US nearly doubles number of airlines to report animal loss records
Source:transportweekly 2014-7-15 9:59:00
AIR carriers will be obliged to report more information about their company's animal safety record when transporting pets under regulations announced by the US Transportation Department.
Under the new rule, more US airlines must report on animals that were lost, injured or died during transport to 27 from the current 14, pulling in several smaller carriers, said Reuters.
The rules, which go into effect on January 1, will, for the first time, include commercial shipments of dogs and cats, such as those by breeders, not just those by pet owners.
Animal rights groups wanted more, but the department said it would be "unduly burdensome" to require airlines to report the death, loss and injury of all species that are transported.
Government figures show 122 dogs died while being transported by their owners as cargo from May 2005 to May 2010.
Short-faced breeds like bulldogs and pugs accounted for almost half of the deaths. During the same period there were 22 deaths of other pets, and another 88 pets lost or injured.