Flying Fido – The facts and the stats
Many Frenchie owners and owner-wanna-be’s have seen these messages on French Bulldog websites, “Will ship for $XXX.XX” or “Absolutely no shipping!”
What’s the big deal with shipping? Why won’t some people put your new pooch on a plane and send it direct to your city? The Department of Transportation estimates two million animals travel by air each year.
A hint might be airline rules about not shipping snub-nosed dogs during the hot months, and another one might be the number of deaths, which really do happen each year. The number is small, but that number wouldn’t feel small if it was your pet.
The Department of Transportation tracks and publishes reports of airline animal deaths by month and airline. It’s called the Animal Airline Incident Report. The numbers represent more than dogs, but are certainly something to consider.
Below is a link to a very good article by Bill McGee, a writer for USA Today. His article includes the current statistics from DOT and lots of helpful hints about prepping a pet for flying.
What you need to know about flying with pets
Current Animal Airline Incident Reports are available from DOT: Air Travel Consumer Report.
(They are bundled with other reports, so expect a 40-50 page report.)
