Qantas permits only assistance dogs in the cabin but the dog went undetected by airline staff, Australian media reported. | Qantas permits only assistance dogs in the cabin but the dog went undetected by airline staff, Australian media reported. |
| Coach Andrej Lemanis said there had been "some confusion" as Patterson had asked US airport officials about travelling with his pet. | Coach Andrej Lemanis said there had been "some confusion" as Patterson had asked US airport officials about travelling with his pet. |
| "When he got to [Los Angeles International Airport] no-one said anything to him. He went through security. Somehow he got it on the plane," Lemanis said, reported The Courier Mail newspaper. | "When he got to [Los Angeles International Airport] no-one said anything to him. He went through security. Somehow he got it on the plane," Lemanis said, reported The Courier Mail newspaper. |
| Patterson, who formerly played for the Atlanta Hawks, often features his dog on social media. | Patterson, who formerly played for the Atlanta Hawks, often features his dog on social media. |