EAU CLAIRE,
Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin teenager using a classic excuse for
evading schoolwork missed a class trip to Peru despite his tale being
true: The dog ate his passport.

Officials
at Chicago’s O’Hare airport told 17-year-old Jon Meier the chewed-on
document was fine, but authorities in Miami rejected it and wouldn’t
let him board the southbound aircraft.

His family’s 1-year-old
golden retriever, Sunshine, chewed a corner of the document, obscuring
some numbers. Meier couldn’t get another passport in time to join the trip with his Spanish class from Eau Claire North High School. The 12-day trip ended Monday.

Meier says he can’t blame anyone, not even Sunshine: “I love her too much.”

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Information from: Leader-Telegram, http://www.leadertelegram.com/