Jay Sata, this animal was a small French Bulldog being transported within the terms and conditions of the airline.
Against UA's record of its FAs attitudes towards passengers, it is hardly surprising that the passenger felt that she had to comply with the FA's wholly unreasonable instructions. If not, she might well thought that she could have been forcibly off-loaded by the security thugs employed at US airports.
A much loved family pet died during 3 1/2 hours of being incarcerated in a dark, noisy space without the opportunity for any comfort from the owner, or even to have some water. Just take a moment to think of the terror which the poor little creature suffered, thanks to that flight attendant.
The inflight PA chat from the flight deck must be amusing.
There is NOTHING amusing about this wholly avoidable tragedy. I hope that the FA is prosecuted for such a clear act of animal cruelty.