Pet Handling turns out to have Problems under Air Operators

Pet handling has started to become a legal issue these days. Various international airlines are facing ill-fated experiences with regard to attending animals of passengers on board. This month, an Italian Greyhound named ‘Larry’ had been lost at San Francisco International Airport. Larry was to be taken on board a flight from Ohio to Canada to reach his new owners and had been fastened with a custom leash within his caged kennel.

Before being transferred to the flight, the attendant got him out of his carrier onto a new larger leash. The dog slipped out of the new leash and escaped towards the main highway. The airline has launched a search for the dog, assuring the concerning parties that the matter will be dealt with in complete effort and capacity of the administration.

In another incident, ‘Nano’, a British Bulldog, was to travel with its Spanish owner from Berlin to Sevilla. Before boarding the flight, the dog had been left outside in the heat along with the rest of the cargo for around an hour. The ordeal left the dog dehydrated, resulting in its death. The owner of the dog is pursuing legal claims against the airline for all the damages incurred under its handling of the dog. In its defence, the airline staff has stated that they have been forbidden under all circumstances to feed anything to pet animals under their care.

PETA, an international NGO dedicated for the welfare and protection of animal rights, stepped in to voice its concern over the matter. The organization even proposed to necessitate shifting of pet animals within the passenger cabins instead of the cargo hull of the airliners. Presence of pets among passengers was rendered infeasible by many, justifying their stance with the racket they may cause due to their impatience during the duration of air travel.

Under light of these occurrences, the air traveling community is advised to abstain from bringing their pets along for flights. The advice is not just restricted to long haul flights, as even short-haul flights need to carry out safety protocol before takeoff and after landing which may lead to further obstacles in the process. With passengers losing their animals, its best in everyone’s interests to restrict animal air travel, evading any untoward incident leading to legal complexities and bad publicity.