Originally Posted by Baze

Hmmm, can you show us a policy that says lavs are for humans only? Animals have normal bodily functions yet you think they should hold it until they land? Would you be able to? Inside the body it works the same. And where did you get the idea they were "roaming the cabins"? Sounds like they got up to go to the lav. And believe me, some animals are a lot cleaner than some of the humans that use the lavs.

Originally Posted by Collierkr

This whole thread has convinced me to write a letter to United to express my displeasure with their pet "policies".

Originally Posted by Baze

Believe me, I am no animal lover and don't have pets and don't want pets. I just think about the realities. I
But in a confined tube, reality is animals need to relieve themselves too and just saying, as someone else did, make them wait until on the ground, is not realistic. So if you have a solution, present it and maybe the airlines will pick up on it. Until then, where else are they going to go?

Originally Posted by transportprof

OK - so here goes: I think that aircraft are going to need to have one lav designated for occasional animal relief. It should be designated, and announced in the spiel that few people listen to about using the lavs in your ticketed cabin and not congregating in the galleys. It should have a large logo on the door, perhaps there is a standard pictogram ? And flight attendants should enforce keeping animals out of the other lavs.

I think that the animal relief lav should be the one farthest away from any galley, wherever that is practicable. And I don't think it should be the forward for safety reasons - we want to keep animals away from the cockpit area and the forward galley, lest Fters think I'm being needlessly elitist.

And to answer Kacee's earlier question, the lady carrying the canine did come up front from the economy seats. And this was right when the FA's were serving dinner in the front!

Originally Posted by LarryJ

I suggest that your letters would be better sent to the Department of Transportation and your Representatives.

"Pets" must be in a carrier. That's all any US airline can control.

Assistance animals are governed by DOT regulations with which US airlines must comply. The only way for that to change is for the DOT to change it or for Congress to pass legislation changing it.

Originally Posted by Collierkr

The reality is that common pets shouldn't be in the confined tube in the first place. And every single dog I have ever owned has been able to "hold it" for a minimum of 4 hours without any health concern.

I am not bashing service dogs but also know that a true service dog can make it 4 hours without need for relief.

Originally Posted by Baze

And a transcon can be up to 5-7 hours, international longer. Or should service animals not be allowed to fly anything over 4 hours which would mean the human they are servicing can't fly anything over 4 hours. Guess they don't get to go to grammas funeral or a siblings wedding or anything else that may require a flight over 4 hours.

And I agree, it is the abuse of the owners of the non-service animals that gets me.

Originally Posted by Collierkr

I struggle to come up with a solution for the transcontinental flights etc. it is not allowing dogs to use lavs as they currently exist on planes today.

Originally Posted by Baze

And a transcon can be up to 5-7 hours, international longer. Or should service animals not be allowed to fly anything over 4 hours which would mean the human they are servicing can't fly anything over 4 hours. Guess they don't get to go to grammas funeral or a siblings wedding or anything else that may require a flight over 4 hours.

And I agree, it is the abuse of the owners of the non-service animals that gets me.

Originally Posted by Collierkr

I am fine with service animals... my beef is with all the other illegitimate abuses.

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist

For domestic lower 48 routes, there are connections through ORD or IAH rather than transcon nonstops. Animals on international itineraries have country specific rules.

Originally Posted by Baze

So are you saying someone with a service animal should not book a transcon that doesn't connect somewhere along the way and they should allow a long enough connection to take the animal somewhere it can relieve itself? If they need the help of a true service dog not sure how they would accomplish that. And not sure what country specific rules has to do with a service animal and relieving itself on an international flight. Can you explain?

Originally Posted by transportprof

I don't know what went on in the lav. But I do know that the next couple of pax came out of there with a "look" that suggested all was not well in there.

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist

*IF* someone is concerned that their animal should have a bathroom break every four hours, the solution is to pick routings that don't have long segments. If the animal doesn't need a bathroom break every four hours--and many pets don't, as they're left alone all day while the owner is at work--they they can book longer segments.

It's a moot point for international routes that don't permit cabin pets.

Originally Posted by Baze

Can you show me on the UA page where it says Service dogs are not allowed in the cabin? I read it over a couple of times and it does not say they have to go in the hold. It mentions about certain countries not allowing or needing prior approval but doesn't say they can' be in the cabin if allowed.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e_animals.aspx

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist

I said pets. I'm not talking about service dogs.