Pets on Planes = More Allergy Attacks?
By Heather Legg
We see them everywhere, in stores, in airports, in cute little bags and baskets – dogs and cats. My brother and I used to have a joke that we wish dogs could ride on planes and sit in the seats because we didn’t like being so crammed in with people. Some people, however, may have an issue with our idea – which is actually turning into reality.
More and more, you see dogs and cats in the cabin areas of planes. When we used to fly our labrador retriever, she was to big to ride with us and had to be in the cargo area. However, more airlines are letting smaller animals ride in the cabin area, and this can be a problem for some asthma, allergy sufferers, according to the following article from http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/canada/2009/07/04/10021911-sun.html:
TORONTO — Karen Petcoff doesn’t want to think about being on the same airplane as a cat.
The Scarborough, Ont., mom, whose 16-year-old daughter Gillian also suffers from asthma, is looking at booking a trip to Vancouver this summer but her asthma and severe allergy to felines means she is too scared to book with WestJet or Air Canada.
“Within minutes, my chest will tighten up and I find it difficult to breathe,” said Petcoff, 47, describing what happens if she happens to be anywhere near a cat or even a cat owner with cat dander on their clothes.
Air Canada recently announced it would allow pets in the cabin areas of flights.
The policy took effect on Canada Day. WestJet also allows pets in cabins.
The pet-friendly airlines have allergy sufferers like Petcoff shaking their heads and health advocacy groups like the Canadian Lung Association stepping up their public relations battle against the pets-on-board policies…
I understand this problem for some, but what about pets in other places? What about sitting next to someone who is covered in cat hair? Like the peanut problem, planes are sort of in a class by themselves because there is no out. You can’t get up and leave like in a store or restaurant. And you can’t get to the hospital if there is a severe reaction.
It’s getting more worrisome for people with medical needs to travel on planes. Between food allergies and pet allergies, I wonder if people with these certain needs will travel less or do it by car more? But it pays to think it about it before booking a flight if you are sensitive to any of these issues.
