In the Senate, it is S.1193, in the House it is H.R.2776.  (You can find it
on the web site listed if you want to verify it yourself.)
 
You kind of have to jump through some hoops to get the email addresses of
your congressmen/senators from the web site.  Find the name by state, then
use the web page listing link to get their web page, then find their email
address on that.
 
Please take the time to send a message asking your representatives to
support this act.  You never know when you may have to fly with a pet.
 
- Nancy
 
Proposed Federal Legislation:
CONGRESS ASKED TO MAKE AIRLINES SAFE FOR FLYING PETS/ANIMALS
Just weeks ago, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced into the Senate a
bill designed to improve the safety of animals flying aboard commercial
airlines.
 
The Safe Air Travel for Animals Act follows on the heels of a March 1999
report, stating, amongst other things, that: "Most animals shipped by air
are contained in the class D cargo compartment.  The class D cargo
compartment is not engineered for life support." The report was the result
of a study by the US Federal Aviation Administration and the US Department
of Agriculture.
 
When introducing the bill, Lautenberg told the Senate: "Over the last five
years, there have been over 2,500 documented instances of dogs and cats
experiencing severe injury in air travel, and 108 cats and dogs have died
just as a result of exposure to excessive temperatures.
 
"Pets aren't baggage.  They are part of a family, in many instances, and
they ought to be treated that way when they accompany their masters when
they fly.  Over 500,000 pets a year are transported by air across this
country.  News reports have detailed stories of pets being left out on hot
days, sitting on tarmacs while flights were delayed, or stuffed into cargo
holds with little or no airflow, causing them to injure themselves in
desperation to escape this entrapment and very difficult environment.
 
"Some pets have actually had heavy baggage placed directly on top of their
carriers.  It is unacceptable.  We can and must prevent these inhumane
practices."
 
Lautenberg told the Senate the legislation would increase airlines
liability to owners to $2,500 for losing, injuring or killing a pet.
 
Currently, airlines are liable for up to $1,250.
 
"If an animal is injured or dies as a result of flying," he said, "my bill
would require the airlines to pay for the costs of veterinary care."
 
The Act, according to Lautenberg, would require airlines to immediately and
publicly report any incidents involving loss, injury or death of animals.
 
"Pet owners should know which airlines are doing a good job, and which need
to do better," Lautenberg said.  "Just as consumers favor airlines with
solid, OnTime records, they will also favor the airlines that have a good
safety record with our pets."
 
The third major component of the Act is that it addresses the temperature
and oxygen levels within the cargo holds of airlines.  The airline industry
now is required by the FAA to retrofit all class D cargo holds to prevent
fires.
 
Lautenberg told the Senate, "These are special holds that have the facility
to turn off the oxygen in the event of smoke or fire.  But that also means
an execution for the pets in those holds.
 
"I believe the industry should use this opportunity to see what
improvements can be made to allow for better oxygen flow and temperature
control to protect our pets.
 
"Mr. President, we must do more to prevent unnecessary deaths caused by
lack of oxygen flow or exposure to heat."
 
At this writing, the Act has been read twice and referred to the Committee
on Commerce.
 
To let your two senators and representative know your stance on the Safe
Air Travel for Animals Act, contact them by locating their email addresses,
phone number or address by surfing to the Library of Congress' Thomas
database at:
 
http://thomas.loc.gov
[Posted in FML issue 2777]