i don't like to fly in the first place, but there is no way i would subject my dog to being put in a crate in any baggage compartment! we are happy to drive where we need to go.

I wonder if PETA is going to try to ban air travel? If guns killing animals is unacceptable, what about aircraft?

Nate

As stifling as it gets in the passenger compartment on a runway i can only imagine what it is like in baggage. terrible way to lose a dog.

actually 60256, i visited the peta website to get to know the enemy and on there home page there headline is "7 puppies die in plane crash" what makes you fell more sad, it goes to show there mindless manipulation of people's feelings. Peta also comments that it's wrong to pack these dogs up as luggage and ship them around where they suffer from heatstroke and mishandling by luggage carriers. so there's your answer

I was already hesitant to fly with Lexi last fall when going to South Dakota, but once I saw that Delta charges over $200 EACH WAY for checking pets (over $400 round-trip), that sealed the deal. We drove out to chase pheasants.

If there is ever a sudden loss of cabin pressure and the cabin oxygen masks deploy, any live critters in the cargo holds are doomed. There is no supplemental oxygen down there.

How depressing.

I have flown with my Labs for years. Rules - avoid changing planes. Air and water them until the last minute. Be aggressive in baggage claim to get the dog at the other end.

NEVER fly the dog when the temperature is above 75. No flying between June and September. I love my dog. Who in their right mind would put dogs in a cargo hold in August during a heat wave? The people that did this should be crated and shipped in air cargo including the management of American Airlines. I think AA's management is (unsuitable for a family magazine) The CEO should apologize on national tv, buy the people who lost dogs new dogs and change their air cargo policy!!!!

David Bershtein
www.huntingwithdaughters.com