A Relief for Pets in Travel
A survey says that 62 percent of Americans has a four-legged friend. Restaurants, hotels, and other tourist attractions have also been pet-friendly. But not every airport has shown an effort to be friendly to animals in travel.
Animals get anxious during travel, this means that they need to ‘go’ more often than usual. But where does your pet get a relief in an airport?
For years, Austin, Phoenix and Salt Lake City airports are only some of the few landing strips that have accessible pet relief areas.
The Department of Tourism has noticed this deficiency too. So to serve their customers’ (man and pet) the same needs, especially for those disabled travelers with service animals, they came up with a new regulation.
Lat May 28, The Department of Transportation has given airports and airlines a year to have accessible pet relief areas, escorts for the disabled with service animals to those areas. Airlines need to work with local airports to figure out how they can make travel more comfortable for animals too.
Because of that advisory, more pet relief areas have been put up in airports across the country to improve their travel service and comply with the DOT regulation.
Philadelphia International Airport has just opened 7 relief stations. These pet ports were put up not only to service travelers but also to comply with the American with Disabilities Act Review Committee.
Boston Logan, Oakland, and Tucson International have joined in opening pet relief sections.
Pet owners in John Wayne Airport are glad to see that there is now a definite area for their four-legged friends to find relief, all decorated with picket fences, Astroturf and fire hydrants.
McCarran International even spent $5,000 to improve pet relief zones. Miami International even disbursed $40,000 to open 2 pet parks complete with benches and hydrants.
El Paso International meanwhile went green by using recycled material for their pet relief area.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International has formalized an agreement that they will ensure escorts for disabled travelers and their pets in accessing the pet relief areas.
More airports have also thought of placing relief areas past security areas. This will eliminate the need for escorting back and forth the security lines.
Seattle-Tacoma, Salt Lake City and Fresno Yosemite International have placed pet relief areas post-security but are only for service animals.
Airlines are also working with airports to make travel hassle free for animals.
Delta is working with Detroit Metropolitan Airport, since it is their second largest facility hub. American Airlines says they do comply to this travel regulation. Southwest Airlines is trying to ensure that every airport they cater to has a pet relief area. Alaska Airlines on the other hand, charted which airports have pet relief zones.
