by Mary Ullmer | The Grand Rapids PressI was waiting for the young woman who was pet sitting over the weekend to show up. (She was late. Probably not a good sign.) We needed to run her through the "how to feed our dogs" routine. It got me thinking about travel and pets.
We're headed to Kentucky -- for the gazillionth time, no, we're not going to the Derby -- and we're leaving our pets behind. We're driving, so we could easily take them. But we're off to a remote area with no cell phone reception, no wireless, and no pets. You know, getting away. But for those who can't stand to be apart from Fido or Fluffy for even one vacation, Pet Airways has made your day.
Come July 14, you'll be able to send your little Beatrix or Beasley on a flight in the cabin to and from New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver or Los Angeles. Oh, but you can't go. Pets only. The only humans allowed are the pilot and pet attendants. I guess owners take a separate flight and claim little Fifi and Pooky at baggage claim.
I'm all for this because I remember feeling worried sick about flying The Greatest Dog in The World, aka Ella, my Jack Russell terrier who also happened to be my first dog, from Florida home to Michigan one Christmas. You can imagine my horror at watching Ella's dog crate being transferred onto the conveyor belt, then the luggage cart and onto one of those little planes we'd be taking from Detroit Metro to Muskegon. Her little face, I swear, spotted me looking out the window from the tarmac. It was snowing and very cold and Ella was, after all, a Florida dog. She was not happy.
Pet Airways' press release said a study by the San Francisco SPCA found about 2 million pets ride in plane cargo areas each year and about 5,000 of them are injured during the trip. So giving pets their own ride in the cabin is aimed at setting pet owners' minds at ease, and that's a good thing.
If you're wondering about cost, they're offering one-way $149 introductory fares. I guess they're banking on you forking out another $149 to get Rover back home.
I can't figure out if this will be wildly popular or a bust. But it does make me wonder about a few things:
• Do cats ride first-class and dogs coach?
• How many animals can these "pet attendants" handle on a flight, especially when mixing cats and dogs?
• Will dogs have to pay to check their poop bags?
• Will there be water dishes on the beverage cart?
• Do litter boxes fit in the overhead?
• How will they prevent the terriers from constantly bouncing on the seats and hitting a pet attendant's call button? More importantly, how will they keep the terriers apart?
• In-flight movie possibilities: "My Dog Skip," "Old Yeller" (probably not a good idea), "Lady and the Tramp," "Cats," "The Adventures of Milo and Otis," "Cats Don't Dance."
