So many things about bringing your dog with you on a flight are stressful. Not only are your concerned for your wellbeing and theirs, but you have to take extra caution in ensuring that your furry friend doesn’t disrupt anyone else’s flight experience.
It’s tough, and a lot of things can go wrong. On Friday, March 29th, a local news station shared how one dog who got lost on an Alaska Airlines adventure has finally made his way back home:
CBS 17’s coverage of the story confirms one thing for me: I am never bringing my dog on a plane. We don’t really go anywhere anyway, but I extra don’t want to go anywhere now!
Related: Woman Finds Lost Dog in Frankfurt Airport and the Story Has Everyone Invested
According to the video, a Boxer mix named Moose was supposed to fly out of RDU (an airport in North Carolina) on an Alaska Airlines flight, though the destination is unnamed. Unfortunately, due to a “cargo error,” Moose ever made it on his flight – a fact that his family didn’t find out until after they’d landed. Instead, he stayed right in North Carolina and managed to get loose.
An airport is one of the worst places you could possibly lose your dog, especially if they spook easily. Airports are home to many loud noises: there’s the sound of planes taking off and landing, cars nearby, beeping, and people yelling over the sound of the engines. Moose was lost at an airport close to a major highway, and airport officials were worried he’d run into the middle of the road and get hit.
Luckily for him, he came out of the endeavor relatively unscathed, and his parents hauled tail back to NC to get him. The news station states that Alaska Airlines has issued Moose and company a very sincere apology – though it’ll be interesting to see how policy changes to prevent this in future.
Is it safe to fly with your dog?
To anyone losing their marbles about this, know that I am sitting right next to you on the crazy train. I have never flown with my dogs, and I probably never will.
Alaska Airlines is very strict about how animals are supposed to be on planes, as with most airlines. According to Alaska Airlines, your pet must be in a carrier at all times, and that carrier must be able to fit under the seat in front of you. As you can imagine, that severely restricts the breeds that can fly in the cabin: only very small dogs and cats can fit there.
Larger dogs like Moose must fly in the cargo compartment. It’s not as bad as it sounds: they’re not just jostling around with the luggage. They’re in their own climate-controlled compartment, and they’re secured down so that their carrier won’t slide around. However, it’s probably still a bit scary for them, and because they’re tucked in cargo, you truly have no confirmation that your dog made it onto your flight until you get there.
Your pet should, in general, be just fine on the flight. They may be a little bit scared by the end of it, but they’ll live. Even so, I bet Moose’s parents are taking the long way to their destination from now on!
