Does (should) UA have a policy on dogs poopin in the lavs?
 

Last night I saw a new one. On a 2.5 hour flight SFO-YVR, a pax came up to the front lavatory with her dog and they both went in to "do their business". I didn't have the stomach to go in there afterwards, but I could tell from the looks of the next pax to emerge from the lav that all was not well in there.

UA's lavatories are not the spiffiest places to begin with, and I wonder whether there is (or should be) a policy on turning them into animal relief areas? I guess with the huge increase in cabin animals that I've seen in the past few years, this issue was bound to come up.

What is the collective FT wisdom: should I write into UA?, DOT?, US Public Health agency?

Or should I let "sleeping" dogs lie? :p

Where should they go instead? What is your solution?

Poop and scoop?

The dog? In the hold.

In most cases that would be the proper solution. Way too many people board UA flights with "comfort" animals. United does have policy about number of dogs in cabins i.e. one in each cabin - and UA even has a policy that prohibits dogs in bulkhead seats. In my experience, UA does not adhere to its policies. I had a PS flight with a seat in 1A. The passenger in 1B had a lap dog that spent the entire flight out of its carrier while the passenger slept. Meal time was rather interesting because the dog persistently paid attention to food on my tray. The passenger in 1C also had a lap dog and they went to the head every 30-45 minutes of the flight. I wrote a very polite note to UA expressing concern about that situation. In return I received a rude reply that completely ignored UA's policy on pets in the cabin.

Um, how do you know that the dog went in to use the restroom, as opposed to the pax needing to bring the dog along as opposed to leaving it alone in their seat?

I can tell you that my dog wouldn't know that it was a relief area. That'd be some training feat.

This is helpful, because I was wondering about whether to write in to United, inquiring about any policy regarding animal relief in their plane's lavatories.

If they do have a policy, it sounds like my chances of discovering it accurately through a polite query aren't that great. Who needs rude replies to well intentioned passenger feedback?

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.

As for separating the dog from the bodily functions going on in the lav if the activity was exclusively by the pax, that is where a leash or a carrier should come in handy, I would think. Neither was in evidence in this episode. The pax carried the dog into the lav in her arms.

You started a thread based on your interpretation of a "look" on another passenger's face?

First, they should not be roaming the cabins with the pax. Second, the pet should wait until the plane lands. The lavs are not for anyone other than humans.

Had I seen that I would have immediately knocked On the door and gently removed that pax.

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.

The policy only account for paid pets. They legally cannot restrict service animals and "comfort animals". It's the fraudulent use of the "comfort animal" loophole that really needs to be addressed by the government.

How are some people able to completely ignore reality ?

animals piss and .... just like you do ..

I would be embarrassed to start a thread like that.

Guess again!

I started a thread because I saw a pax carry a canine into the lavatory, and I wondered whether United had a policy on animals in its aircraft lavatories.

Yes, I did speculate about what went on in there, and no I did not go in and personally inspect the results. But do I have a legitimate question about animals aircraft in rest rooms?

Try a thought experiment. What if you were in any restaurant or hotel and saw somebody carrying a dog into the men's or ladies' bathroom - which happens to be through the kitchen area too (as the front lav is ahead of the forward galley in the air). Wouldn't you be curious about whether such behavior was within hotel/city/board of health regulations ?

Why can't we be like EU and stick with ADA type animals. Even as a retired military, I don't know where the line is PTSD vs ADA etc, but no matter what. Some people need to either think pets go in the cargo or drive to their destination.