SHelter And REscue

Safe Air Travel Rule Implementation Opens the Books on Pet Travel
Report by HSUS
June 10, 2005
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/final_rules_safe_air_travel_for_animals.html

Sarah Stano never realized that she was saying good-bye to her six-year-old cat, Hereford, for the last time just before his carrier was loaded onto an airplane bound for Greensboro, North Carolina.

Hereford never made it out of the airplane alive. An autopsy later revealed that the cat's death was most likely due to poor ventilation or lack of heat in the cargo area of the plane where Hereford's carrier was stored�a tragic way for any animal to die.

But while Hereford's story is heartbreaking, it is by no means unique. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that two million pets travel by air in America each year, many of them in the cargo holds of airplanes. And those cargo holds can be dangerous due to a number of factors: noise emanating from nearby jet engines, extremely hot or cold temperatures, and poor ventilation and air flow.

Any one of those factors can mean extreme emotional or physical stress to animals. And the results can be deadly, as in Hereford's case. Fortunately for pet guardians, the federal government agrees.

Beginning on June 15 the government will require airlines to report any complaints they receive from passengers about animal mistreatment or neglect. The reporting implements provisions of the Safe Air Travel for Animals Act that Congress passed nearly five years ago. To comply with the rule, airlines must submit information on any warm or cold blooded animal being kept by a U.S. family as a pet at the time of transportation who is reported lost, injured, or killed during transport.

Reports must be submitted on a monthly basis to the Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division, and will be published in their monthly online publication, Air Travel Consumer Report.

"This is an important step for the government to take, because it will afford the general public access to statistics and data on the safety of pet travel for each American-based airline," says Kelly Connolly, issues specialist for the Companion Animals section of The HSUS. "Consumers will be able to compare data for all the airlines, and if they decide to fly with their pets, they'll be more able to more informed decisions about which carrier to choose, based on pet travel safety records."

Because of tragedies like Stano's, most airlines have already become more cautious about transporting companion animals, and most have developed policies meant to reduce the risks to pets on flights. Some airlines designate certain animals or breeds that can be flown in cargo holds, while other won't fly pets in the cargo hold at all.

Even under the most favorable conditions, however, there is still always some risk when flying with your pet, which is why The HSUS recommends that travelers think long and hard before deciding whether to bring a pet with them on an airplane.

"In most cases, it is safer and less stressful for pets if you leave them at home with a responsible pet sitter or in a reputable boarding kennel," Connolly adds. But in cases where air travel with a pet is absolutely necessary, there are things that travelers can do to make it less stressful for pets.

That's another reason it's important for consumers to have as much information as possible before making the decision to put an animal on an airplane. It is hoped that the reports will paint a clearer picture of pet air travel, and that safety trends will emerge. Those trends can be analyzed to reveal such things as which airlines receive the fewest complaints.

For air travelers like Stano, that information could be the difference between life and death for a beloved pet.

If you do experience problems flying with a companion animal, you should first file a complaint directly with the airline you used. You can follow guidelines using our Air Travel Incident Report, and send copies to The HSUS and the Department of Transportation.

Caring for Pets When You Travel http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/

File a Complaint Against an Airline
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/traveling_by_air_with_pets/file_a_complaint_against_an_airline.html

New Rule Will Allow Pet Owners to Gauge an Airline's Animal Safety Record
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/new_rule_will_allow_pet_owners_to_gauge_an_airlines_animal_safety_record.html

Preparing Your Pet's Travel Supplies
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/preparing_your_pets_travel_supplies.html

Summary of Airline Pet-Transport Policies
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/traveling_by_air_with_pets/summary_of_airline_pettransport_policies.html

The Safe Air Travel for Animals Act
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/traveling_by_air_with_pets/the_safe_air_travel_for_animals_act.html

Tips for Safe Pet Air Travel
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/traveling_by_air_with_pets/

Aviation Consumer Protection Division
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/index.htm

Air Travel Consumer Report
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm

Federal Register: Final Rule
http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/p76/251231.pdf

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group June 14, 2005