Posted on 12/12/2005 10:07:23 PM PST by mastercylinder
More than half of all pet deaths on airplanes have occurred on two airlines in the six months since airlines have had to reveal the number of animals that perish on their flights.
Twenty-one animals stowed in cargo areas of airplanes have died since the Transportation Department began requiring airlines in May to record the number of pets that die on flights. Twelve have died on Continental Airlines or American Airlines flights.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
What's killing them? Low pressure? Cold? Lousy inflight food?
typo sorry
What's killing them? Low pressure? Cold? Lousy inflight food?
They didn't get their bag of peanuts!
So... pay for another seat and put the critter carrier beside you. Cheapskates.
Yeah... me too. Sometimes, you just can't help but to ship pets via airliner... but I wonder how many peoples friends died because they just couldn't stand to leave them in a kennel while they were on vacation?
I had an Ibizan pup shipped via Northwest Airlines from Nebraska.
The airline won't say what happened to her during the entire shipping process but the pup arrived in severe shock, soaking wet, chilled to the point of hypothermia.
Her gums were completely chalk white and her breathing was shallow and erratic.
Her incredibly sturdy crate was mysteriously damaged.
The crate had a very symmetrical rectangular deep dent where the two halves bolted together.
[the structurally strongest part of the crate]
We surmise something huge and heavy slid around in the hold, probably slamming into her crate and ramming her against the bulkhead at some point.
We were in Baltimore and I *no* idea where to find a vet so we raced like maniacs up I-70 to Frederick MD, hoping one of the 2 clinics I knew of would be open.
Thank God for the people at Super Pets.
The walk-in clinic was closed but the vet had stayed after hours to catch up on paper work.
[a miracle, for which I'll always be grateful]
2 hours and almost $300 worth of lab work & IVs later, my new 'baby' was finally able to stand up under her own power.
She was in -severe- stress and trauma induced shock.
She was *this* close to death.
In fact, even though the vet got her stablized, she worried that that the pup might drastically relapse during the night.
The first night of new puppy should not resemble a death watch.
We took her to our regular vet 6 times in just the first 2 weeks we had her.
Northwest Airlines advised me to wait a few months until a complete assessment of her health and expenses could be totaled until I filed a claim against her flight insurance.
We did.
When we filed 45 days later, NA informed us that "the deadline" had long passed and indeed, we should've filed the paperwork at the airport immediately.
I'm sorry.
I was sort of preoccupied with the efforts to save the dog, at that time.
Did the claims rep mislead me about the filing protocol?
Probably.
To this day, nearly 3 years the later, the "pup" is so severely vehicle phobic and terrified of *any* noise that even remotely resembles the sound of a plane engine that it's an ordeal just getting her in for scheduled shots and check ups.
And NA just says "Tough".
Most airlines have a "size" rule.
*If* the carrier fits on/under a seat, the pet can sit with you on the flight.
The big catch is that -you- must also be on the flight.
Luckily, my Peke is small enough to fit under the seat in her carrier. And we don't even need to tranquilize her to keep her quiet and calm. I'd drive all the way to NY every year if it was a choice between that and putting her in cargo.
Kind of a leap of logic to go from "not dead" to "unharmed". I would suspect some animals simply die of fright. Or poor carrier conditions.
I took my parrot with me on a round trip flight from Texas to Florida. Her carrier could fit under the seat so I had her as carry-on. I doubt I would have consented to putting her in cargo. I've heard too many horror stories.
I hope that you have learned a valuable lesson about Northwest Air. They treat people like animals, and really deserve to be put out of their misery (NA). I do believe that you may have, or, had grounds for a lawsuit, depending on statute of limitations.
I wouldn't put another dog on another plane -ever-.
Last year we had to go to Roanoke VA to pick up her sister who was a rescue from a brutal, abusive home.
It was a long, miserable drive, especially since I don't travel very well.
My other dogs were left at home during that 12 hour trip and I used a wireless laptop internet card to watch them via a network camera.
My parents were "on alert" and had keys to the house, vet's phone numbers, etc in case I saw something wrong with the dogs at home.
We met the rescuer halfway [she lives in TN] and it would've been fairly cheap and a lot easier to fly the dog up here.
Fat chance.
The dog had already survived 2 years in Hell and I sure wasn't going to add to her anguish.
We'd asked lawyers about a case and they all basically said the deadline was the catch.
I imagine that's why I was misled.
One small bit of "advice" saved NA $1000.
At least the pup lived and has since devoted her life to tormenting me until I go completely mad.....:)
If you're in the mood to humor a woman who likes to show pix of the kids;
The baby as a baby
http://mercury.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/baby3b.jpg
The little runt as 2 year old
http://mercury.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/phoebesnow2_copy.jpg
And her gargantuan sister who's twice her size
http://mercury.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/pookie4.jpg
A few stats and articles;
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-17-2003-44298.asp
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan00/s011500d.asp
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/ADVISOR/01/26/airlines.pets.reut/
http://www.thirdamendment.com/animals.html
Before we set up shipping arrangements, NW repeatedly assured me that the cargo hold was "climatized, pressurized and monitored by specially trained attendants" throughout the entire flight.
It was not and they later denied having told me any such thing.
If it's freezing outside, the hold is cold.
If it's sweltering, the hold is an oven.
There is no one in there to watch over the animals.
They are loaded up like luggage and left on their own until they're claimed at the baggage area.
This raises (already existing) questions in my mind. How cold does it get where the airline stowes the pets?
What's the difference between the baggage area and the cargo area?
I always manage to have pets I really care a lot about, so as things stand now, I would scratch the option of air shipment completely off my list of what to do with my pet when I travel. The airlines might feel the same way.
Just another reason to drive.
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