Airline says heat may be factor in 7 puppy deaths

[Nagishkaw 510]

FORT WORTH, Texas – Heat might have killed seven puppies that died in the cargo hold of an American Airlines jet this month.

American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said Tuesday that necropsies on the puppies were inconclusive but found that heat "may have been a factor."

The puppies died soon after the flight from Tulsa, Okla., landed in Chicago on Aug. 3. Cargo handlers in Chicago noticed they were lethargic and took them to a veterinarian's office.

Fagan said the flight complied with company policy that prohibits shipping animals when outside ground temperatures exceed 85 degrees.

The National Weather Service recorded 86 degrees in Tulsa while the plane, which was delayed from taking off for an hour, was still on the ground at 8 a.m. But American relies on temperatures reported by The Weather Channel's website, and Fagan said those readings "at loading, pushback, take-off and arrival" were within the 85-degree limit.

Fagan also said the puppies that died might have had other health problems because 17 other dogs survived the same flight.

American declined to release the necropsy reports on the dead puppies. The airline said it carries more than 100,000 dogs a year.

The puppy deaths outraged animal-rights groups. The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Legal Defense Fund called on government officials to investigate whether the airline violated federal rules on shipping animals. In 1994, the U.S. Agriculture Department fined Delta Air Lines $140,000 after 32 puppies suffocated in the cargo hold of a jetliner that was delayed for two hours.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends that owners avoid shipping pets in the cargo hold. Most airlines will only allow pets in the passenger cabin if they are small enough to fit in a carrier under a seat.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20100817/ap_tr_ge/us_travel_brief_airline_dead_puppies;_ylt=Akg0ucynZlCQslOQLtg4xzus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFkbjJ1cmk2BHBvcwMxODAEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl90cmF2ZWwEc2xrA2FpcmxpbmVzYXlzaA--

[HappyKnappy 30]

That's why you:

A)If travelling with your pet, and it's to big to go with you in the cabin, travel at night.

B)Stick to the embargo that ranges from May to November, prohibiting the flight of pets in the cargo hold.

A pet is one of the greatest gifts one can have, and like any other form of life, we need to take care of them.

I would be seriously pissed as well.

[Nagishkaw 510]

That's why you:

A)If travelling with your pet, and it's to big to go with you in the cabin, travel at night.

B)Stick to the embargo that ranges from May to November, prohibiting the flight of pets in the cargo hold.

A pet is one of the greatest gifts one can have, and like any other form of life, we need to take care of them.

I would be seriously pissed as well.

:thumbs:

[ValerieA 350]

Wow, when I was looking into bringing my cat to Houston, they simply would not allow animals in the cargo hold during the summer, regardless of temperature (this was Air Canada). It made sense to me, when are all the air carriers going to comply with this straightforward safety rule? And what happens on airlines that rely on the outside temp, when you have booked your pet on weeks in advance, and the temp is too high? Do they hang around the airport while you continue on your way? I couldn't take the risk.

[Nagishkaw 510]

My girlfriend used to work at the airport and she said the pets would sit sometimes for hours in their crates with the rest of the luggage exposed to the elements while waiting to be loaded onto the planes. She felt so bad when it was very hot and they did not have water.

[ValerieA 350]

My girlfriend used to work at the airport and she said the pets would sit sometimes for hours in their crates with the rest of the luggage exposed to the elements while waiting to be loaded onto the planes. She felt so bad when it was very hot and they did not have water.

Air Canada wants you to leave an empty bowl in their carrier so they can be watered if there is a delay or at connections. And, I just checked out their site - Phoenix airport doesn't allow animals at all, which makes sense. I wonder if there are federal regulations that the airlines follow re: pet transport, or if they make up their own?

[Nagishkaw 510]

I have no idea, but good for Canada.

[john & jean 37]

A pet is one of the greatest gifts one can have, and like any other form of life, we need to take care of them.

very well said, we need to care for them because they cannot do it!!!!