More Pets Died on Delta Flights in 2011, but Why?

When I was in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. My working dog and I went on airline. They allowed my working dog with me on seat not in cargo. I feel that animals does not comfortable cargo because men/women load/reload animals into/out of cargo then just like dropping, make noise, throw cages, etc you name them. That what I feel that possible to kill them because they were nervous with stranger cargo men/women. My working dog and I flew to Sacramento, California from Nashville, Tennessee. That what I believe in animals are family to everyone than stranger can be more harmful. We take 6 dogs now travel with us on the road. They are our children also. Just make sure to take dogs or cats onto airline more than inside of cargo.

Their hearing is so sensitive, I imagine they might die from HEART ATTACKS!--Not to mention, EXTREME HEAT/COLD, being isolated in a dark, LOUD AS H**L place, where all the other animals are scared sh**-Less---You people must really love your pets! My dog gets too crazy in the car--so naturally I don`t think I`ll throw him in the belly of my Locomotive when I go to work!

My wife and I were stationed at Elmendor AFB Alaska. When I got orders to Barksdale AFB in Bossier City Louisiana we made a fatefull decision. We've been married 9 years and do not have childeren. To us, our cat Buster and our Dog Lilly are our kids. We love them like true members of the family. We decided to DRIVE from Alaska to Louisiana to make sure they were safe. Yes, we took the Alaska/Canadian highway out of Alaska, down through Canada, and then into Washington state. After that it was a drive down to California to visit my wife's family and then on East to Louisiana.... 2 week drive. Completely worth it. That was in 2005. Both of my "childeren" are alive and well to this day.

THINK ABOUT IT.
Dogs, cats have better hearing than us -- but their in louder holds than we are? Older pets can have heart-attacks -- and ANY pet can be extremely anxious or scared by the SOUND OF THE ENGINES, rattling and experience of being alone for 4-5-6+ hours.

I flew to Germany on Lufthansa with my pug. They were great! I was able to bring her in the cabin with me. I believe they have the best record regarding pets.

the airlines don't care about people, never mind pets.

If these a*sholes killed my dog I'd kill them. Every single one of them, with my bare hands. Bruce Lee style.

you should be able to buy a ticket for them and have them sit next to you. it can't be any more annoying than some of the kids & babies on flights!

I travel as a passenger and I suffer in those airlines. Can't imagine what's left for poor animals!

If your a military family, and you consider your pets to be family, you dont have a choice but fly your pets with you when given orders overseas. What this story does not tell you, is that there are only 5 cities that your pets will be flown from overseas. LAX,SF,NY,Charlotte, and Chicago. Minimum price for a 30lb dog is 2,000.00
9lb cat is 1300.00 Anyone else could simply fly another airline, but military are forced to fly on the airline that is contracted. In our case in the pacific, its United. United quoted us just over 6,000 for our pets. I will save myself 3,000 and fly my family and my pets on my own dime and fly American airlines where the pets fly for 200 each.

After reading the report a thought came to mind, instead of loading the pets in the cargo area of the plain where its cramped, stuffy, hot/cold, loud, and stressful .. why dont they just build a speacial aircraft just specifically for our beloved companions? Have built in carriers of their standars so they travel cofortably, safe and less stressful and very well ventilated where it could be air conditioned in the summer, or heated in the winter, have water and food available. I know that it will cost tons of money to do but isn't it worth it?

I'll NEVER use Delta again. They lost a kitten I sent up to Canada, then didn't tell me. My customer had to call me when he didn't arrive on time and told me that they lost him...then kept him over night! Totally unacceptable service from Delta, did nothing to make it right.

Our family moved to Spain for a year in 2007. We took our two cats with us. We loved them too much to leave them. We flew US Airways, our cats flew Delta. Delta made us jump through a lot of hoops, the cats actually left the day before we did and arrived hours after us. They stopped in France and went overnight to a veterinarian and had complete physicals. Then they left in the morning and joined up with us in Portugal. There the Portuguese customs took custody of them and kept them for several hours in a warehouse on a pallet. It was probably about 95 degrees outside and hotter in the warehouse. By the time they were done be big jerks, the cats were overheated and panting. The customs guys drove them up on the pallet with a fork truck and told us that if we had just brought them a little bit of Port they would have gotten to it sooner. If they had mentioned it, we would have run off and and bought their sorry #$%$ the whole bottle. So Delta was amazing and great. They worked with us for weeks before the flight and had this really nice lady help out- she knew her job.The Portuguese Customs office in Lisbon - well to me that was the best reason we ever had not to fly pets. My cousin moved overseas and wanted to take his dog and those customs officials were the number 1 reason I told him not to do it.

I have heard that the Cargo Holds on a Plane are very hot in summer.

Don't fly your pets unless you have no other options. It's cruel because the animals can't verbalize what they feel and NO ONE is there to watch them. How sad and senseless.

We drove, it just seemed like the better option. I was by myself (husband had already moved for a job), and I drove 13 hours with a 4 month old, 3 year old, and 60lb dog! It was a true adventure, but we made it!

Some people will do real stupid things while shipping their pets.
Ran a air freight company for years and had a guy stuff large dogs into a small carrier.
Told him no way and not to come back until he had a carrier that was big enough for the dogs to stand up in & turn around in.
Thought I was actually going to get into a fist fight with the jerk over it, just thought he could bully me into it and that wasn't happening.

You are an absolute freaking #$%$ if you subject your much loved pet to being carted around on a commercial air bus. There is no way in hell I would ever put one of my dogs on an airplane. If I had to move across the country, I'd drive my dogs. Pet's shouldn't be allowed on flights, period. I'm sorry... laziness is not a reason to subject animals to something they should never had to experience. And if you have to travel somewhere and cannot find accommodations for your pet... you either shouldn't own a pet or shouldn't be traveling.

Maybe a course in statistics would help your writer. How many total miles do pets fly on Delta as compared to other airlines, and what's the number of death per miles flown?

When in doubt, drive.