One dog was injured and two died in separate airline-related incidents pertaining to various domestic flights in January 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s monthly air travel report released this week.
One of the deaths took place on Jan. 28, when a Pug was checked in for a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu. The dog was found dead upon arrival and pathology reports later conducted found unspecified pre-existing physical ailments. It was concluded that the dog died of natural causes.
A United Airlines investigation found that all its policies and procedures were followed in the case.
On Jan. 11, a 10-year-old Labrador Retriever-Chow-Chow mix died at an animal quarantine station while on a flight layover in Honolulu. The pet was traveling with another family dog via Continental Airlines from Guam to Washington, D.C.
According to the airline’s incident report, the family reported that the dog had pre-existing health problems and they feared that he couldn’t make such a long trip. A necropsy concluded that the dog had “severe underlying disease consistent with diabetes, chronic heart disease, which is compounded by the diabetes, and periodontal disease.”
The airline said that since the death was not transit related, no corrective action was needed or taken.
Alaska Airlines also reported one incident, in which a dog of unknown breed was found with a scuffed, bleeding nose after a flight to Denver.
The injuries were believed to have been caused by the hard-sided kennel the dog was being transported in. No corrective action was taken by the airline.
According to Department of Transportation statistics, there were a total of three animal deaths, one injury and one lost pet directly related to air transport in January 2007.
In 2006, there were a total of 26 animal fatalities — mostly dogs — related to air transport, according to the DOT. There were also 11 animals injured and 12 animals lost at United States airports, according to the data.