December 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Alaska Airlines reported the death of a cat that was unrelated to air travel. The cat was being transported from Wrangell, Alaska to Petersburg, Alaska for emergency medical treatment. The cat passed away prior to the flight.

Delta reports the death of two cats on the same flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Frankfurt, Germany.

The necropsy for the 4 year old cat indicated the cause of death was a result of acute circulatory failure due to transport related stress. The vet indicated the animal was overweight at 18.21 lbs (8.26 kgs).

The second cat (14 years old) also suffered from circulatory failure due to transport related stress.

A dog traveling on the same flight arrived without incident. The aircraft was checked and all systems associated with cargo bin ventilation were found to be working normally.