[Bruce's_Mom]

My last TSA experience traveling with Bruce was so horrifying I was in tears, missed our flight (which our airline was kind enough to get us on a different airline with the same flight 2 hours later and give us free food because I was so upset)…This is going to be long, but I still am so upset and humiliated I have 2 tips to offer to lessen the blow to future w/pet travelers.

(1) Be prepared for extra screening anything that will make you unusual will cost you…We had many things going against us that day. (a) I had a dog which is slightly unusual; (b) I was on a nonstop international flight a little more unusual that just domestic, (c) I had a number of items in my other carry on that had to be removed for screening, laptop, liquids, etc. So we were a natural choice for extra screening. At first I just tried my best to be prepared, know they were going to wand Bruce and have everything out and ready him out of his carrier with collar removed in order to be wanded…Sure enough we are pulled aside to be wanded despite not setting off the metal detector….The conversation with the screener went something like this afterward…
SCREENER: “Wat dat bulgy between yo dog legs?”
ME: “Um that would be his penis”
apparently that seemed sarcastic and the damage was already done…they then made us go through the metal detector 3 more times until we set it off…Then we were wanded but nothing…At this point Bruce is removed from my arms, I am screamed at about him not having a leash and collar on and after I explain it was removed I can see a man start going through our bags to find it. They leash him um and lead him away from me…I made the mistake of asking where he was going and of course for a private screening...I asked where, all the woman said was I could not go because I needed further inspection…
(2) NEVER ASK FOR A PRIVATE SCREENING THEY WILL MOLEST YOU MORE & HUMILIATE YOU IN FRONT OF OTHER PASSENGERS: I was asked to remove my nylons and shirt in public and I said I was uncomfortable with that…It was then that a large intimidating woman of questionable sexuality (which I do not have a problem with except really is she the one that should do my “pat down” is it really better than having a man do it?) She then “pat me down” which consisted of her dragging her hand up and down my thighs and the groping my rear while other passengers looked on…Still Bruce is nowhere to be seen…I am led into the back and again asked to remove my shirt, all the while male TSA agents are all around…I hesitate and am informed if I do not do it they will “have to take action” I remove my shirt and they just stare at me, then the woman runs her hands over my boobs and sort of cups them, she is looking at me creepily and I am bright red and shaking…Then she pats me down again and feels at my crotch in a way I felt was excessive. I then said to her “mam I would rather not fly today than remove anymore clothing, and I would like to know where my dog and my other personal items have been taken…This is when I really panic, she responds by saying “you were traveling with a dog, I have no idea where the animal is” at this point she let me go and I ran back to the original checkpoint, my other bag and Bruce’s carrier was there, they explained the carrier had to be tested for explosives because terrorists often try to travel with animals to hide bombs inside the animals and/or their carriers…I then panic because Bruce is not there, I run around in a frenzy asking everyone in the concourse if they have seen a Yorkshire Terrier…No one has, I am now a sobbing wreck when a flight attendant from my airline passes by and asks what is wrong…She points out that I have to get on my flight in the next 5 minutes to make it…Obviously I cannot without my dog…Doing her best to help she walks me to the nearest gate for that airline and they start radioing around…Then he is found, and unbeknownst to me he has my boarding pass with him. Without even telling me the TSA folks walked him and my boarding pass to our gate while I was being screened and left him with the attendant working the gate, when they had to leave to be on our missed flight he was then left with another airline’s attendant just adjacent to our gate…It was the most panic stricken worst 3 hours of my life and hence my tip really is avoid traveling with your animal if possible…Now if you are European do travel with your animal all your customs and security folks are very kind and animal friendly!!!