Flying with pets can be hectic for owners and animals alike. Most airlines allow some small animals in the cabin, while those that transport larger dogs and cats require them to fly as cargo, usually under the cabin in a pressurized hold.
The latter isn’t always a paw-sitive experience. This week, a giant rabbit was found dead after a United Airlines flight from London to Chicago, according to its owner. The rabbit’s death is the latest awful mishap for United, with headlines noting it leads passenger airlines with the most animal deaths; there have been 53 over the last five years.
Advertisement
But animals face danger in the air no matter the carrier: From 2010 to 2012, Delta saw the highest number of pet fatalities with 41, and Alaska Airlines reported 12 pet deaths between 2012 and 2014, which high when taking into account their relatively low passenger traffic compared to airlines like United and Delta.
Here’s what you need to know to decide if and how to fly a pet.
How common is it for pets to die or suffer injury in flight?
“It’s hard to say” exactly what causes pets to die during or immediately after flights, as every case is different, said Inga Fricke, director of pet retention programs at The Humane Society of the United States. There is, however, a higher overall risk for brachycephalic breeds like bulldogs and pugs, whose “short nasal passages leave them especially vulnerable to oxygen deprivation and heat stroke,” she said.
Advertisement
Where do pets go when they’re checked as cargo?
They’re loaded in kennels and stowed in the cargo area below the cabin. Pets are usually on the same flight as their owners, but sometimes scheduling will require pets to fly on different planes, a Delta representative told HuffPost. Though the cargo hold is pressurized, it’s often dark and noisy, with fluctuating temperatures and air pressure.
What’s it like in there?
Most airlines have time and temperature limits for transporting warm-blooded pets: American Airlines, for example, doesn’t allow pet travel if temperatures are above 85 or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit at any point in the itinerary. Delta’s minimum is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and Alaska won’t fly pets if it’s extremely hot or cold, a spokeswoman confirmed to HuffPost. Some more sensitive breeds, like bulldogs and pugs, come with more restrictions: On United, these breeds can’t fly at all during summer months.
“Putting pets in cargo areas should be avoided whenever possible,” she said. “Once that animal is out of your control, there are so many risks it can be exposed to that it’s just not worth it.”
So far, it’s unknown what killed the giant rabbit that flew United. But experts say that airplane-related animal deaths can typically be attributed to the stress from waiting on loading ramps, coupled with extreme temperature and pressure changes on the tarmac and in the cargo hold, National Geographic reports.
Advertisement
The Humane Society recommends driving with your pet or leaving it behind during vacations. If you must fly with a pet, bring it in the cabin with you if possible, or do your homework and choose a trusted pet shipping service for larger cats and dogs. If you absolutely must check your pet as cargo, introduce it to its travel kennel a few weeks before the trip, notify cabin crew that your pet is flying as cargo and avoid giving it any sedatives before the journey, as they can backfire at high altitudes.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.