24 Pets Died Flying With U.S. Carriers In 2017. 18 Of Those Were On United.
Amidst news that a dog died aboard a United Airlines flight, concerned pet owners have been wondering how many pets have died while flying on United Airlines and other U.S. carriers.
According to statistics from the Department of Transportation, United Airlines had the highest number of animal deaths for any U.S. carrier in 2017.
While exactly 24 pets died while flying with U.S. carriers last year, 18 — or 75 percent — of those were on United Airlines. United also had the highest number of pet deaths in 2016 and 2015.
This isn't the first pet death to make headlines for United. Roughly a year ago, the story of a giant bunny dying in it's cargo area went viral.
The airline issued a statement accepting full responsibility for the incident and is conducting a full investigation.
If you are planning on flying with a pet, remember that putting a pet in airline cargo is risky — no matter the carrier.
