PET AIRWAYS has flown its first passengers. (Unlike most other media outlets, Gulliver winces at the prospect of referring to the animals as “pawsengers”, Pet Airways’ preferred designation.) The airline, which transports dogs and cats in the main cabin of modified planes, made its inaugural flight from New York yesterday.

We first wrote about Pet Airways in April, and the response was universally positive. Indeed, Pet Airways could well be onto a good thing, since its services do not cost much more than less comfortable transport in the cabin of a regular plane. Success may depend on how quickly the company can expand its operations: it currently links New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles, but has designs on serving 25 cities in the next three years. The public’s attention has certainly been piqued; now all Pet Airways needs to do is invest a bit more money in its website. When Gulliver recently looked, the site wasn’t working because of “Over Capacity”. Not what you want on day two of operations.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES’ announcement that it would allow small pets inside the cabins of its aircraft from June 17th has not been universally welcomed. Or rather, it was not welcomed by people quoted in a report in the Denver Post, which was subsequently picked up by several other media outlets. These interviewees voiced concerns about allergic reactions and the noise the animals would make.

I have a hunch that the announcement will be welcomed by Vet Blog readers who are on the lookout for more pet travel options. When people fly with pets, I always recommend keeping them in the cabin if possible.

Gulliver continues:

It’s unfair to single out Southwest in this context as several other American carriers already allow pets to fly in planes with their owners. And a company spokesman played down the possibility of strife: “We will quickly make accommodations if a pet is causing any disruption in flight,” he said. “This is similar to the peanut allergy, and we do have experience in accommodating customers.”

Well said. And finally, I must agree with the comment writers cited by Gulliver in an e-mail he sent out announcing the post.

Many commenters say they would rather share a cabin with dogs than children.

Hear, hear!

Photo: Paul Carter. Photo license: CC

I have seen a disturbing amount of animal suffering all over the world, from starving dogs in Nicaragua to whipped donkeys in Egypt to packs of dogs shot en masse in Thailand.

One incident in particular is unforgettable for me. I was with several other travelers on a Mekong River boat in northern Laos. We saw a person on shore relentlessly beating an elephant as it struggled to haul a felled tree up the river bank. At least one person in the group was moved to tears.

The incident sparked a conversation among us. Several of my fellow travelers had recently completed a trek that involved riding on elephants. They stated that they were mortified by the inhumane treatment the animals received at the hands of the guides.

I resolved then and there never to go on an elephant trek (although several fellow travelers argued that the treks were, all things considered, good for elephants).

However, surely travel in general can benefit animals. Participating in jungle adventures gives locals an incentive to conserve the forest. African safaris provide money to impoverished people and give them incentives to protect charismatic megafauna (although safari-goers are quite notorious for harassing animals such as cheetahs in their attempts to obtain perfect photos).

I have long wished for some guidance on how I can travel responsibly as an animal lover. Thanks to today’s “Gulliver’s Best” blog (a feature of The Economist), I now know where to go for that guidance.

Gulliver’s blog discusses a new website published by the World Society for the Protection of Animals. The site, compassionatetravel.org, offers tips ranging from volunteering with local animal welfare organizations to steering clear of animal rides such as elephant treks.

I’ll be reviewing the site thoroughly before my next big adventure. And I encourage you to do the same.

Tomorrow: back to reader question and answer!

Photo: Animal cruelty meets deforestation in northern Laos.

People often worry about traveling on airplanes with their pets. This concern is especially common when the pet cannot be carried onto the plane and must travel in the cargo hold.

The cargo holds used for pets are pressurized and heated. Several years ago there were some well-publicized incidents in which pets perished during air travel, but until a few days ago I had not heard of any bad experiences for quite some time.

Then I came across a short article in the March, 2009 Veterinary Economics.

Frequent chewer
This pooch reluctantly racked up some frequent flyer miles

A New Zealand dog apparently didn’t appreciate being placed in the luggage compartment of an airplane headed for Melbourne, Australia. He showed his displeasure by doing everything he could to bring down the aircraft.

The pooch escaped from his kennel during the flight and chewed electrical wiring and interior panels. Luckily, the auxiliary engine the wires led to had been shut down after takeoff, negating the risk to the plane or its passengers [including the dog].

When ground handlers opened the cargo doors, they found an angry, distressed dog. Maybe next time his owners will upgrade his seat to first class.

Although Veterinary Economics attempted to report the incident as a comedic episode, it should serve as a cautionary tale. The dog in question was not dissatisfied with his seat assignment. He sounds like he suffers from separation anxiety.

If you are worried about flying with your pet, try this. Get the carrier out several days (or even weeks) before the trip. Put your pet in the carrier for several hours each day to test his reaction to it. This will habituate him to the carrier, and help him to view it as a safe, protected part of his territory. Feeding the pet in the carrier often helps this process.

Most animals that are comfortable in their carriers will do fine on flights. If your pet cannot get used to the carrier, talk to your vet about calming agents such as feline facial pheromone or dog appeasing pheromone. As a last resort, some animals are sedated for flights. But in my experience, sedatives usually aren’t necessary.

Photo: David Monniaux

As well, on some days half of my clients tell me stories similar to this one: “Fluffy was fine before we left for vacation. My friend Jim watched her, and Jim says that he didn’t notice anything wrong while we were away. But since we’ve returned Fluffy hasn’t eaten anything and she’s thrown up ten times.”

What’s going on here? Are pet sitters generally inept? Why do so many pets get sick when their families are out of town?

In my experience, most pet sitters take their jobs (whether paid or not) very seriously. And most of them are exceptionally diligent. After all, nobody wants their best friend’s cat to get sick while they are taking care of it.

But there is no escaping the fact that a disproportionate number of veterinary visits occur when the pet’s family is, or has just been, away. And I believe I know why.

One thing that makes pets so great is that they unabashedly love the people they live with. However, when those people are away the absence causes stress. That stress can dramatically exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions–conditions that may have been present, undetected, for months before the family vacation.

Therefore, seemingly healthy pets may become sick when their loved ones are away.

Does this mean that you are not entitled to a vacation if you have a pet? Absolutely not! But there are some precautions you can take.

And finally, try not to blame the pet sitter if things unexpectedly go wrong. Most of them are doing the best that they can.

Lee
Barberton, Ohio

I have known several dogs (and even a few cats) that have served as companions for long-haul truckers. All of these pets seemed very content with their lives. Most dogs I know love adventure, and they adjust very well to life on the road.

There are, of course, some basic precautions that you will need to take. Your dog should receive vaccines that are appropriate for the areas he’ll be visiting, and you should ensure that he is protected against fleas, heartworm and intestinal parasites.

As well, make yourself familiar with the dog laws in the municipalities through which you’ll be traveling. Different areas have different requirements for rabies vaccination. Some areas may require veterinary health certificates for dogs traveling through. Make sure that you have a current dog license in your home town.

In my experience, the authorities generally are quite relaxed about dogs and cats traveling by car or truck (airport screeners can be a different story). However, it is always wise to have all of your paperwork in order. Your veterinarian should be able to help you with rabies certificates, health certificates and other bureaucratic miscellany.

Finally, be sure to carry plenty of food and water for your pup. Take regular breaks for exercise and bathroom activities. And don’t forget to carry a leash–you don’t want your dog to run onto a busy freeway!

If your dog is like the ones I have known, he’ll happily and easily adjust to life on the road.