It’s time for pets to stop flying. There, I said this: Let’s crush Fido and Fluffy forever.
There have been several incidents with animals on planes this summer, including with Delta Air Lines passengers lost my dog While traveling from Santo Domingo to San Francisco last week. The airline is still searching for the dog after it ran away from home. It’s time to stop keeping pets on airplanes.
Leaving your pet at home during the holidays is beneficial for your dog or cat and you. Most pets don’t handle air travel well, and many travelers don’t know how to fly with their animal companions.
I realize this might hurt them 66 percent of readers who have petsBut listen to me.
It’s been a tough year for flying pets
Friends, we have crossed a line. You Don’t Have to Read All Those Viral Stories Entitled pet owners are being kicked off flights Or leaving your dogs at the airport To know the situation so Out of control.
Planes are torture chambers for dogs and cats. Being confined to a dog kennel for hours, enduring engine noise and changes in air pressure, leaves your fur babies stressed.
Sometimes it ends tragically. Transport Department gave this information Domestic airlines transported 188,223 animals last yearSeven of whom died. These are seven completely preventable deaths.
Passengers are also being affected. Just try getting on a plane with someone with allergies or sleeping for a while on a plane with a barking dog under the seat next to you, and you’ll see what I mean.
Stuck on a flight with a screaming cat
Dave Dzurik has been there. On a recent flight from Boston to Phoenix, he and his wife encountered a howling cat stuck in a luggage compartment under a passenger seat.
Says, “Many people complained to the flight attendants.” Dzurik, a retired broadcast engineer from Tucson, Ariz. “BBut there was little they could do.”
Dzurik says the cat should have stayed on the ground. Of course he is right. Hissing kittens do not belong on commercial flights.
But in the meantime, Dzurik’s wife found a temporary solution: She removed her hearing aids.
If locking a cat in a tiny plastic box so you can celebrate the holidays with it isn’t the textbook definition of animal cruelty, I don’t know what is.
Traveling can be a “nightmare” for your pet.
Experts say Dzurik’s experience is not unusual.
“Traveling with your pet feels like a dream come true,” says veterinarian and contributor Sabrina Kong. velvetdoodles“But often, it’s a human dream — and a pet nightmare.”
She says dogs and cats are creatures of habit, and travel disrupts their routine. Many pets are not fit to fly. They’re either too big, too old, or angry. Increased stress: Many destinations don’t welcome pets, limiting where you can take them.
Kong isn’t the only expert who recommends keeping animals at home. Blythe Neer, a professional dog trainer, says that many dogs are afraid of flying in cargo and should be sedated. And some small dogs that can fit under the seat are hurt by the experience.
“If you’re traveling by plane and your dog has any type of anxiety in the car or in new or crowded places, I encourage you to leave them at home,” she adds. “No holiday is any fun when you’re having a panic attack.”
It’s not a holiday if you’re also a pet owner.
The problem is not just about pets. These are pet owners.
Responsible pet travel requires extra work. You need to make sure that you have the right carrying case for your dog or cat. Your pet must have required vaccinations, wear a collar with his or her name and your contact information, and be microchipped. Then researching your destination to make sure your accommodations are pet-friendly, your mode of transportation will accommodate your pet, and the restaurants and attractions you plan to visit are animal-friendly. Okay for.
Unfortunately, pet owners often fail to do their homework. Even if their pets survive the flight without incident, cat moms and dads tend to leave their animal companions in their hotel rooms while they go to the beach or out to dinner. Are. This upsets their animal companions even more, causing everyone to endure an unbearable return flight.
“If you want to be free from daily responsibilities, your dog should stay at home,” advises Bradley Pfeiffer, executive director of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.,
Well, leaving a dog in your hotel room may not be bad for your pet, but it could get you into trouble at hotels that have strict rules about leaving pets alone. Or it could get you arrested, as it did for a Pennsylvania man A puppy allegedly left in a hotel room,
Well, some animals should fly with you
No one is advocating a complete ban on traveling with animals. Service dogs are essential for passengers with disabilities, and they are trained to handle the difficulties of flying. (The Transport Department recently tightened its rules on service animalsEnding the problem of fake therapy animals.) I can also make discounts for pet owners relocating overseas.
And yes, some pet owners have well-behaved dogs or cats who can share the holidays with them. But these are usually less anxiety-inducing driving holidays, where you can stop for frequent bathroom breaks.
They’re dogs like Pepper, who belong to veterinarian consultant Cheri Honnas Bone Journey Dog RescueShe researches her destination extensively before traveling with her pup, making sure she plans for ample rest stops and dog-friendly accommodations. She packs a special bag for Pepper, which contains food, water bowls, regular medications, flea and tick preventative, a litter bag, a leash, a collar, bedding, and grooming supplies.
“So, is it ‘yes’ to Fido and Fluffy joining Family Vacation?” she asks. “It’s best to take into account your pet’s unique needs and personality.”
I’ll tell you what it is – it’s a “yes” to a lot of preparation and work. Unfortunately, this is a task that very few people like to do before their vacation.
Let’s make it easy: Add your pet to the “no-fly” list
It may be best to leave your pet at home.
I know I know. This is not a popular opinion. More than half of Americans (55 percent) say they plan to travel with their pet A survey conducted by Hilton in 2022An astonishing 58 percent of people would prefer to travel with their pet rather than a friend or family member. And this summer a new survey by the transportation company KinectAir suggest that 78 percent of Americans would fly their animals in a private plane if possible.
But commuters like Dzurik, a retired engineer from Tucson, say enough is enough.
“I’m in the old-fashioned camp that was raised to know that dogs and cats are pets, not little humans or substitute children,” he told me. “I fail to understand why people think they should take them with them wherever they go, whenever they go.”
He makes a good point. Maybe you don’t mind taking your beloved child on a weekend driving holiday, but please – no airplanes. have pets No People. I’ve never heard of a dog or cat being told to fly, and I’m betting you haven’t either. If your dog could talk, he would probably ask to stay home.
Read also
AA’s record $4.1 million tarmac delay fine – passengers aren’t paid a penny
How the FAA is failing the airlines and you, the passengers
