Airlines will reveal how pets fare in cargo hold

After years of mixed messages about the wisdom of shipping pets in the cargo hold of planes, pet owners may finally get a clear answer this summer, thanks to a new federal rule that requires airlines to report incidents of animal loss, injury or death. Starting June 15, airlines must report such incidents to the Department of Transportation, which will make the data public through its monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, available online at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov /reports.

“There are estimates that 1 percent of animals (that fly) are lost, injured or killed, but that’s not necessarily the case,” says Kelly Connolly of the Humane Society in Washington, D.C. “Right now there’s really no way to tell what’s going on in the cargo hold.”

The Department of Transportation estimates that more than 2 million animals fly each year in passenger cabins and cargo holds, but little is known about how they fare, Connolly says. The statistics should help settle a long-simmering debate over whether the practice is safe and make it easier to spot problems with particular airlines, airplanes or routes, she says.

The Humane Society discourages owners from bringing pets on planes unless absolutely necessary. Connolly recommends going by car if traveling with pets (neither Amtrak nor Greyhound allows pets) or leaving pets at home with a responsible pet sitter or at a boarding kennel. (Tips for flying are at hsus.org or faa.gov.)