News: Doggy travels- the first pet only airline in the world launched

As a doggy that made it (with his cat sister) all the way from Israel to Los Angeles (a 16 hours direct flight) I am very excited to update you on the latest news from the doggy (and kitten) world: the first pet airways flight in the world.

As a frequent flyer doggy, I must share with you my experiences during my long, long flight. My human companions decided to move from Israel to L.A. for the purpose of studying for a PhD (in clinical psychology for humans). Such a program takes about 5 years to complete and it was out of the question that my sister and I stayed in Israel, even though we have a very loving grandfather there, who begged us to stay. My human companions insisted on us flying in the main cabin with the rest of the human passengers rather than as cargo. You see, I am a small doggy and so is my cat sister, and the conditions in the baggage compartment could actually put our lives in danger: the luggage compartment is extremely cold and dry and my human companions wouldn't have been able to come and make sure that our body temperature is o.k.. Since we are small, the Israeli airline allowed us to fly at the human cabin (they allow pets to fly in the cabin as long as the pet is 17 pounds or less, as long as there are maximum 2 pets in the airplane cabin and only if you can place the pet in a small bag that fits under the front chair and the pet stays there the entire flight duration!).

Before the flight, my family took me on a very long walk and tried to make me tired and go to the potty. My sister and I flew with our mom and our grandfather and each one of them held one of us. My grandfather held me. I completely resented staying in my bag for the entire flight and therefore started to make noise. My grandfather took me out of the bag and put me on his lap which I really love, but not for long. As a curious dog, I wanted to tour the plane, look around and see what's going on. I didn't find peace and moved on my grandfather's lap all the time. The flight attendants ignored the fact that I sit on the lap rather than in this very small bag. They actually loved me (the females flight attendants dug me!). Until a flight attendant who was not such a doggy lover came and started to tell my grandfather to put me back in the bag. I made my grandfather miserable until he had no choice but to use the "ultimate weapon": he gave me half a pill that my vet gave him in case I won't be able to sit down and relax. I took it but it wasn't very helpful- I was just a little bit more at ease. My sister on the other hand, was doing very well. Except a time when someone said to my mom: "hey look, your cat is over there" and there she was in the aisle. She found a way to open the zipper quietly and went on a little airplane tour. It was very funny. After our mom saw that Kitty can open the bag she became even more alert. It was a general nightmare, especially for my human companions. Boy was I happy to step off the plane and start marking L.A.X., L.A., and the surrounding areas…

Upon arriving to L.A., my human companions and I were very surprised to see that pets are not allowed almost everywhere in the city- we are not allowed on restaurants that have patios or outside areas, for example. There are only a few hotels or motels that accept pets (like La- Quinta Inn, for example and Extended Stay hotels) which makes traveling far from our house in Glendale very complicated. We are not allowed on cruise ships and are not allowed in the cabin of many airlines. This makes my human companions' life more complicated because they cannot travel outside the state and many times, not even far from our house. I must stress that in no way do we want to disturb people in our surroundings.That is why I was so happy to hear about the first pet airline in the world, and that is the story that I am bringing to you today.

My sister Kitty in a moment of deep pondering and me and my grandfather in Rodeo Drive (thank you grandfather for bringing me there...). I am after all, a Beverly Hills pooch...

I was very happy to hear that the first pet airline in the world has begun its activity this week and it flies pet passengers only in their own accustomed plains.

The story of this airline started very similarly to my traveling story, but with Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder's (husband and wife) Zoe-a Jack Russell Terrier in a luggage compartment. The couple elaborates on the story that provided them with the idea for their unique enterprise (taken from the Pet Airways website): "it was Zoe who gave us the idea for Pet Airways. With Zoe as part of our family, planning vacations was always a little more complicated. Visiting out-of-state friends or relatives required sophisticated logistics. Weekend getaways always had to be close to home. It wasn't Zoe's fault of course. It was the airlines'. There was simply no safe way for Zoe to comfortably fly with us. She's not a big dog. Just a little one. But a little too big to fit under the seat. Of course, there's one thing Zoe is certainly not, and that's cargo. As we're fond of telling our neighbor Janet, her boxer Samson isn't Samsonite, and she agreed. In fact, we met lots of neighbors, friends and even complete strangers who felt exactly the same way. So we got to thinking. Maybe Zoe was trying to tell us something. Maybe there was a travel solution that would suit her perfectly, and everyone else out there too. Instead of trying to convince the human airlines to treat pets better, why not start up an airline just for pets? And Pet Airways was born. Whenever we tell people about Pet Airways, the response is so overwhelmingly positive, we're still amazed we were the first to make it happen. You see, on Pet Airways, your pets aren't packages, they're "pawsengers.""

Zoe- the Jack Russell that inspired the Pet Airways idea. Taken from the Pet Airways website.

Yesterday, Tuesday the 14^th, 2009, the first pet flight in the world departed from Republic airport in Farmingdale, New York.

The Pet Airways planes

Binder and Wiesel founded "Pet Airways" in 2005 and dedicated the last four years to the design of a fleet consisting of 5 airplanes specially designed for the safety and comfort of the pawsengers and according to standards of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to the Pet Airways website, the pets fly in turbo-prop airplanes. The plane that the company has decided to use is the Beech 1900 which is flown by many of the major airlines throughout the world and is considered safe and reliable. Originally, it is a 19 passenger plane that has had the "human" furnishings removed. During the pet flights, pets are placed in their private pet carriers which are secured using a proprietary restraint system especially designed and created by Pet Airways.

One of the Beech 1900 Pet Airways planes. Taken from the Pet Airways website.

Pet Airways flight cities and airports

The currently opening flight-lines include flights connecting 5 major cities in the United States: New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. The company will fly its planes to small airports in a distance of maximum 2 hours of the major mentioned cities which involves an additional drive for the owners to pick up us pets, but what wouldn't you do for us, right? There will be flights involving an additional stop on the way, which can cause the pet to arrive to the destination later than the owners. For example, the flight from New York to Los Angeles could take up to 24 hours for the pets. At the stop, the pets will enjoy potty breaks, play, dinner, and a beauty night sleep in Chicago before the flight continues to its destination. Binder and Wiesel hope to expand their flight lines to 25 destinations within the next 3 years.

So what services do Pet Airways promises to their pawsengers?

According to the company's website, the clients will receive the following services:

1. The owners will drop the pet off at the company's Pet Lounge, located at the airport (it is possible to check in the pet up to 72 hours before the flight and the company will board the pet at their PAWS Lodge until the flight).
   
2. Pet Airways promises to monitor the last time your pet had a potty break, and make sure that they get regular potty breaks along the way. The company stresses that that is why it may take them longer to get to the destination, because the care of the pawsengers is their first priority.
   
3. The pets board the plane and pet attendants make sure they're all comfortable and that they, and their pet carrier, are secure.
   
4. A Pet Attendant monitors and checks the comfort of the pawsengers every 15 minutes during the flight. After landing, pets will be disembarked, given a potty break, and will be available for pickup at the pet lounge.
   
5. The owner will pick up the pet at the pet Lounge at the destination. If the owner cannot pick up the pet that day, the company promises to board the pet overnight at the PAWS Lodge.
   

Taken from the Pet airways promise on their website: "We promise to transport your pet with lots of love, care, safety, and comfort in the main cabin. Pet Airways is the first airline exclusively dedicated to pets - no humans please - and we take the job of providing a comfortable experience for pets very seriously. We'll do everything in our power to make sure your pets get the best care during their journey because we're committed to taking care of our pet "pawsengers" as if they were our own… Our Pet Airways Promise is that your pet will never be left alone. A pet attendant will always be within a cat's meaw".

Pet Airways also allows people to monitor and track their pet's journey online at Pet Airways Pet Tracker.

A video segment about the new airline could be found using the next link:

http://gmy.news.yahoo.com/vid/14512872

How much could this service cost?

A one-way ticket will cost around $200, according to the airline's website. It is a bit more expensive than the price that the major airlines charge for an under- seat pet flight. This pet ticket price comparison table was taken from the Pet Airways website:

Airline	Under Seat	As Baggage
Air Canada	Not Avail	$105
AirTran	$69	Not Avail
Alaska	$100	$100
American Airlines	$100	$150
Continental	$125	$125
Delta	$150	$275
Frontier	Not Avail	$100
Frontier	Not Avail	$100
Hawaiian Air	$175	$225
Jet Blue	$100	Not Avail
Midwest	$100	$100
Northwest Airlines	$150	$225
Southwest	$75	Not Avail
Spirit Air	$100	Not Avail
United Airlines	$175	$250
US Airways	$100	Not Avail
Virgin Airlines	$100	Not Avail

Apparently, the flights for the next couple of months are completely booked (Bomkamp, 2009). But, is this just an enthusiastic response of the public to the new venture or does it reflect a real need of the public?

The idea and promises of this airline sound great for us animals and animal lovers but some cast doubts on the sustainability and viability of an airline that turns to such a specific niche such as Anne Banas, the executive editor of SmartTravel.com. On the other, I read that she said that popularity of this kind of service could lead to high demands during summer or winter months, periods in which major airlines in some areas don't allow pets to fly (Bomkamp, 2009).

I also encountered an enthusiastic respond to the service by Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com. She had ranked the pet- friendliness of different airlines and I read that she said that she is excited about the possible impact that Pet Airways could have on pet travel on the major airlines because it may cause the airline industry to make an effort and offer better conditions and services to pets passengers (Bomkamp, 2009).

You can find information about the pet- friendliness rank of major airlines here: http://blog.petfinder.com/petfinder/2009/05/14/petfinder-names-the-top-5-most/ (Petfinder, 2009).

I truly hope that Pet Airways will be able to maintain its services and expand its flight lines (I really want to check out Hawaii). In any case, as a Maltese doggy that loves to travel with its human companions, I hope that it would at least lead to better services and traveling conditions for pets in the aviation industry and in the tourism industry as well. It could sure make the lives of my human companions easier. After all, according to the HSUS (2008), there are approximately 74.8 million owned dogs in the United States and more than a third (39%) of U.S. households own at least one dog. Also, there are approximately 88.3 million owned cats in the United States and a third (34%) of U.S. households (or 38.4 million) own at least one cat. I am sure that many of these people and their pets would be happy to encounter more pet friendly services. Anyway, only time will reveal to us if this wanted venture is a success.

Till next time and have a very woofable day,

Sushoni

References

1. Bomkamp, S. (2009). Paws up: All pet airline hit skies. Retrieved July 15, 2009. from

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/US_Airlines_Pet_Airways.html

2. The Humane society of the United States (2008). U.S. pet ownership statistics. Retrieved July 15, 2009, from http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/pet_overpopulation_and_ownership_statistics/us_pet_ownership_statistics.html

Doggy news: the largest simultaneous raid of multiple dog fighting operations in the history of the United States

Recently, some friends of my human companions wanted to adopt a dog from one of the L.A. surrounding shelters. They went to look for an appropriate dog for small children, and after visiting lots of animal shelters, they concluded that the shelters are packed with Pit Bull Terriers as well as Amstafs (American Staffordshire Terriers) that people prefer not to adopt.I decided to check their findings. After doing some readings and speaking to a few knowledgeable people, I managed to confirm my friends' conclusions. For example, John Goodwin of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that fifteen years ago, Pit Bulls made up 2 to 3% of the dogs brought into Animal Shelters. Today, he estimates that they make up more than 1/3, many of whom have obvious scars from dog fighting. Even though dog fighting is illegal in all states, Goodwin estimates that there are over 40,000 people involved in providing dog fighting in the U.S. today. He also estimates that there may be over 100,000 people involved with the practice of dog fighting in general. Finally, he believes that the instances of dog fighting in America are actually increasing, despite more legislation to prevent it (Wikipedia, 2009).


The Pit Bull Terrier (the higher picture) and the Amstafford. Taken from Wikipedia (2009).

As a representative of the canine population, I must update you on a recent development in the battle against dog fighing in America: the largest simultaneous raid of multiple dog fighting operations in the history of the United States, which took place on Wednesday, July 8^th, 2009 in 8 states. In an unprecedented rescue operation orchestrated by federal, state, and local authorities with the assistance of the HSUS, a reported 450 of my brothers and sisters dogs that were bred for the purpose of dog fighting were rescued.

The following information about the raid was taken from the HSUS website and was retrieved July, 13, 2009, from http://www.hsus.org/acf/fighting/dogfight/the_biggest_dogfighting_raid.html

Hundreds Rescued in 8-State Dogfighting Raid

Following a lengthy investigation spurred by evidence collected by The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), Wednesday morning officers from multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies made arrests and seized dogs in Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

This is the largest simultaneous raid of multiple dog fighting operations in the history of the United States.

A Milestone in the Fight to End Dog fighting

"This intervention is a momentous victory in our ongoing battle to end the cruel, criminal dog fighting industry," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS.

"The Humane Society of the United States thanks the USDA Office of Inspector General and the Humane Society of Missouri for their commitment to eradicating this nationwide business enterprise that thrives off the pain and suffering of dogs.

With each raid we get one step closer to ending this cruel blood sport."

The HSUS acted as lead animal welfare agency in the rescues in Texas and Oklahoma and assisted the HSMO with the rescues conducted in Missouri and Illinois. That organization contacted us more than a year ago to provide expert assistance with this rescue.

The HSMO worked in cooperation with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney to orchestrate this immense operation. The ASPCA, United Animal Nations and PetSmart Charities® are also assisting in various aspects of the rescue and sheltering efforts.

A Long Time Coming

For more than a month The HSUS has been doing logistical preparation for the raids, transporting equipment and specialized emergency shelter kenneling for hundreds of dogs to Missouri. Dozens of HSUS experts and volunteers have gathered to provide animal handling, transport, sheltering and documentation assistance. Many of the dogs rescued from these dog fighting operations will be taken to the emergency shelter in specially designed animal transport vehicles provided by The HSUS.

While they are being cared for, each dog will be evaluated by animal behavior experts from the Humane Society of Missouri and other organizations to determine their suitability for possible placement with rescue groups or individual adopters.

This rescue operation is a great example of how national and local animal welfare organizations can work together to combat the barbaric animal fighting industry.

What You Can Do

Help The HSUS in our national efforts against dog fighting with a gift to our rewards fund. If you suspect dog fighting in your community, learn how you can take action.

One of the dogs rescued from an Ala.

dogfighting raid. All rights reserved to the

HSUS, 2009.

All right reserved to the HSUS. Victims of

dogfighting suffer painful injuries, even death.

For those of you who don't know much about dog fighting, here is a dog fighting fact sheet published by the HSUS, retrieved July, 13, 2009, from http://www.hsus.org/acf/fighting/dogfight/dogfighting_fact_sheet.html

Dogfighting Fact Sheet

1. What is dogfighting?

Dogfighting is a sadistic "contest" in which two dogs—specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight—are placed in a pit (generally a small arena enclosed by plywood walls) to fight each other for the spectators' entertainment and gambling. Fights average nearly an hour in length and often last more than two hours. Dogfights end when one of the dogs will not or cannot continue. In addition to these dogfights, there are reports of an increase in unorganized street fights in urban areas.

2. How does it cause animal suffering?

The injuries inflicted and sustained by dogs participating in dogfights are frequently severe, even fatal. The American pit bull terriers used in the majority of these fights have been specifically bred and trained for fighting and are unrelenting in their attempts to overcome their opponents. With their extremely powerful jaws, they are able to inflict severe bruising, deep puncture wounds and broken bones.

Dogs used in these events often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection hours or even days after the fight. Other animals are often sacrificed as well. Some owners train their dogs for fights using smaller animals such as cats, rabbits or small dogs. These "bait" animals are often stolen pets or animals obtained through "free to good home" advertisements.

3. Are there other concerns?

Yes. Numerous law enforcement raids have unearthed many disturbing facets of this illegal "sport." Young children are sometimes present at the events, which can promote insensitivity to animal suffering, enthusiasm for violence and a lack of respect for the law. Illegal gambling is the norm at dogfights. Dog owners and spectators wager thousands of dollars on their favorites. Firearms and other weapons have been found at dogfights because of the large amounts of cash present. And dogfighting has been connected to other kinds of violence—even homicide, according to newspaper reports. In addition, illegal drugs are often sold and used at dogfights.

4. What other effects does the presence of dogfighting have on people and animals in a community?

Dogs used for fighting have been bred for many generations to be dangerously aggressive toward other animals. The presence of these dogs in a community increases the risk of attacks not only on other animals but also on people. Children are especially at risk, because their small size may cause a fighting dog to perceive a child as another animal.

5. Why should dogfighting be a felony offense?

There are several compelling reasons. Because dogfighting yields such large profits for participants, the minor penalties associated with misdemeanor convictions are not a sufficient deterrent. Dogfighters merely absorb these fines as part of the cost of doing business. The cruelty inherent in dogfighting should be punished by more than a slap on the hand. Dogfighting is not a spur-of-the-moment act; it is a premeditated and cruel practice.

Those involved in dogfighting go to extensive lengths to avoid detection by law enforcement, so investigations can be difficult, dangerous, and expensive. Law enforcement officials are more inclined to investigate dogfighting if it is a felony. As more states make dogfighting a felony offense, those remaining states with low penalties will become magnets for dogfighters.

6. Do some states already have felony laws?

Yes. Dogfighting is illegal and a felony offense in all 50 states.

7. Should being a spectator also be a felony?

Yes. Spectators provide much of the profit associated with dogfighting. The money generated by admission fees and gambling helps keep this "sport" alive. Because dogfights are illegal and therefore not widely publicized, spectators do not merely happen upon a fight; they seek it out. They are willing participants who support a criminal activity through their paid admission and attendance.

8. What can I do to help stop dogfighting?

If you live in one of the states where being a spectator at a dogfight is still only a misdemeanor, please write to your state legislators and urge them to make it a felony. To find out how your state treats dogfighting, visit our page on State Dogfighting Laws [PDF].

We encourage you also to write letters to the media to increase public awareness of the dangers of dogfighting and to law enforcement officials or prosecutors and judges to urge them to take the issue seriously. You may want to display our dogfighting poster in your community. For free posters, please include your name and address in an email along with the number of posters you would like to receive, and we'll send our catalog as well.

If you suspect that dogfighting is going on in your own neighborhood, alert your local law enforcement agency and urge agency officials to contact The HSUS for practical tools, advice and assistance.

On behalf of my Terrier brothers and sisters dogs, I hope this information was useful to you and that each and every one of you will take some form of action to stop these vicious animal cruelty actions. I would also like to thank the HSUS and the authorities for taking harsh actions against animal offenders.

It is important to mention that the HSUS is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in dog fighting and cock fighting.

In one of my next posts, I will address the issue of why people are afraid to adopt dogs such as Pit Bull Terriers and Amstafs and the controversy that surrounds these dogs almost everywhere in the world.

After so much activity, I must get some sleep...

Till next time,

Sushoni

References

1. Wikipedia (2009). Pit Bull. Retrieved July 13, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_Bull

A short article about the relathionship between humans and dogs: Do people naturally love us dogs or do we dogs train people to love us?

Since I was aware of the relationship between us dogs with the human species, I tried to explain that special bond. Namely, I tried to explain the intense love that you people feel for us dogs and what you people interpret as love that is returned to you by us dogs. Ever since humans domesticated a subspecies of the Gray Wolf (a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora; Hayssen, n.d.), which is considered the ancestor of the domesticated dog and named it a "dog" centuries ago, scientists have been trying to explain this intense relationship. An ongoing discussion between scientists who explore the issue revolves around the question of whether people naturally love us dogs or do we dogs train you people to become attached to them. In his book "the domestic dog, its evolution, behavior and interactions with people" James Serpell (2002; section chief of behavior and human- animal interactions at the University of Pennsylvania, school of veterinary medicine) elaborates on why us dogs are so special to humans. According to Serpell, many of our "doggy" behaviors seem specially designed to elicit attachment with humans.

These behaviors include:

1. Display of affection-Charles Darwin (1873) described some of the specific behavior patterns that us dogs use to convey our affection. An example is lowering our head and the entire body while the tail is wagging from side to side or rubbing up against you people, attempting to lick your hands and faces which all indicate to you humans, that the dog is happy to see you. Serpell writes that dogs seek out people for mutual contact and provides what humans consider affection that is not contingent upon the human's appearance or success. This way, us dogs may provide humans with the feeling of unconditional acceptance while simultaneously increasing the human's attachment to us dogs. Serpell points out the idea that the unconditional nature of the dog's affection towards humans may also allow people to direct or redirect anger at us dogs with the important characteristic of not putting the entire relationship at risk.

2. Loyalty and devotion- Serpell explains that certain traits of us dogs make us ideally suited to be human companions. The main trait that is mentioned is our ability of us dogs to develop specific attachments to individuals. These attachments are expressed by us dogs remaining near or in physical contact with the individuals we are attached to as thought we are attached by an invisible cord. Another important dog trait is the fact that we dogs tend to be active during the hours in which you humans are active (daytime) and that with appropriate training, us dogs could defer to humans as our dominant social partners. Our extraordinary ability to signal our love for humans in a non- verbal way leads us to another important dog trait: our lack of power of speech (although as you can see, we can definitely write...). These facts make us dogs unable to offer advice or present judgment or criticism. Despite that, we dogs are empathic and affectionate and that is why (in combination with our other mentioned traits) our friendship is perceived by you humans, as trustworthy, sincere, genuine, and reliable while lacking many of the threats that accompany human friendships.

3. Human- dog play.

4. Human- dog interaction by physical touch.

In her article in BusinessWeek magazine (2007), Weitraub mentions another dog trait that could elicit attachment with you humans: our childlike charm. Various dog behaviors such as our ability to understand around 160 words and gestures, have led scientists to determine that an adult dog is mentally equivalent to a roughly 2 year- old toddler. Since humans are "designed" to nurture children, they automatically sense an affinity for us dogs. In addition, we canines don't grow up, and don't bring the hassles or heartbreaks that children possibly do, Weintraub says.

Although there is no agreement among scientists considering the debate on whether people naturally love us dogs or do us dogs train people to love us, there is widespread agreement that you humans project your feelings and emotions onto your dogs and other pets. A common example is when a brother dog damages property in the absence of people at the house and you people interpret it as separation anxiety.

But if us dogs train you people to love us, what is in it for us dogs? The answer is a substitute for our old packs as well as human care that includes feeding. As was mentioned above, we dogs are descended from wolves, a social animal that travels in packs. As Weintraube explains, even thought the domestic dog was removed from the wild, the dog retained the instinctive need to travel in packs and humans have become our (the domestic dog's) new pack.

My human companions would like to add that: "this debate among animal behaviorists and other scientists will continue on but the fact remains that we, the dog lovers, love our dogs regardless of the reasons for that".

As your doggy scientist for today, I hope you enjoyed reading this short article about the more scientific point of view of the relationship between humans and us gods. I also hope you will keep enjoying your dogs' and other pets' love and affection. Finally, I hope I haven't demystified the relationship with us dogs too much…

Till next time,

Sushoni

References:

1. Darwin, C. (1873). The expression of the emotions in man and animals. New York: D. Appleton and Company.
   
2. Hayssen, V. (n.d.) Cumulative Index for the Mammalian Species. Retrieved July, 10, 2009, from http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/default.htm
3. Serpell, J. (2002). The domestic dog: its evolution, behavior, and interactions with people. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
   
4. Weintraub, A. (2007). Why we spoil spot so: people naturally love dogs or do dogs train us to love them? BusinessWeek, 4045, 46.