Companion animals are such a big part of our lives that it’s always tempting to take them along with us when we go on vacation. But if your trip involves air travel, it’s best not to include Fluffy or Fido in your flight plan. Animals and planes don’t mix, so always think of what’s in the best interests of your “best friend.” If your buddy is up for an adventure with you, take a road trip. If your furry friend is better off being left behind, find someone responsible to take care of him or her while you’re away.
Although flying might be the fastest and least stressful way for you to go, it’s often dangerous and terrifying for companion animals. Flying animals is never a good idea, especially if an airline doesn’t allow them in the cabin or they are too large to fit under your seat. Companion animals and cargo compartments are a dangerous and potentially deadly combination. Most cargo compartments are kept unventilated in order to help prevent fires. Cargo holds generally have no heat or air conditioning, and they can reach extreme temperatures quickly. Sometimes cats and dogs are roughly handled and even escape from carriers that have been damaged in transit—animals can easily become lost inside airplanes or airplane hangars. Of the hundreds of thousands of animals who are put on airplanes every year, many are hurt, lost, or killed because of an airline’s neglect.
The Boris Bill
When Sarah Stano had to relocate to Greensboro, North Carolina, from Portland, Oregon, she chose an airline that would let her carry her three cats in the cabin. But when it was discovered that one of the carriers was too large to fit under the seat, she was forced to check her fluffy black-and-white cat, Hereford, into the cargo compartment instead. When her family arrived in Greensboro, they were told that Hereford had either frozen to death or died from a lack of cabin pressure en route. Heartbroken that her beloved cat had been treated like baggage, she is still haunted by the last time she saw Hereford. Says Stano, “I'll never forget the look he gave me when they took him away.”
When Delta airlines treated her dog like “lost luggage,” Barbara Listenik decided to do something to make all airlines accountable for their negligence toward animals. Several years ago, Barbara flew to New York City with her dog, Boris, who rode in the cargo hold. When the plane landed at LaGuardia Airport, Boris bolted from his crate, which had been broken during the flight, and ran along the tarmac. Breaking free from the terminal, he disappeared into a busy Queens neighborhood. “I walked up to a broken, bloody crate, and they told me to fill out a baggage claim form,” Listenik recalls.
It wasn’t until six agonizing weeks later that Boris was found behind an abandoned tire shop 2 miles away from the airport. Filthy and 15 pounds lighter, he was bruised and suffering from a blunt trauma that took four surgeries to repair. Outraged by her experience, Listenik lobbied Congress to pass a law requiring airlines to report animal casualties. Thanks to the Safe Air Travel for Animals Act, or “Boris Bill,” which went into effect in the summer of 2005, airlines must now report how many companion animals are killed, lost, or injured on their flights.
Airline Incidents Involving Animals
Boris and Hereford are just two of the many animals who die, become lost, or get injured during flights every year. The following is a list of the animal-related incidents that were reported for each airline between May 2005 and May 2006.
Alaska Airlines: 2 deaths, 3 injuries, 1 loss
American Airlines: 6 deaths
Comair: 1 injury
Continental Airlines: 8 deaths, 8 injuries
Delta: 2 deaths, 2 losses
Frontier: 1 injury
Hawaiian: 3 injuries
Horizon: 2 deaths, 1 injury
Midwest: 1 death
Northwest: 2 injuries, 2 losses
Pinnacle: 2 injuries
Shuttle America (United Express): 1 death
SkyWest: 1 death
United Airlines: 4 deaths
US Airways: 1 death, 1 injury, 1 loss
Total: 28 deaths, 22 injuries, 6 losses = 56 incidents
Continental Airlines accounted for more than one-quarter of the deaths (eight out of 24) and a little more than one-third of the injuries (eight out of 22).
American Airlines had six deaths, the next-greatest number of deaths after Continental.
About 70 percent of the incidents involved dogs, who are commonly forced to travel in cargo rather than in the cabin.
Note: These statistics include only those animals who have guardians. Animals exploited by the pet trade and/or who have been purchased and are being flown to an individual or a pet store or are destined to be used in entertainment, in research, or for other commercial purposes have not been accounted for. It is also important to remember that for every reported incident, there are many that go unreported.
What You Can Do
Do not fly with your animal companion—unless it is an emergency and there is absolutely no other alternative.
Find out the rules regarding animal passengers for different airlines and patronize only those that do not fly animals in cargo sections; encourage your friends and family members to do the same.
Contact airlines that fly animals in cargo sections, express your opposition, and encourage them to adopt non-animal cargo policies.
Thank airlines that have adopted a compassionate policy and do not allow animals in the cargo section.
One of the best tools that we have for educating the public is the letter to the editor. Please submit a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, bringing this issue to the attention of people who might not have given it much thought. Politely ask people to consider the dangers of transporting animals in cargo areas, etc.
Want to help animals abused by the airlines right now? Check out these urgent action alerts.
http://www.helpinganimals.com/Travel...c=weekly_enews