Travel

United Airlines has finally unveiled their updated pet travel policy which, in an effort to drastically improve the safety of pets traveling in the airline’s cargo holds, makes several changes, including the ban of more than 40 dog breeds from the service.
Following a series of mishaps that included the death of a family pet and several dogs loaded onto the wrong flights last March, United Airlines suspended their pet transportation service pending a complete review and overhaul of their PetSafe® travel program.
Among the changes, United Airlines will no longer allow any pets that are not either an accepted dog or cat breed.
Prior to the changes, the airline accepted all sorts of animals for cargo shipment.
Charles Hobart, a spokesman for United Airlines, told PEOPLE, “…prior to today, we flew all sorts of animals.
That will change moving forward.
The number of connecting flights between the departure and arrival city is also being restricted.
And, finally, the airline will no longer sell or provide travel crates at airport facilities.
Instead, a pet owner is required to pre-purchase an approved travel crate and stress the importance of allowing a pet ample time to become acclimated to the crate prior to travel, to reduce stress and anxiety while flying.
United Airlines is still reviewing their policies regarding pets traveling inside the cabin with their owners and will update those policies as changes are made available.