"AirTran company policy bars animals other than cats, dogs and household birds in the cabin, said spokesman Christopher White. White cited a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that says the reptiles have been known to carry salmonella bacteria." SERIOUSLY??? "Birds can transmit campylobacter, salmonella, chlamydiosis, or some protozoal infections that could be contagious to humans." Birds are OK even though they may make everything in their cage go flying through the bars but a 2 inch pet turtle in a cage isn't? "Toxoplasmosis... the primary host is the felid (cat) family" and toxoplasmosis can be a BIG issue for pregnant women. These airline policies are CRAP and here's the why...
"Up to one third of the world's human population is estimated to carry a Toxoplasma infection."
For salmonella: Sources of infection
- Unclean food, particularly in institutional kitchens & restaurants,
- Excretions from either sick or infected but apparently clinically healthy people and animals (especially endangered are caregivers and animals),
- Polluted surface water and standing water (such as in shower hoses or unused water dispensers),
- Unhygienically thawed fowl (the meltwater contains many bacteria),
- An association with reptiles (pet tortoises and snakes) is well described.
Do you notice that the reptiles are at the bottom of the list? I have no idea why tortoises are even in there since the source cited doesn't refer to them at all. What that source does say: "Of the cases interviewed, the majority owned or had contact with reptiles, especially snakes... In addition, most cases who reported contact with snakes also reported that the pets were fed with frozen mice. A similar association between corn snakes and frozen feeder mice has been noted." First, it's an "association" not a cause/effect relationship. Second (and much more significantly), it's reptiles fed with RODENTS. If there is a causal relationship, the salmonella is coming from the RODENT food and 2 inch turtles do NOT eat rodents!
If airlines want to significantly reduce disease transmission, they need a policy banning the HUMANS because they are the ones carrying the diseases transmitted on airline flights (and even that is due more to the airlines crappy cleaning than the humans themselves)! These policies come from the likes of Clifford Warwick and his ilk, which includes PETA (for whom he often works as he did in the raid of USGE in Arlington, TX). It's just sickening to see them getting these crappy, stupid rules brought over from Europe.
AirTran actually stopped a plane rolling down the tarmac to return to the gate to deal with a 2 inch turtle in a cage, safely secured under a seat. "The sisters say they made it past security screeners and an AirTran gate agent before boarding. One flight attendant told them to stow the cage under their seat, they say." I detest that "made it past" phrasing as it looks like they were trying to sneak the turtle on and I don't think that's the case at all. We're talking about a 10 year old who owned the turtle and her sisters, aged 13 and 22. I suspect they were openly showing off the turtle they were proud to have and to be taking home.
- Rebecca Helm [the oldest sister] called their father, and he began driving back to the airport. She asked an AirTran employee to make arrangements with her father to look after the pet until he could get there, but the employee refused.
- "We don't have the personnel or the facilities to care for people's pets," White said.
- Rebecca asked if throwing the pet away would allow for them to get back on the flight...
- "'I basically had to make a really fast decision because the whole plane
was being delayed," Rebecca Helm said. The [trash] bin wasn't very full and she
thought the turtle could be found easily once her dad arrived, she said."
- The gate agent did not tell the sisters what to do but said they could not get on the plane with the turtle...
You turned a plane around and made 3 young people get off the plane. You did NOT have to "tell" them what to do. You made it very clear that they were a problem and the pressure was intense, I'm SURE. Having passed them through security, boarded them, secured the pet under a seat, and started the roll down the tarmac; AirTran should DAMNED sure have made an exception and tended this pet for the BRIEF period (under half an hour) until Dad could arrive to pick it up after turning a plane back to the terminal.
Oh, turns out the DID have the personnel to care for this pet as "the ramp supervisor had rescued the turtle from the trash" and gave it to another crew member! Of course, the turtle would not have needed to be rescued at all but for AirTran's refusal to let an employee (ya know, maybe the ramp supervisor?) tend the turtle until Dad arrived!!!
The turtle has been returned. Well, thank goodness. For once, the bad actors didn't proceed to demand to be justified in their holding and keeping to coerced stolen property.
"The sisters' mother reported what happened to animal rights group PETA, which sent a letter to AirTran demanding an investigation and disciplinary action." I forgive the mother. I'm sure she has no idea that PETA is the very reason for the stupid, irrational AirTran policy. Can't ignore the absurdity of PETA griping about the effects THEY CAUSED.
What was the cost to everyone for this incredibly STUPID nonsense by AirTran? Time is money people. Time is valuable. The stupidity running rampant in our society just boggles my mind daily and the stupidity of airlines on the topic of pets has grown to incredible proportions.
As long as I'm on the topic of stupidity... The US Federales are considering more regulation of pets. I particularly enjoyed some of the comments to the article:
- "with all the problems the country faces THIS gets time in congress! The bankers still counting the bail out money, two wars going with no end in sight and another in the making , crippled economy , still no great health care solution nor debt solution and THEY want to talk about puppy mills. its like debating to add food coloring to the water while the world burns"
- "Just when I think congress and the senate couldnt get any worse,they want to focus on the puppy mills"
- "Tax cuts for small business? Extend unemployment benefits? First things first let's get these puppy mills shut down."
- "Can't see how puppy mills affect national security, or interstate commerce, or agriculture, or etc. Seems this should be a state issure, not a federal one."
- "Congress needs to crack down on Congress."
Congress hasn't given enough funding to enforce the Animal Welfare Act (which they probably didn't have authority to enact in regards to many, many of its provisions) but they're on a feel good to pass the PUPS (Puppy Uniform Protection Statute) Act which they probably don't have an enumerated power under which to pass (yeah, unconstitutional as far as I can tell) AND which they won't fund (means funding for food safety inspections will be diverted to inspect pets) BUT which will be used by PETA, HSUS, ASPCA and others to seize and kill animals belonging to others in illegal raids while violating rights and endangering humans. Leading by example, I see. It's no wonder stupidity is running rampant in the US when Congress just keeps it's priorities ASS BACKWARDS at all times.
Hey, how's the Gulf looking today? Any more suicides from the utter failure to get a handle on this mess?