Protesters demand justice for dog that died on United Airlines flight

NEW YORK CITY, New York (KTRK) -- A protest was held in New York City Saturday to demand justice for Kokito, the French bulldog that died on a United Airlines flight.

The protest was held at LaGuardia Airport, where it was discovered last Monday night that the dog was dead after being placed in an overhead bin.

Animal rights activists, the SPCA and democratic New York State Senator Marisol Alcantara joined Kokito's family at the protest.

Legislation was also unveiled at the protest to create a new pet passengers bill of rights called Kokito's Law.

United Airlines called the dog's death a "tragic accident," but the family still wants to know what will happen to the flight attendant.

RELATED: United says flight attendant 'did not knowingly place' dog in overhead bin, offers refund to family

A mother and daughter are heartbroken after they say their dog died on a United flight from Houston to New York.

Spokesman Charlie Hobart told CNN a flight attendant should not have told the passenger to put the dog in the bin used for carry-on bags.

Another United spokesman said the passenger told the flight attendant the dog was inside the carrier, but that the attendant did not hear or understand her, and did not knowingly place the dog in the overhead bin.

The airline also admitted to two other animal-related mistakes that week.

In one incident, United mistakenly flew a Kansas-bound dog to Japan.

Dog mistakenly sent by United to wrong city reunited with family