A series of worrisome events involving pets onboard an Airplane has worried flyers prompting them to re-evaluate their options while travelling with their furry companions.
What happened?
On March 12, a French bulldog puppy named ‘Kikito’ died after an United flight attendant insisted on having the owners place him and his carrier in an overhead bin.
Following that incident, just a day later, the same airline sent a Kansas-bound German shepherd to Japan, then, a few days after that, they had to divert a flight when they realized another pet had been loaded onto the plane in error. A bad week for pet travel culminated with Delta sending an eight-week-old puppy bound for Boise to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City instead.
Statement issued
According to United’s official in-cabin pet policy, animals must be in a carrier and “fit completely under the seat in front of the customer and remain there at all times.”
United spokesman Charlie Hobart confirmed: “This was a tragic accident that should never have occurred, as pets should never be placed in the overhead bin”.
However the Humane society for pets specifies, While you can take your pet on board confident that it’s highly unlikely to be forced into an overhead locker, it’s less easy to surrender your pet to the cargo hold where you can’t see what is happening to them, or really know what is going on. The Humane Society discourages having your pet travel by air in the cargo hold of a plane, saying that it “can be dangerous and stressful”.
Another page at the Humane Society website goes on to say, “While most animals flown in the cargo area of airplanes are fine, you should be aware that some animals are killed, injured or lost on commercial flights each year. Excessively hot or cold temperatures, poor ventilation, and rough handling are often to blame”.
Mistreatment by airline staff
In addition to inhumane treatment, there have been several reported instances of mistreatment by airline staff, such as this distressing story covered by Condé Nast Traveler, in which a pet owner claims her dog’s crate was dropped, left on the boiling tarmac, and kicked, and that her dog was not let out to stretch or relieve himself for the entire 15-hour journey.
So what actually happens down there?
Several airlines and the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association were contacted to get an idea about the situation. However, they did not respond even after several days.
Pet Travel Blog said, “Contrary to popular belief, pets aren’t crammed with luggage in a deep dark hole in the bottom of the plane”. This claim was further backed up by the Department of Transport, which states, “Each airline establishes its own company policy for the proper handling of the animals they transport and that as a shipper or owner you also have a responsibility to take the necessary precautions to ensure the well being of the animal you ship”.
20 Things to keep in mind as a pet owner when flying with your pets
There are certain rules which have been put forth by the federal Animal Welfare Act, dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old, and those younger than 16 weeks traveling for more than 12 hours must be provided food and water.
Older animals must be fed at least every 24 hours and watered at least every 12 hours, and they must be accompanied by written instructions on how to do so. Department of Agriculture regulations also protect animals from being shipped in harmful temperatures but animals always fly in pressurized and climate-controlled sections of the cargo hold and are usually kept in designated animal care facilities at major airports.
A report adds that airlines typically employ or contract specialists to handle the animals on each end of the flight, including loading the animals last and removing them first from the airplane.
Airline pilot Dr. Chris Manno, said, “Our cargo crews on the ramp are superstars and care about animals. But when your dog is “shipped,” he’s treated like cargo, which means spending time on the ramp for both loading aboard and unloading from the aircraft. That’s harsh for an unknowing pet with sensitive hearing subjected to the extreme noise of jet engines in close proximity and harsh temperature extremes. It’s scary and confusing for a dog to sit in a kennel in unfamiliar circumstances surrounded by strangers”.
Good airlines do exist
While recent events have revealed the dreadful consequences of staff incompetence, it’s worth highlighting the good people who do care for traveling pets.
For instance, Lufthansa staff who send photos of in-transit pups to their owners, and Mr.Manno personally visits all dogs aboard his flights. The mechanics of shipment guarantee that the dog will go without water, because the belt loader that puts your kennel into the cargo compartment is slanted.
Mr. Munno takes the time to refill water dishes in their kennels and assures the pets to let them know that they’re not abandoned and that they’re among people who care.
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Source: Bravotv
