A United Airlines flight was forced to land in Dallas after a dog defecated in the plane aisle

A United Airlines flight had to make a diversion after a dog could not hold it much longer and fouled on the aisle of the plane.

The four-legged passenger was in the cabin with other travellers on a flight from Houston to Seattle, which had to make an unexpected landing in Dallas after the pet pooped in the aisle, Business Insider reported.

Flight Radar, an online flight tracker, shows that a Houston to Seattle United Airlines flight was diverted to Dallas on Friday.

The incident was first discussed among users on Reddit, but United Airlines confirmed to Business Insider that the incident had happened.

One user said that the dog had a “messy accident” in the first-class section of the aircraft, which led to the plane being diverted to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

The ground crew spent over two hours cleaning the defecation off the floor, the user alleged.

The user also claimed that the first-class toilet was deemed unusable after the incident, and the time spent on the ground meant the food on board went bad, leaving them with only a few snacks.

However, some passengers may not have had much of an appetite, as the user also said that the smell “never quite went away”.

There are a number of rules and regulations people must follow if they are planning to fly with their pet cat or dog on a United flight.

United says on their website that once on the flight, pets must stay in their carrier with the door closed, under your seat at all times, unless they are service animals.

Bringing furry friends on a flight comes with extra fees, and not all destinations will allow you to fly with your pet.

It was only last month that a chihuahua on another United Airlines flight caused a giant mess after defecating on the seats and the floor.

The dog, who was on a flight to Portland on 5 February, was in its carrier most of the flight, but her owner reportedly let her out after she appeared to be fussing.

The flight attendants were able to clean up the mess in this instance, and an emergency landing did not have to be made.

Some of the passengers in the immediate area of the pooping dog were given travel vouchers after the incident.

The Independent has contacted United Airlines for comment.