The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued the first of its monthly reports on pet injuries and fatalities occuring on air flights. The first report is based on air flights occuring in the month of May.

The report says...

Six U.S. airlines reported a total of 10 animal-related incidents in May. The carriers reported five injuries, four deaths and one loss of a pet. Over two million pets and other live animals are transported by air every year in the United States.

This report is the product of a new law called the "Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century". One of its provisions requires all U.S. airlines to report to DOT any incidents involving the loss, death or injury of a household pet during air transportation.

This requirement was put in place after claims from animal rights groups that air travel is extremely deadly to pets. Both the the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have cited statistics from the Airline Transportation Association that some 5,000 pets are killed each year in airplanes. Both organizations, along with PETA, advise everyone NOT to take airplanes when travelling with pets.

The federal government plans to see if these claims are true or not.

Note that this new reporting requirement did not actually take effect until June 15th, 2005. This first report, based on May statistics, comes from airlines who voluntarily submitted data. Reports for the next couple of months should be interesting.