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Federal Law Requiring Airlines to Report the Injury, Death, or Loss of Pets
Congress recently passed a law requiring the Dept. of Transportation (“DOT”) to help airlines “improve the training of employees with respect to the air transport of animals” and to file reports with the DOT on the number and type of incidents affecting animals traveling on airlines.
Here is the text of the new federal law:
From AIR-21 (P.L. 106-181):
Sec. 41721. Reports by carriers on incidents involving animals during air transport
(a) In General. –– An air carrier that provides scheduled passenger
air transportation shall submit monthly to the Secretary a report on any
incidents involving the loss, injury, or death of an animal (as defined
by the Secretary of Transportation) during air transport provided by the
air carrier. The report shall be in such form and contain such
information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(b) Training of Air Carrier Employees. –– The Secretary shall work
with air carriers to improve the training of employees with respect to
the air transport of animals and the notification of passengers of the
conditions under which the air transport of animals is conducted.
(c) Sharing of Information. –– The Secretary and the Secretary of
Agriculture shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to ensure the
sharing of information that the Secretary receives under subsection (a).
(d) Publication of Data. –– The Secretary shall publish data on
incidents and complaints involving the loss, injury, or death of an
animal during air transport in a manner comparable to other consumer
complaint and incident data.
(e) Air Transport. –– For purposes of this section, the air
transport of an animal includes the entire period during which an animal
is in the custody of an air carrier, from check-in of the animal prior
to departure until the animal is returned to the owner or guardian of
the animal at the final destination of the animal.
(b) Conforming Amendment. –– The analysis for such subchapter is
further amended by adding at the end the following:
41721. Reports by carriers on incidents involving animals during air transportation.
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