Not All Airline Animal Fatalities Reported
I was shocked when I learned of a loophole the airlines have in reference to reporting animal fatalities. I was reading about a puppy that was crushed to death in her crate on the tarmac of a major international airport by being run over by a baggage conveyor machine. Yet, this animal's death was not included in the airline's reported total animal fatalities.
How could this be? It's because the puppy was being shipped by a breeder. She was being transported by a business to be someone's pet, but she wasn't someone's pet yet. The word "animal" for purposes of having to report a injury in the airline industry means one "that is being kept as a pet in a family household in the United States". So any injured or killed commercially owned animals being shipped by breeders, farms, pet stores, laboratories, etc., don't have to be reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation. What a loophole!!
Of course, airline officials say animal accidents are rare. The figures reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation would actually support that in light of the thousands of animals being shipped on airlines each year. But remember, those numbers are skewed, and so is the public's perception of animal safety on airlines. Because those numbers are only for family pets.
Although this loophole is sought by the animal and transportation industries, it doesn't represent the intent of the original reporting legislation. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez is the author of the original reporting law and he was quoted in the AJC saying "I believe current policies do not reflect Congressional intent. I am surprised and disappointed that animals covered by this law have been defined in such a narrow fashion." Apparently, he's not in agreement with the law's current interpretation. When spokesperson Bill Adams from the Transportation Department responded, he said the agency's definition of an animal "properly carries out the mandates of the statute."
Surprise, surprise ... no one takes responsibility! Meanwhile, defenseless animals pay the price. Often the ultimate price. So what can we do? Utilize our elected officials in congress to bring pressure on the DOT to revisit this issue. In the meantime, make sure to report any instances you may see on animal safety while traveling, to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service at ace@aphis.usda.gov or by calling 301-734-7833.