New Airline Regulations
Starting June 15, 2005, airlines will be required to report how many pets are killed, lost or injured on their flights.
The government estimates 2 million animals fly commercially each year -- from small pets in portable kennels tucked under seats to larger animals exposed to sometimes extreme conditions in cargo areas.
There's never been accurate measure of how many flying animals die. But a spokeswoman for the ASPCA suggests 1 percent -- or 20,000 animals a year -- would be a fair measurement. The airlines said that's way too high an estimate.
The Repercussions For Breeders Shipping Cats
The president of the Airline Travelers Association warned that the new reporting requirement could cause some airlines to stop carrying pets.
The up side of the new regulations will be that the information will help breeders choose the safest airlines to transport their cats.
