It’s Time to End the Scam of Flying Pets article by David Leonhardt explores the issues of carrying animals in passenger planes. The topic attracted significant attention from pro and anti-flying pet advocates in 2018 when a woman tried to board United Airlines with a pet at Newark Airport. The airline’s attendants refused to allow her to board with a peacock (named Dexter) despite her claiming that it was for emotional support. Based on the experience, Leonhardt alludes that the number of animals flying on passenger planes has increased at alarming rates; people travel with pigs, dogs, cats, monkeys, or snakes. As a result, passengers experience traumatizing moments due to urination, excretion, roaring, orbiting. Pet Life Today conducted a study in 2017 and revealed that the number of emotional support animals (ESA) on traveler lanes increased by 74%; the growth has triggered anger across the airline industry. The organization established that flight passengers narrate “horror stories of badly behaved animals abound” (Pet Life Today). The investigation underpins Leonhardt’s concern regarding the rise in pets carried on passenger planes and subsequent horrific experiences.
Hence, the author claims that flying with pets in passenger planes is a problem “of a modern culture that too often values individual preference over communal wellbeing” (Leonhardt). Thus, the behavior demonstrates how people perpetrate mass cheating, which has seemingly become acceptable over time. In this regard, the author argues that flying with pets only shows how decent people can make self-centered decisions than expected. Accordingly, critics have echoed Leonhardt’s claims by challenging the rise of pets on passenger planes. They blame self-indulgent owners for carrying animals onboard unreasonably rather than emphasizing genuine health reasons. Leonhardt finds the situation a “fascinating case study of how mass cheating can become acceptable.” Pet Life Today exemplifies that 26% of dogs and 24% of cat owners alluded they fly with their pets because they prefer it. The statistics confirm Leonhardt’s argument that travelers bring animals onboard due to selfishness and disregard for other passengers’ wellbeing. The legal domain has failed to control the problem since allowing physically challenged persons to travel with service animals does not prohibit others from carrying pets.
Additionally, the increase in the number of animals flown on passenger planes has motivated people to engage in deceptive practices to consecrate their behavior. In this regard, Leonhardt argues that pet owners join others in cheating the system to carry them on a flight. They know that the emergence of the cottage industry has enabled individuals to participate in low-level fraud. For instance, pet owners can get cheap dog vests with emotional support labels easily. Besides, the internet facilitates quick diagnoses from fake therapists for long-distance travel. Travelers are “certified as having an illness that requires animal attention” after filling a simple form (Leonhardt). Forged prescriptions underpin the argument that most of the people on flight carry animals on unfounded grounds. The analysis by Pet Life Today supports the claim by disclosing that only 9.5% and 11.5% of passengers take cats or dogs, respectively, for medical purposes. Conversely, a whelming 23.9% and 26.2% of the travelers carry cats or dogs, respectively, “just to have a pet with me” (Pet Life Today). Therefore, Leonhardt raises a logical argument that most of the passengers who carry animals onboard have no medical grounds; they just want to travel with their pets at other travelers’ expense.
As a result, Leonhardt supports increased regulations against bringing animals aboard to safeguard all travelers’ wellbeing. Implementing the 1986 anti-discrimination law introduced a loophole that pet owners manipulated and engaged in practices to cheat the system. They started bringing animals onboard without a carry-on bag or paying required charges. Equally, airlines requested minimal evidence to substantiate medical claims by pet owners. In this regard, Leonhardt endorses current airline industry changes to curb rampant disregard for the law. Although Dexter’s story motivated him to expose travelers’ torment on passenger planes, it was a significant turning point. For example, Delta and United airlines have since applied stringent measures to manage animals on a flight; travelers must carry training certification. Besides, Leonhardt hopes that the transportation authority “creates a very strict uniform rule for all airlines” to manage animals on board. Pet Life Today expounds that airlines such as Southwest have adopted proactive tactics to limit emotional support pets to cats, dogs, or miniature horses. Current trends align with the author’s desire to tighten laws that regulate animals aboard.
However, Leonhardt argues that the problem entails the lack of trust in society. Notably, carrying animals on passenger planes is not a health or legal matter but a social problem. He posits that the inexplicable situation exemplifies the significance of trust in a well-functioning society. Pet Life Today confirms that distrust is a rampant issue in society; 6.3% of cats and 4.9% of dog owners, respectively, carry their pets because boarding facilities are untrustworthy. Therefore, Leonhardt maintains that developing trust is the best solution to resolve the scenario instead of enhancing legal frameworks. Although the suggestion seems far-fetched, it is worth the trial considering the failure of the government and airlines’ current restrictions.
Works Cited
Leonhardt, David. “It’s Time to End the Scam of Flying Pets.” The New York Times, 2018. Web.
Pet Life Today. “Pets on Planes: Exploring People’s Perceptions of Animals’ Safety and Security in Flight.” 2020. Web.