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I would personally never fly a dog in cargo unless I had NO other choice, but if I were ever to face that situation, it would not be with United.

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This, only a day after this HORRIBLE story.

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Oh hello NO!

I've paid an in cabin fee for pets, and you DO NOT put them into overhead bins...OMG! I am so angry at this!

If they are traveling in an approved pet carrier, they cannot be told to move them. They can fit under the seat. I'd sure as hell have it in my lap!

Ooooo, I need to go calm down.

)*&&^#^#_$$!!

That story has really upset me. I've never had a dog small enough that would fit under the seat, except our first shih Tzu, and back then, we were poor as churchmice and couldn't afford to fly anywhere, let alone pay a pet fee! I think some of the issue was that the lady didn't speak English, so she didn't argue much. I would have raised holy h*ll until another FA or the captain for that matter, told that FA that she was full of cr*p..

United has made some awfully dumb a$$ decisions lately. I have hated them since they bought my fave Continental! Just read on the internet that last year on United, 18 animals, mostly dogs, died in cargo holds. Three quarters of all animal deaths on US carriers, are on United.

Yes, I saw that also. As I said, I really would be VERY hard pressed to put one of my babies in cargo, but it would not be on United, that's for sure. Not sure what's going on with them, but obviously they are NOT taking the amount of care that they should.

The latest today. United shipped a dog (German Shepherd) to Japan instead of Kansas. Family moving to Kansas from west coast. Go figure!

That was in my original post.

Sorry Carol, never looked at that link. My bad...................

No problem. That was an expensive flight for United, as they flew the German Shepherd home on a private jet. A Congressman is introducing a bill to prohibit airlines from putting pets in overhead bins. Per usual, Congress doesn't get the bigger issue. Everyone agrees that it was never policy to put a pet in an overhead bin and that somehow this one flight attendant really screwed up, as she claims she didn't know, somehow, that there was a dog in the bag. When there are reports that the dog barked for two hours in the bin?? That case breaks my heart. But to me almost the bigger issue is that the airline's responsibility if they kill your dog in cargo is roughly the same as if they lose your bag. To me, THAT is the issue that Congress should look into..

As a fellow passenger on the flight I would not have allowed it....you can bet I'd have stepped in and helped that lady and the dog. And I'd escalate the issue so fast and loud I might be typing from a TSA holding cell! lol

Yes, supposedly one of the fellow passengers said that they also had a Frenchie, and they told the lady that this was not right. I would have stepped in also, if I knew what was going on.

Wasn't it when the Virginia Sup Ct held in 2006 that beloved pets are simply personal property under the law that you decided not to practice law in Virginia any more....

My daughter, a lawyer and the owner of three utterly spoiled dogs, was and still is outraged by the state of the law!

Actually, 2006 WAS when I moved to Florida, but I can't really claim that decision was any deciding factor.. I actually kept my Virginia bar license on active status for a few years after that, but a couple of years ago, decided I had been gone from Virginia too long to be up to date at all. I have to confess that I don't actually know what Florida law is on the subject of pets..

Looks like Florida is the same as Virginia.

https://brickelllegal.com/pets-florida-laws/

Looks like you're right. I should know that..

And now the latest United screw up..

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You know they turned that plane around right away after all the bad doggy press this week!

Honestly, you have to ask what they are doing with United with dog transfers, as they have to have some serious institutional problems.

I just want to share this to everyone who has dogs and would travel with them, as I was searching for a carrier for my chihuahua I stumbled to this pet carrier which I think is a perfect fit for my chihuahua, aside from that it also different sizes for every size of a dog. It is safe to use for your dog whenever you go, what do you think about this product? I'm open for more suggestions though.

Just came across this thread and I'd have to agree with Danielee. Though something more practical than that would have to be one of those wicker dog crates. Unlike any other dog crates, they're made from imitation wicker for your dog's safety.