Air Travel for Pets - What Could Go Wrong?

In the September 2006 issue of Consumer Reports there is an article about transporting pets in the baggage or cargo compartments on commercial airline flights. Most airlines now require veterinary health certificates for pets. Since June 2005 Airlines have been required to file monthly reports of pets that died, were injured, or were lost during air travel. I was surprised that, in a little less than a year, there were 25 deaths, 18 injuries, and 6 lost pets reported. I decided to dig a little deeper. Summaries of the reports filed by airlines can be found at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm.

By far the majority of pets that died were dogs, and more than half of those were short- nosed breeds - Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers. Even when breathing normally at home, they may make a lot of noise. When excited they make a lot more noise. That noisy breathing can result in irritation and swelling, which can make matters even worse. I can imagine what might happen in the baggage compartment of an airliner. I had never thought about this before but I'd be really leery about putting a Bulldog or similar breed in a pet carrier and shipping it as baggage. Small pets in carriers can be taken as carry-on items and that is the safest way for them to fly. (The cargo compartment is more dangerous than the baggage compartment.)

In spite of autopsies on most pets that died, the cause of death was often undetermined. Many were undoubtedly stress related. Sedatives are not recommended for pets on airlines because they may carry an even greater risk, but for some pets, certain anti-anxiety drugs may reduce the risk. Discuss it with your pet's doctor and maybe do a home trial in advance of the flight.

In at least two cases, it was discovered in questioning the owners and/or during autopsy on the dogs that there were significant pre-existing medical conditions. Older pets, especially, may be in the early stages of kidney failure, have significant liver disease, or have mild congestive heart failure or other heart disease. In normal low-stress conditions around the house, there may be no symptoms. The trouble starts when the pet finds itself in the dark in a strange noisy environment and high anxiety sets in. If you must transport an older pet as baggage, in a kennel or carrier, you may want to ask your veterinarian to do some lab work ahead of time to check for kidney or liver disease, anemia, or other problems. At least make sure the physical exam for your pet is careful and thorough. Be sure and tell your veterinarian about any abnormal behavior or symptoms you may have noticed, like increased water consumption.

Another common problem was escape from the pet carrier or kennel. With cats, this was most often due to poorly designed or defective latches, latches that weren't properly closed, or carriers that were not securely put together. Dogs sometimes chew their way out of a kennel or pet carrier. A determined dog can chew out of just about anything. It may be practically impossible for a bunch of strangers to recapture a runaway pet and airport taxiways and runways are dangerous places. At least two escaped pets were killed when they were run over by vehicles on the taxiway. When you get the health certificate, you may want to ask your veterinarian to pre-flight your pet carrier as well.

The Consumer Reports article also has an excellent summary of many other things you should consider before flying with your pet, and has Internet sources for more information.