Last week’s column suggesting that most pets don’t belong in aircraft cabins brought out the animal in some of you.
My mailbox overflowed with more than 3,000 (mostly irate) e-mails. And more than 80 percent of the 12,361 poll respondents said limiting animals was a bad idea.
“I believe that pets have every right to travel with their owners,” one reader shot back. “How would you like to be stuck in the cargo hold of the plane in the heat or cold?”
A few readers took my side. “Most pets should stay home – for both the pet’s and the owner’s sake. That said, I don’t think some humans should be allowed in the passenger cabin of a plane either,” one traveler quipped.
A fair number of the responses incorrectly assumed that I hated pets. “You are obviously not an animal lover,” one reader exclaimed. “Otherwise you would have never written such an awful article.”
To the contrary: I have two shorthaired alley cats named Max and Moritz that I dearly love. And they forgive me for my last column.
Other e-mails were downright cocky. “I hope ABCNEWS.com and your well-named Crabby Traveler will publicize the poll results about people’s feelings regarding pets traveling in airplane cabins. I was horrified by his unbelievably slanted article and feel in all fairness, the general public should know the results of your poll. Overwhelmingly, your poll shows people believe pets should be allowed to travel in the cabin.”
Fair enough. But if this were a referendum, then I would accuse you and your fellow pet fanciers of stuffing the ballot box. I’ve lost count of how many dog and cat e-mail lists and discussion groups this story got on. Shame on you for skewing my poll. Or to put it into canine terms: Drop it!
To get a more accurate idea of how the general public feels about this issue, you should have checked the poll early on, before the pet enthusiasts caught wind of the story. Half of the respondents favored a ban; the other half didn’t.
But the pro-pets contingent was decidedly more vehement. “All you folks with noisy, obnoxious, kicking, loud kids should leave them at home,” sniffed one pet owner.
Another woman wrote to tell me about the horrors of flying with her dog in the cargo hold. “The last time she flew, her crate was broken by something hitting it very hard. I felt very angry about that,” she said, adding, “Who are you to ban pets from flights?”
Small point of clarification: I never said we should keep all pets from flying. I said that most animals have no place in the cabin.
A mailbox full of flames isn’t going to change my mind. I haven’t had such a heated response to one of my columns since I suggested that babies aren’t suited to flying a few weeks ago.
Back then, my mailbox overflowed with angry notes from ticked-off moms who typed in ALL UPPERCASE to better convey their disapproval. Instead of giving them a public spanking, too, I have a far better idea: Check out the poll to the right. Have at it, folks.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I do think that travellers should be allowed to travel with their pets but that they should be in the hold.The holds should be pressurised and air conditioned so that the animal is safe and comfortable. The crate should also be secured so that it cannot move during the flight.
British Airways have excellent facilities for transporting pets and have a first class record of taking care of animals in their care. I live in the Cayman Islands and have many requests for assistance with pet travel. It is always hard to get accurate advice from the airlines so any information you have will be most gratefully received.
Keep up the good work, I find your emails very useful and to the point.
I was particularly interested in recent correspondence re car hire.
I rented a car from Hertz in London in January which I paid for in advance.
On returning the vehicle I was told I would have an additional charge as the had given me a larger car than I had paid for. I was in a hurry so I let it go. When I got my statement from Amex, I had been charged exactly double and also a speeding fine of 50 GB pounds had been added! I do not recall having been speeding but I may have been caught on a camera. I do not object to that but I am annoyed at being given a larger car without being asked if Iwanted it.
I think pet owners should consider their pet’s general
health and temperament when making a decision weather to allow a pet in a cabin or in the cargo hold.
My dog would not make it either place,so I will leave him at home come vacation time.
I have been annoyed far more times by small, obnoxious children than pets on airlines. In fact, I cannot every remember encountering an unruly pet. As someone with both allergies and asthma, I find it hard to believe that man had an allergic reaction to a dog 25 aisles away. I am much more likely to have a reaction to someone smoking right outside of a terminal or inhaling fumes from bedding in a hotel.
My Shih-Tzu made 8 round trip trans-Atlantic flights and there was nary a problem. The animals are not in with luggage. There is a separate compartment. It has comfortable temperature. (Does everything in your luggage fraaze or melt….NO!) It is dark and the motors drone. I know she sleeps all the way. Upon landing, and going through customs complete with papers for dog is not a problem. Once through that the only problem is hanging on to the leash as she makes a bee-line for a exit so she can get out to pee!
It would not occur to me to have her in the cabin with me. I would not want her to be awake and asking either to get out of kennel, or to have a drink, or food. Nope. In the hold is where pets belong.
While I’d never think of taking my 100# pound hound on a plane, I remember a well behaved collie on an American Airllines flight back in 1965. I was in first class and the plane’s departure had been delayed 45 minutes, waiting for a late arriving party. It was the stars of a TV show who had been at the White House to film a public interest promo for avoiding forst fires. The main star was Lassie and she had a seat on the aisle at the bulkhead and her trainer, Rudd Weatherwax, had the window seat. Lassie slept beneath her seat, while her trainer attempted to drink all of his and her complimetary cocktails! Those were the good old days, when first class was really first class.
I should point out Lassie was actually a male collie. Mr. Weatherwax told me they used male dogs (there were several Lassies available), because females shed their fur a couple times a year and couldn’t be photographed.
Please remind your readers, please, that the carry-on pets CANNOT come out of their carriers at any time on board!! They CANNOT ride in your lap on the plane!!! It’s against regulations. The rule is designed to protect you, your pet and other passengers! As a flight attendant, I also do not allow people traveling with carry-on pets to sit in an exit row. I am afraid they would take the time to grab the pet before beginning evacuation in the event of an emergency. So many pet owners seem to either not know or ignore the rule that I have taken to given every one I see a pet briefing prior to takeoff.
Please remind your readers, please, that the carry-on pets CANNOT come out of their carriers at any time on board!! They CANNOT ride in your lap on the plane!!! It’s against regulations. The rule is designed to protect you, your pet and other passengers! As a flight attendant, I also do not allow people traveling with carry-on pets to sit in an exit row. I am afraid they would take the time to grab the pet before beginning evacuation in the event of an emergency. So many pet owners seem to either not know or ignore the rule that I have taken to giving every one I see a “pet briefing” prior to takeoff.