Pet shipping
[1] Pet microchips, vaccinations, rabies titre tests, import permits, and health certificates may be required to ship an animal.
Domesticated pets have been selectively bred and genetically adapted to live alongside humans, which include dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and hamsters.
The common causes of animal death during pet shipping are excessively hot or cold temperatures, poor ventilation and rough handling, according to the Humane Society.
[7] This provides practices for humane treatment of animals, up-to-date government laws, and documentation requirements for pet shipping.
[15] The International Air Transport Association requires the carrier to be large enough for the animal to sit, stand and lie comfortably within it, with a solid floor base.
The International Air Transport Association recommends getting the pet accustomed to the space before departure to reduce frightened behavior caused by the foreign enclosed environment.
[17] Dog breeds such as wolfhounds, Japanese Tosa, Pit-bull Terrier, Presa Canario, and the Fila Brasileiro are banned under the legislation of the Department of Home Affairs.
The Parliament of the United Kingdom implemented the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which prohibits the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and the Fila Brasileiro from entering the UK.
[19] If the animal is small enough to fit under the passenger seat in an airline-compliant carrier (such as kittens, rabbits and Maltese Shih-Tzu dogs), some airlines allow the pet in the cabin of the plane as carry-on baggage.
Larger dogs (such as a full-grown Labrador) and cats are flown as checked baggage in the climate controlled sections of the cargo hold.
Ground transport is generally considered a safer option than air travel due to decreased stress on the animal.
They are then placed in a pet carrier that is approved by the International Air Transport Association and relocated to a separate baggage handling area specifically for animals.
To meet restrictions set by the ‘Animal Welfare Act’, airlines do not travel in extreme hot or cold temperatures to avoid increasing health risks.
A 2002 study by the Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research on the physiology and behavior of dogs during air transport, revealed the stress that was placed on animals during the shipping process.
Higher salivary cortisol levels and heart rates were measured, signifying the physical pressure of the confined cargo hold and lack of adequate ventilation placed on the animal's body.
[25] Animals from ‘Brachycephalic’ (pushed faced) breeds, such as bulldogs, pugs, and Persian cats, are prone to respiratory problems.
Their short nasal passages makes them particularly vulnerable to oxygen deprivation and heat stroke during the process of pet shipping.
[26] The International Air Transport Association regulations do not recommend sedating or tranquillising pets during shipment as it can increase the risk of breathing and vascular problems.
This high death rate may be associated with their acceptance of brachycephalic breeds, which other airline carriers do not allow due to the increased risk.
