Posted on 01/27/2003 11:15:11 AM PST by new cruelty
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Many big airlines may stop carrying pets over the United States if the government makes them report figures on how many animals they lose and how many die or are injured on their planes, an industry group says.
Carriers say they fly millions of animals each year for a fee and endorse government efforts to make animal transport safer. The rule was ordered by Congress and proposed last fall by the Federal Aviation Administration.
But airlines oppose the plan to make them inspect such cargo more closely and submit detailed monthly reports to the Transportation Department on any incident that leads to loss, injury or death of a pet or an animal to be sold as a pet.
Some animal protection groups argue that reporting standards are needed to at least give consumers access to information about an airline's record for handling animals.
There are currently no industry figures for pet deaths or injuries, and the airlines dispute widely circulated claims that roughly 5,000 animals die in their custody each year.
The biggest airlines, through their lobbying group, the Air Transport Association, say the rule would be logistically difficult and cost prohibitive. Delta Air Lines said the inspections could cost more than $1 million annually.
"Many airlines are struggling for their financial survival and would have no choice but to forego carrying pets in an effort to maximize revenue while reducing the cost of burdensome federal regulations," Michael Wascom, the group's spokesman, said.
CARRY-ON BAGGAGE
Some airlines crate cats, small dogs and some birds and permit them to travel in the passenger cabin. They count as carry-on baggage. Larger domestic pets and other creatures are transported in cargo containers in the belly of the aircraft.
Airlines do not object to reporting a dog or cat death. They say those are rare. But they do not want to account for the well-being of every animal.
"Should we also be expected to open up every box of pet boa constrictors to see if they're all alive? It's a physical impossibility," Wascom said.
Delta said it called an expert from a zoo last year to open a container of venomous snakes.
"No matter how well trained, airline employees are not veterinarians with the necessary expertise to fully protect themselves from the danger of handling cold-blooded animals," Delta has told the Transportation Department.
The carrier and other airlines defend their record for transporting animals, and have offered alternative language to modify the proposal.
But animal protection and other groups, like the Humane Society of the United States, argue for reporting standards.
"Either animal suffering during air travel is the rare exception to the rule, in which case reporting it will pose a negligible burden. Or it goes on all the time, in which case it may be something of a hassle for airlines to have to report but all the more necessary from the public's perspective," the Humane Society told the Transportation Department.
But the American Kennel Club, the purebred dog registry, said current practices are adequate.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
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The mother of my Weimaraner (who is now 2+ years old) was flown from Charleston to Charlotte (change planes) to San Francisco (change planes) to Reno for the purpose of being bred 2½ years ago, then, newly pregnant, back from Reno to San Francisco (change planes) to Charlotte, where I picked her up and drove her the final leg, all the while with no accompanying human passenger. I don't recall what the bill was, but it was incredibly small given the labor intensiveness. As I waited in the freight receiving area, I heard some of the radio traffic giving the "live shipment" notices and the "first off" unloading instuctions. Her crate arrived in the receiving area, accompanied by three employees, long before other bags or the human passengers arrived at the baggage claim area.
I can't say enough about how she was looked after by U.S.Airways, but they can't be making any money that way. Of course, they've since declared bankruptcy. I blame myself.
Yeah, you and your dog ruined it for everyone! : )
Weimaraner is one of my favorite dogs, next to the Labrador retriever.
Even if 5,000 is correct, I bet most of them are those little chicks you can mail order for delivery. They ship them via air I think.
A lot of people don't even give it a second thought how much time they have to give - I applaud you!
So exactly how many dog lists are you on/have you been on?
And exactly how are they supposed to verify EVERY puppy that is registered each year? The only thing that prevents corruption of ANY organization is grassroots effort. That doesn't make the AKC responsible for every puppy miller that is out there.
Actually surgical alteration is definitely not awarded anything, if it is found out. It is responded to with immediate disqualification, unless the judge is corrupt himself. (and, in some cases that happens.)
Thanks for displaying your ignorance, it helps me immensely.
And... just how do they *know* this? Is someone over there going over the thousands of litters born in this country each year, figuring out exactly how many litters are bred by whom and checking to see whether to dogs are all socialized properly and that the papers don't have any false info on them, etc. etc... you want the AKC to become a policing organization? If the dog is purebred, it's purebred - regardless of its health problems or the health problems of its parents. There are breed clubs that promote ethical breeding, that's not the AKC's job. If people didn't BUY the puppy mill puppies, there wouldn't be any puppy mills. Breeders should screen buyers, buyers should screen breeders.
The AKC's Position statements
Breeding Restricions
The American Kennel Club strongly supports and actively promotes a wide range of programs to educate the public about responsible breeding practices and the responsibilities of dog ownership.
The American Kennel Club opposes the concept of breeding permits, impact fees, breeding bans or mandatory spay/neuter of purebred dogs. Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of responsible breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously.
...1. AKC's current inspection program shall include kennels/individuals offering dogs for sale at auctions.
2. The American Kennel Club considers auctions and raffles not to be reasonable and appropriate methods to obtain or transfer dogs.
3. All dogs sold at auctions, regardless of age, must be permanently identified by either readable tattoo or microchip prior to being sold at auction. Dogs sold at auctions without the required identification will become ineligible for registration and shall be placed on permanent referral.
4. The American Kennel Club discourages Parent Club rescue groups from purchasing dogs at auctions. Although Parent Clubs may be doing good things for individual dogs purchased at auctions, it perpetuates the problem and tends to create a seller's market. Reciprocally, auctioneers seek more dogs of those breeds to offer at auctions. AKC applauds the work of Parent Club rescue groups on many fronts. However, AKC believes that the purchasing of dogs at auctions is not overall in the best interest of purebred dogs.
...Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act
The Federal Animal Welfare Act administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is intended to regulate commercial breeders, dealers and caretakers of dogs. USDA has regularly strengthened the standards for humane care and treatment of dogs and other animals by persons regulated under the Act. The American Kennel Club supports increasing the number of USDA enforcement personnel dealing with commercial dog operations and strong enforcement of the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act.
Proper Care and Humane Treatment of Dogs
Dog owners bear a special responsibility to their canine companions to provide proper care and humane treatment at all times. Proper care and humane treatment include an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship, and training in appropriate behavior. The American Kennel Club does not believe that dogs should be kept in circumstances or numbers where these needs can not be adequately fulfilled. Anyone convicted of animal cruelty will have all AKC privileges suspended.
Protection for Puppy Purchasers
The American Kennel Club supports reasonable laws and regulations intended to protect the pet-buying public in obtaining a sound dog of the breed represented. Breeders and/or sellers should be responsible for providing certain refunds, replacements or reimbursements should the dog sold become ill or die from a condition contracted prior to the purchase. Such remedies should be conditioned upon the buyer's scrupulous adherence to the care and feeding program prescribed by the breeder and/or seller, as well as a timely examination by a state licensed veterinarian. Breeders and/or sellers should provide buyers with a written bill of sale detailing the responsibilities of both the buyer and seller. This bill of sale should also detail any exclusions to refunds, replacements or reimbursements.
"Puppy Mills" and Sale of Puppies Through Pet Shops
The American Kennel Club endorses breeding of dogs by responsible breeders for the purpose of improving breeds of purebred dogs. We oppose random, large scale breeding of dogs solely for commercial purposes. We believe all breeders bear a responsibility to assure that those who purchase their dogs understand and are capable of carrying out their responsibilities as owners.
The AKC believes the solution to the problem of random, large scale breeding for commercial purposes is scrupulous enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act and state and local regulations governing the humane care of animals. We further recommend and support programs that teach the public to purchase puppies from responsible breeders and to avoid impulse buying of dogs.
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