United Bans 25 Pet Breeds From Hold, Will Resume Flying Others

(Bloomberg) -- United Continental Holdings Inc. will ban 25 different pet breeds when it resumes flying pets this summer, four months after a dog's death prompted the airline to review its policies for transporting animals.

The carrier will again accept dogs and cats in the cargo hold starting July 9 if the animal's guardian is booked on the same flight, spokesman Charles Hobart said Tuesday. United is also teaming with American Humane to “improve the well-being of all pets that travel on” the Chicago-based airline, according to a company statement.

United announced the changes less than two months after a bruising week of public-relations fiascoes involving dogs. A French bulldog died March 12 after a flight attendant had the pet and its animal crate placed in an overhead bin. In a separate incident, the airline sent a Kansas-bound German shepherd to Japan. United also took criticism over its record of animal deaths in 2017, when it accounted for 18 of the 24 animals that died on a major airline.

The airline will no longer allow 21 dog and four cat breeds that are prone to physical problems from heat or other travel stress, including bulldogs, boxers and Boston terriers. A complete list is available on the company's website.

Under its previous rates for the PetSafe program, United charged more than $2,400 for some large animals on some European and Pacific routes. Domestically, pets had cost $201-$963 depending on the animal's size.

To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Bachman in Dallas at jbachman2@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Case at bcase4@bloomberg.net, Tony Robinson

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