Pets With Wings
As a long-time and frequent traveller between Boston and St. Thomas, I can assure you that:
1. despite a dedicated AA Priority line, the check-in process at the STT AA ticket counter is slow at best (no fault of the AA staff; all checked baggage, which is usually what tourists have, must be checked-in at the counter and then removed by the pax to take through customs);
2. rescue animals in the Virgin Islands are in desperate need of stateside homes (this program has turned around an awful situation when 'dumpster' dogs used to be the norm in the US Virgin Islands);
3. I have never met a dog (or cat) with Elite status (or even a Citibank Aadvantage credit card) which would entitle them to any of my cherished benefits.
American Airlines -- keep this program going (and congrats for having done so to-date)!