Look Up in the Sky! Pet-Only Airline Starting Soon
By Robert Forto, PhD
The world has truly gone to the dogs! In a nation that is facing financial difficulty and people are canceling their summer vacation plans, Pet Airways has just announced it is launching the first pet-only airline with flights going to five major cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Denver beginning this summer.

"We believe there is truly a need for this," said Alysa Binder, one of Pet Airways' founders. "Putting your pet in cargo, just isn't the ideal situation, and it doesn't have to be your only choice." A one-way flight is not cheap in terms of dog standards.

It costs around $149.00 and the airline is now accepting reservations for its first New York to L.A. flight on July 14. I just wonder if carry-ons are an extra charge and does the dog's crate exceed size limits? Pet Airways is already talking about expansion. Which airline doesn't? They plan to fly to 25 cities in the next few years and they hope to cater to exotic pets, as well as dogs and cats. I guess it will be like Noah's Ark in the sky. There has been concern for years about pet's welfare on the airlines.

While one AVMA veterinarian notes that "you hear horror stories everywhere you look," he says he has never heard a negative story about a pet flying on a commercial airplane. "Within the last 20 years, there has been a great deal of concern and care over the welfare of pets, and airlines are now very restricted for where they can keep the animals, the temperature of the environment, the length of the flight, and things like that," said Greg Hammer, DVM, of Dover, Del."I think they do a very nice job of taking care of the animals -- they have to."

Yet in a press release, Pet Airways cited a study by the San Francisco SPCA, saying that of the two million pets that fly in cargo each year, approximately 5,000 of them are injured in transit.

This is a major concern for Pet Airways and a deciding factor in starting the airline that has been in the works since 2005. Rest assured, your pets will fly in relative first class by pet transport standards. They will spend time in the "pet lounge" before boarding a seat-free plane which can hold up to 50 dogs or cats. On the flight the animals are with a "pet attendant" at all times. according to Binder, as they are then loaded and secured into carrying cases on the plane. People are watching the pets at all times while they will not be allowed to roam the cabin of course. Their chairs must be upright and seat belts buckled at all times. I just wonder what is next? Frequent Flyer Miles? Web-cams like they have a doggie day cares so you can "view" your pet from your home P.C. or your cell phone? Do they get in-flight snacks, like dog biscuits and cat-nip to ease the anxiety or do those cost extra?

As a business that provides training for service dogs we often have to fly dogs around the country for delivery to their new homes or for training. It is a constant concern for us at Denver Dog Works for the pet's safety and one of our biggest hurdles comes when it is time to fly the dog. You are constantly monitoring the temperature of the airports for which your flight will stop and the times the dogs will be in the cargo-hold or occasionally on the tarmac.

And of course I have a story for you! Several years ago I was a professional musher (dog sledding) and my sponsor had a bright idea for me to run a race on the Italy-Switzerland border. Of course without thinking I gleefully said "Sure!" as I had never been to Europe. What it turned out to be was a logistical nightmare to say the least! My kennel was in Duluth Minnesota, otherwise known as the North Pole in terms of air travel with dogs, so I booked a flight from Duluth to New York and then a trans-atlantic flight from New York to London.

In England is where the fun really started. First off, we had a 7-hour lay-over in the middle of the night and during the lay-over all of my dogs, all 12 of them, went to the cargo area of the airline. I had to go over and feed them and walk them and otherwise clean up after them before our early morning flight. Without any sleep, we flew to Amsterdam and then boarded a train to Rome. In Rome we rented three vans and drove to Northern Italy to the race site. I raced a three day race and luckily don't remember much the race or the trip home. It was a nightmare! A week and a half of travel to come in 32nd place. I didn't see much of Europe that trip, well at least I don't recall what I saw. Would I ever do it again? Doubtful but I hear that it has gotten much easier now and dog sled teams travel from Norway and Germany all the time. Hey, maybe next time I will just fly on Pet Airways or be like a rock-star and rent a private jet. Who knows.

If you would like to learn more on this amazing business venture please listen to The Dog Doctor Radio Show this Saturday at 9:30 am MT or download the show anytime at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dogdoctor.

To read more about Pet Airways please visit their website at Http://www.petairways.com or read an article posted online about the airline at http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/nationsfirstpetairlinetakesoff-1315

Of course we always welcome you comments and concerns. If you have a story about an airline flight with your pet we would love to hear it. Please call our studio line on Saturdays at 9:30-10:30 am MT at (646) 727-2978 or send us an email anytime at train@denverdogworks.com

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project in Colorado. Dr. Forto is the host of The Dog Doctor Radio Show and he can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com