HALIFAX — A dog that got loose recently at Halifax International Airport spent two weeks running around the airfield before it was struck and killed by a landing passenger jet.

The animal was supposed to leave Halifax on an Air Canada flight around June 10. But it escaped its cage and bolted out of the plane's hold when the door was open.

“Air Canada staff and kennel service staff were on-site trying to retrieve the dog on numerous occasions,” says a safety report on the incident.

“Investigation revealed that the kennel staff failed to secure the latch on the flight kennel.”

The pilot of an Airbus A-320, en route from Montreal to Halifax on June 26, initially thought he hit a coyote while landing on Runway 23, says the report.

A check revealed the animal was actually the dog reported lost by Air Canada.

“Three aircraft were delayed or diverted due to the cleanup,” says the report.

Pets have escaped before at the airport, said facility spokesman Peter Spurway, adding the dog's owners were believed to be visiting from British Columbia.

“It happens every couple of years and everybody is notified to keep an eye out for the animal in question,” he said.

“In most cases, the animal is recovered, but in this case, obviously that did not happen.”

The airport covers an area of 940 hectares.

Mr. Spurway said the dog was spotted several times by airport staff but the animal “was very nervous and wasn't coming near anyone.”

He said the dog posed a “very minimal” safety hazard to the aircraft that struck it.

“This is a small- to medium-sized dog up against an A-320,” Mr. Spurway said.

But he conceded the animal could have been more trouble for a smaller aircraft.

Air Canada is investigating how to prevent similar incidents, said airline spokeswoman Isabelle Arthur.

“It's a very sad occurrence, so we don't want it to happen again,” she said.

Ms. Arthur said Air Canada flies over 100,000 pets every year and it's rare for one to escape.