# 7 dogs dead - American Air



## LAL (Jan 21, 2009)

Makes me wonder if shipping dogs this way is such a good idea? Very sad.
7 dogs dead after American Airlines flight – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs


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## LAL (Jan 21, 2009)

*Shipping Tragedy - 7 Dogs Dead*

I posted this in another forum but thought it might be better suited here.

Seven dogs dead after American Airlines flight - CNN.com


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

ooo wow that is horrible 


LAL said:


> I posted this in another forum but thought it might be better suited here.
> 
> Seven dogs dead after American Airlines flight - CNN.com


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

I can understand why they died. My carryon luggage was forced to be put into 
valet,where they store it underneath,when I got home and unpacked my clip on sunglasses had spiderwebbed from the heat.I can only imagine what those poor dogs were exposed to if a 1 hour flight had enough heat to melt my clip on sunglasses! I had taken my bag in the cabin all the previous flights and placed it in overhead storage,until this flight,the snippy flight attendant wouldn't let me and another passenger bring our carry ons ,in cabin.
I had my 2 fluffs w/ me on board and they wanted to check them,I said "no way,I paid for them to be in the cabin,they're going in the cabin w/ me." It was a really small plane too. I cringe thinking what would have happened to them if I'd checked them instead of insisting they ride in cabin.


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

I just heard this on the new, how tragic.


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## Miss_Annie (Mar 3, 2010)

How terrible


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## LAL (Jan 21, 2009)

*More info*

Sounds like they were puppies being shipped to buyers. 

Puppies die after American Airlines flight - NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com |


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## almitra (Apr 24, 2009)

Yikes!


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

This is why I went to Korea to pick up my dog, and why I would never get a puppy shipped even domestically. You just never know, and the risk is a precious life!


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Oh weh!


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## glamourdog (Apr 17, 2004)

The good news about this is that they have to report this kind of thing now. 

It wasn't too many years ago that a dog was lost during a flight, and at that time it was reported as "lost luggage" there was no oversight , and no accountability. 

There was a law? legislation? something like that passed named for the dog (if I remember) so now airlines have to document this type of stuff. 

This type of thing needs to be reported. This is horrible. 

michellerobison, Good for you. If I had my girls in cabin with me (2 cost more than another ticket in most cases) and someone said they wanted to check them I think they would have to call an air marshall.


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## Jayne (Feb 12, 2010)

I would like to know WHO was shipping these puppys.. In this heat it shouldn't take a brain scientest to know it is just too dangerous to fly puppys, or any dogs for that matter.. I wonder if this was from a puppy mill...


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## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

This really is tragic.


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## glamourdog (Apr 17, 2004)

Jayne said:


> I would like to know WHO was shipping these puppys.. In this heat it shouldn't take a brain scientest to know it is just too dangerous to fly puppys, or any dogs for that matter.. I wonder if this was from a puppy mill...


Oklahoma to Chicago, with 14 crates sounds like it was going to petland or some other such place. Probably all to 1 store.

I can't imagine the odds of 14 puppies all being shipped to different individuals on the same flight. 

I thought those cabins were supposed to have enviornmental controls on them now.. Bet it happens now if the news, and action groups stay on AA about this.


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

It makes no sense why AA would ship in this weather. They never have before. Sounds like someone got paid.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I was thinking the same thing...most (if not ALL) domestic airlines have regulations on shipping pets in certain weather. Some have heated & air conditioned areas for the pets, but those that don't, will not ship pets if the departing or destination location are over or under a certain temperature. I even remember when I got London, it was iffy on how soon she could fly to me because of the weather restrictions. Preston had an in-cabin escort so that wasn't an issue with him.

How tragic.


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## malteserus (Mar 9, 2009)

I saw this sad news... AA probably forgot to turn on the AC for the dogs... 

So sad!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

American Airlines confirmed that the puppies were sent by a commercial kennel/puppymill. Looks like only half of the puppies were deemed healthy enough to fly.









*The dogs, which were sent by an unidentified commercial dog-breeding operation in Oklahoma, were to make connections at O'Hare to flights that would take them to pet stores in other states. Only seven of the 14 dogs were deemed "airworthy," and they were placed on the second flight, American spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said.
*
Read more: American Airlines probes deaths of puppies __________________


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## Starsmom (Jan 31, 2009)

glamourdog said:


> The good news about this is that they have to report this kind of thing now.
> 
> It wasn't too many years ago that a dog was lost during a flight, and at that time it was reported as "lost luggage" there was no oversight , and no accountability.
> 
> ...


If it's the dog I have in mind, it was a Westminster contender that got loose in the Newark Airport. Don't know if it was EVER recovered. 

I heard about this incident on GMA, but they did not go into detail - my first thought was a miller shipping pups - who else would try to ship so many in such intolerable conditions? Another prime example of greed, and not giving a flying fig about the lives involved. :smmadder:


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

This is so terribly tragic. Personally I don't think dogs should ever be shipped..no matter where they're coming from (puppy mill or reputable breeder). I know a lot of people will say "reputable breeders do this all the time"...but I don't buy into the mentality that just because lots of people do something, makes something 'right'.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Apparently they were bound for pet stores in several states. They were supposed to be put on connecting flight's at Chicago's O'Hare airport.

7 puppies die after flight to O'Hare - Chicago Tribune


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## Ellea (Jul 10, 2010)

The sad thing about this news is that anyone who wants to have their dogs shipped from a reputable breeder and an airlines who is responsible enough to know not to ship a pet in these extreme weather conditions, will be negatively affected by this.

It is ridiculous that American Airlines would ship these dogs in such high temperatures. Until May, Oklahoma had no laws against puppy mills.
"On May 14, 2010, Governor Brad Henry signed into law SB 1712, the first-ever law to regulate high volume dog breeding operations in Oklahoma." 
A reputable breeder would NEVER send a dog in this weather. It is way too hot for a dog to survive this heat. Even the ones that did survive, will probably be traumatized by this terrible experience.

Most likely they were being shipped from a puppy mill to pet stores. 

Dogs should be shipped in the cabin, and not in cargo, IMO. They should be cared and supervised for and by flight attendants during the time of the flight.

This news breaks my heart. 

Both the sender and the airlines should be punished for the loss of these dog's lives.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Cosy said:


> It makes no sense why AA would ship in this weather. They never have before. Sounds like someone got paid.


Politics as usual. I think it sounds as though someone got paid, too. Starting with the news media. I find it interesting that it has suddenly become low key on the news ... at least I think so. And, I know for a fact that there have been times when the media was pretty much told to shut up. 

I read earlier this morning that American Airlines was a degree above the temperature that was acceptable to fly animals in cargo. A degree might now sound like it's that bad ... but, it most certainly can be under certain circumstances ... for both humans and animals.

I have a friend who works for another airline ... United. She said if only people knew what goes on in the cargo area with pets ... And, that it simply is not safe to fly animals in cargo these days.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> Politics as usual. I think it sounds as though someone got paid, too. Starting with the news media. I find it interesting that it has suddenly become low key on the news ... at least I think so. And, I know for a fact that there have been times when the media was pretty much told to shut up.
> 
> I read earlier this morning that American Airlines was a degree above the temperature that was acceptable to fly animals in cargo. A degree might now sound like it's that bad ... but, it most certainly can be under certain circumstances ... for both humans and animals.
> 
> I have a friend who works for another airline ... United. She said if only people knew what goes on in the cargo area with pets ... And, that it simply is not safe to fly animals in cargo these days.


From what I have read, it was a degree too high when the puppies were cleared to fly, but then the flight was delayed for an hour. There is some speculation that the puppies may have sat on the hot tarmac before being loaded because of the delay. :angry:


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Believe me they would have had to call an air marshall if they thought I would check my dogs. I gladly paid the extra money ,basically the cost of a second ticket,just to know they were safe.
I also saw in teh Naples Daily News a dog in Ft. Myers was left in a car in a medical center parking lot,died. Idiots,you hear this all the time and people just can't figure it out!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Just tragic! The greeders I'm sure are just looking at this as a financial loss instead of the loss of these poor puppies lives. :smcry: I do remember that when I was looking into some Malts that were a flight away that breeders I talked to said they wouldn't or couldn't ship if the temps were too high and I think also that Continental was best with climate control. But I would get a dog myself or use an escort and never trust the airlines.


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

iheartbisou said:


> This is so terribly tragic. Personally I don't think dogs should ever be shipped..no matter where they're coming from (puppy mill or reputable breeder). I know a lot of people will say "reputable breeders do this all the time"...but I don't buy into the mentality that just because lots of people do something, makes something 'right'.


:goodpost:I agree 1000%. I would never ship a puppy. Unless there were absolutely no options to enter a country I was moving to that would allow a pet to be transported in cabin. It is so affordable to get someone to hand deliver you a pup in the US, I don't know why more people don't do it. 

And in my view, if you want a dog badly enough from another continent, you should go pick her up by yourself and bring back in cabin or find a friend to do so. That is just my personal opinion.


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## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

glamourdog said:


> Oklahoma to Chicago, with 14 crates sounds like it was going to petland or some other such place. Probably all to 1 store.
> 
> I can't imagine the odds of 14 puppies all being shipped to different individuals on the same flight.
> 
> I thought those cabins were supposed to have enviornmental controls on them now.. Bet it happens now if the news, and action groups stay on AA about this.





Ladysmom said:


> American Airlines confirmed that the puppies were sent by a commercial kennel/puppymill. Looks like only half of the puppies were deemed healthy enough to fly.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


:exploding::bysmilie::Bad day::crying: 

Maybe to help in the war against puppymills the airlines should come up with a law that says that any more than one or two animals Must be accompanied by a live person or something... ??? This kind of publicity can't be good for the airlines either so maybe that will motivate them to not want to accept bulk animal shipments? It's just so very, very tragic... and who really knows... the airline could just blame it on the millers dog's health before being boarded but who really knows what happened to the poor babies - article said again the people were trying to 'cool them off' (usually those pups are way underage for travelling and they do it anyway ) (((((((R.I.P. precious ones))))))))))


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

maltlovereileen said:


> :exploding::bysmilie::Bad day::crying:
> 
> Maybe to help in the war against puppymills the airlines should come up with a law that says that any more than one or two animals Must be accompanied by a live person or something... ??? This kind of publicity can't be good for the airlines either so maybe that will motivate them to not want to accept bulk animal shipments? It's just so very, very tragic... and who really knows... the airline could just blame it on the millers dog's health before being boarded but who really knows what happened to the poor babies - article said again the people were trying to 'cool them off' (usually those pups are way underage for travelling and they do it anyway ) (((((((R.I.P. precious ones))))))))))


You're right, Eileen. There is probably plenty of blame to go around in this case. Millers are notorious for lying on paperwork about the age of the puppy to get around the eight weeks rule. Also, since they originally tried to ship 14 puppies and only 7 were deemed healthy enough to fly, the 7 that were sent might have had health issues that were not visible.

I hope that this tragedy shines a spotlight on the horrendous things mill puppies must endure before even arriving at your local pet shop. Many don't survive the trip.

*Each week, when puppies are eight weeks old, as required by USDA regulations, and sometimes younger, they leave their wire cages at puppy mills. Brokers then transport the puppies by van, truck or airplane to pet shops throughout the United States and Canada. Sharon Williams, was a driver for Puppy Ridge, a breeding and brokering facility in Missouri that was also investigated by CAPS last year. She told "Dateline" that Puppy Ridge transported as many as 126 puppies in a single cargo van. Just before the Ms. Williams and her husband, Bill, quit in May 1998, they learned that Puppy Ridge was planning to send 160 puppies in the van. 
*

* According to Ms. Williams, the puppies were stacked in cages and the dogs on the middle level didn't get enough air. She said that sick ones and healthy ones were jammed together. The puppies lived in their food and waste as it sloshed about the van, even though she and her husband tried to clean as best as they could. *

* Weather was also a problem. In the summer, Ms. Williams put a thermometer down behind the seat and it registered almost 120 degrees. "The puppies panted, and you had to stop and water them a lot," said Ms. Williams. In order to adequately feed and water the animals en route, the Williamses had to put the back row of cages outside while they maneuvered around to care for the other puppies. Even in cold weather, they had to leave the back row of puppies outside while the other puppies received food, water and medication. The van didn't have a secondary heat source. 
*

* Puppy Ridge sent sick puppies, including those with contagious illnesses, in the van to pet stores. Some of these puppies needed medication during the trip. The owner of Puppy Ridge didn't want the Williamses to take sick puppies to a veterinarian if the animals required treatment while on the road. Ms. Williams said that she had to improvise, sometimes nursing sick puppies with Pedialyte she'd buy along the way. In her 15 months driving for Puppy Ridge, four puppies died. Puppy Ridge told her that was much better record than that of the drivers before her. *



CAPS and "Dateline" Uncover Puppy Mill Horrors


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