Many people believe that the airlines have become much safer for pet travel today.

While some numbers provided by the airlines themselves seem to indicate this to be true, there are a number of pet owners who would argue otherwise.

Consider the case of Terrence Ing, a 29-year-old pet owner, whose English bulldog, Willie, died after a flight from New York to San Francisco in August 2005. According to Ing, the young dog was “vomiting and breathing poorly” after getting off the flight, but because he had flown in the cargo hold, he was handled as “damaged baggage” by an AA baggage manager. Ing wasn’t allowed access to his dog to bring him to a veterinarian, and he made several phone calls to find a vet who would come to the airport. By the time help arrived, five hours had lapsed, and by then, Willie had died. According to news sources, animal paramedics believe that the dog probably would have survived had he been provided immediate medical care. An American Airlines spokesperson declined to comment, as the matter is still in litigation.

Then there is the more recent case of Pumpkin, a 12-year-old cat who was lost for three weeks after escaping her cage on a United Flight in late December, 2006. The cat suffered extreme dehydration and malnourishment, along with very cold temperatures, but was later found alive in the cargo hold of the plane.

Though Pumpkin luckily survived, the bottom line is that when you’re shipping an animal as airline cargo, there are absolutely no guarantees for its safety.

Current laws and regulations protect transported animals only as much as they do your luggage — and that means airlines have limited liability if something goes wrong. Even if the airline is held responsible, monetary compensations for the loss or injury of a pet is the same as for lost or damaged luggage, which usually caps at $2,800 per passenger for domestic flights, or $9.07 a pound for international flights.

As of May 2005, U.S. airlines have been required to submit reports whenever there is a loss, injury or death of an animal during air travel. According to the Air Transport Association, more than 500,000 pets are transported by air each year, and ATA estimates that one percent of these animals suffer complications. Reports compiled from May of 2006 to October of 2006 indicate that 19 deaths, 5 injuries, and 6 losses occurred during this period. (These reports are available at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm.)

But how accurate are those numbers? According to Daphna Nachminovitch, Director of Domestic Animals and Wildlife for the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), these reports “only apply to animals that belong to people. This doesn’t include animals transported for the pet trade industry or other situations.”

The total estimated number of transported animals also includes pets that fly in the cabin with their owners, so the percentage of animals that are injured or killed while flying as baggage is probably significantly higher.

So what are the risks when transporting an animal as baggage?

“Flying is extremely traumatic for animals,” says Laura Ireland Moore, executive director of the National Center for Animal Law, which is affiliated with the Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland. Moore points out that cargo holds are very dark, with strange noises and smells that can distress sensitive animals. She also recommends that you don’t travel on very hot or cold days — although the holds are pressurized and temperature controlled, animals can suffer from extreme temperatures during the loading and unloading process, if they escape from their kennels, or if the airplane is delayed for long periods. Many airlines will not transport pets during summer months, usually between May 15 and September 15, specifically for this reason.

In addition, the possibility of human error, while an annoyance when it comes to your suitcases, can be fatal to your pet. There have been cases in which animals were mistakenly put into the unpressurized cargo holds, in which temperatures can reach deathly lows (although in one recent case, a dog came out of a unpressurized cabin “very cold and shivering,” but otherwise healthy). Sometimes baggage handlers forget to load a pet onto a connecting flight, in which case the animals are left unattended in the “lost baggage” section of an airport.

There are also situations in which external factors play a part in an animal’s injury or death, at which point the airline may not claim any responsibility. An incident in April 2006 involved a cat named Ginxie that was scheduled to travel on United from Chicago to Charlotte. The cat escaped from its kennel while on a cart to the aircraft and was subsequently struck and killed by an oncoming tractor. No fault was found with the kennel, and because United followed all standard procedures, no corrective action was taken.

It’s also important to keep in mind that if your pet has any preexisting health conditions, flying in the cargo hold can exacerbate the situation. For example, in October 2005 a Boston terrier named Baxter flew on American Airlines from Dallas to San Francisco and was found dead upon arrival. It was determined that the dog died of a preexisting heart condition, and the stress of flying caused him to hyperventilate and triggered a cardiac episode. It’s especially recommended that snub-nosed cats and pug-nosed dogs, like Pekinese, bulldogs and pugs, don’t fly, as they can have difficulty breathing, especially in high altitudes and hot environments.

And of course, there are situations that are completely inexplicable, and no less horrifying for pet owners. In May 2005, a Sheltie named Kelly appeared ill after a US Airways flight from Frankfurt to Philadelphia, to Washington DC. The owner reported that her dog was “sticky” when she took it out of the kennel. Kelly was ultimately put to sleep because of her condition, and a veterinarian found that she had most likely ingested a poisonous substance, such as antifreeze, during the flight. US Airways followed up with several of its employees, but no abnormalities were reported. Since there was no evidence of a malfunction or mishandling, the airline didn’t issue any corrective action.

Moore, of the National Center for Animal Law, is working to change current laws that equivocate animals with baggage, and has one major recommendation for travelers who want to transport their animals: “Drive. Really, do everything you can do not to have them fly.”

Nachminovitch agrees, “There are so many issues involved with pet [air] travel. Unless you are relocating a great distance, please drive.”

Both suggest that if an animal is small — usually less than 20 pounds — it should fly in the cabin with you. Most airlines have a limit on how many live animals are allowed in the cabin, so make sure you check with them when booking your flight.

Still, if you are relocating a long distance and your pet is large, your options may be limited. In this case, you may consider using a pet travel shipper who is familiar with the process of transporting animals. These agents can educate you on specific airline rules and international restrictions, and make sure that your pet is contained in an airline-approved kennel. Your pet’s kennel must be sturdy, properly ventilated, and large enough for the animal to freely sit and stand with its head erect; it must also be able to turn around and lie down in a normal posture. Check with The Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association International (http://www.ipata.com) for a list of professional pet shippers.

Following the trend of animal safety, a new airline called Companion Air (http://www.companionair.com) plans to allow pets of all sizes to travel with their owners. Pet travelers will be secured in kennels in a separate section in the rear of the cabin, and the flight crew will have experience with handling animals. Although pets ride in a separate section of the cabin, once airborne, you are able to walk back to see your companion. Also, pets will be allowed in the passenger cabin one at a time and for a limited time so others can visit, as well.

PETA offers several tips on checking your pet onto an airline as baggage:

• Always book a nonstop flight. During transfers, animals are at an increased risk for accidents, trauma, and escape. If you must transfer, ask about the airline’s transfer policy. Most will not transfer animals to a connecting flight; you will need to retrieve them at the baggage claim area and recheck them.
• Avoid traveling in extreme temperatures. In the summer months, try to fly as early in the day as possible.
• Verify that the kennel’s baggage claim tag shows the correct destination and is securely attached.
• Mark the kennel with the animal’s name and your name, address, phone number, and destination. Write “live animal” in at least one-inch-high letters with arrows showing which side is up. Because the baggage compartment of the plane contains areas in which animals cannot be safely placed, make sure that airline workers place your animal in the proper area. Tape a note to the kennel with large letters reading, “Please make sure I’m placed in the live bin!”
• Fill your animal’s water dish with ice cubes instead of water, which can easily spill.
• When you check in, ask the gate agent if you can speak to the ramp supervisor for your flight to offer that person any information that you think may be useful about the handling of your animal.
• If the flight is delayed, inform the crew that an animal is on board and ask that the captain be informed. If the delay is lengthy, your animal must be removed from the plane until flight time. Insist on this. You are the only person who is going to protect your animal.
• Watch as your animal is loaded into the cargo area to ensure that he or she is on your flight. If you cannot see the loading of the cargo area, ask the flight attendant to phone the cargo area to make sure that your animal is on the flight before you board.
• When you reach your destination, retrieve your animal immediately. If you notice anything wrong, get your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

For more information on pet transport laws and regulations, visit www.doglaw.hugpug.com/doglaw_042.html.

To learn more about traveling with your pets, check out our Pet Travel section.