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Paws up: All-pet airline hits skies

bluesarahlou — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:15:09 -0700

NEW YORK – One trip for their Jack Russell terrier in a plane's cargo hold was enough to convince Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel that owners needed a better option to get their pets from one city to another.

On Tuesday, the first flight for the husband-and-wife team's Pet Airways, the first-ever all-pet airline, took off from Republic Airport in Farmingdale, N.Y.

All commercial airlines allow a limited number of small pets to fly in the cabin. Others must travel as checked bags or in the cargo hold - a dark and sometimes dangerous place where temperatures can vary wildly.

Binder and Wiesel used their consulting backgrounds and business savvy to start Pet Airways in 2005. The last four years have been spent designing their fleet of five planes according to new four-legged requirements, dealing with FAA regulations and setting up airport schedules.

The two say they're overwhelmed with the response. Flights on Pet Airways are already booked up for the next two months.

Pet Airways will fly a pet between five major cities - New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. The $250 one-way fare is comparable to pet fees at the largest U.S. airlines.

For owners the big difference is service. Dogs and cats will fly in the main cabin of a Suburban Air Freight plane, retooled and lined with carriers in place of seats. Pets (about 50 on each flight) will be escorted to the plane by attendants that will check on the animals every 15 minutes during flight. The pets are also given pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks. And at each of the five airports it serves, the company has created a "Pet Lounge" for future fliers to wait and sniff before flights.

The company will operate out of smaller, regional airports in the five launch cities, which will mean an extra trip for most owners dropping off their pets if they are flying too. Stops in cities along the way means the pets will take longer to reach a destination than their owners.

A trip from New York to Los Angeles, for example, will take about 24 hours. On that route, pets will stop in Chicago, have a bathroom break, play time, dinner, and bunk for the night before finishing the trip the next day.

Amanda Hickey of Portland, Ore. is one of the new airline's first customers. Her seven-year-old terrier-pinscher mix Mardi and 2-year-old puggle Penny are taking their first flight soon.

Hickey said the service was a welcome alternative to flying her dogs in cargo when she transplants them from her soon-to-be Denver home to Chicago to stay while she and her fiance travel to Aruba to get married.

"For a little bit more money, I have peace of mind," she said.

It was a stressful experience in a cargo hold that spurred Binder and Wiesel to start their airline. Their Jack Russell terrier, Zoe, flew once in cargo and Binder said they worried about how the dog was doing, but were unable to check on her or get information. The couple soon started looking for a better solution.

"One time in cargo was enough for us," Binder said, walking through an airplane hangar as Zoe trotted in front of her. "We wanted to do something better."

The company, which will begin with one flight in each of its five cities, is looking to add more flights and cities soon. In the next three years, Binder hopes to fly to 25 locations.

Among the big U.S. carriers that offer pet services, AirTran, Spirit, Southwest and JetBlue only allow pets to fly in the cabin. Most U.S. airlines charge between $100 and $125, but Delta and Northwest charge $150 for cabin trips. AirTran is the cheapest among big carriers at $69.

The charge is more to fly in the cargo or check-baggage holds. Delta and Northwest are the most expensive at $275. Alaska Airlines and Midwest charge the least, at $100. Frontier prices its checked pets fees between $100 and $200 and only takes pets as checked baggage.

Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, questions the viability of an airline with such a specific niche.

"I'm not sure how sustainable it is," she said. "But if people are trying to go for a first-class service, it could make sense."

She said the service's popularity could spike in peak summer or winter months when airlines in some areas don't allow pets to travel.

Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com, which has ranked the pet-friendliness of airlines for three years, said she's excited about the expected impact Pet Airways will have on pet travel across major airlines.

"The entire industry will stretch because of Pet Airways," she said. "It's a challenge that says 'let's make this (experience) better for pets.'"

SOURCE

Jasper

apolz12 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:27:15 -0700

My 6 year old Jack Russell Terrier loves to pose - if you give him a treat after.

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Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon Stir Engagement Rumors

justingirl1989 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:16:00 -0700

Wearing a humongous, gleaming ring on her left hand, Mariah Carey stayed close to Nick Cannon at the afterparty for her new film, Tennessee, on Saturday night.

The pair held hands at the bash at Tenjune, which followed the movie's premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. The two also looked cozy in Vegas on April 14. When asked about a possible engagement, Cannon's rep had no comment; Carey's was unable to be reached for comment.

Asked what he loved about Carey, Cannon, 27, told PEOPLE: "Everything." He was at her side from 8 p.m. to about 10:45 p.m. in Tenjune's VIP room, where they were joined by her BFF, Da Brat. Zoe Kravitz and Ben Kingsley also stopped by.

Meanwhile, before the premiere, Carey played it coy, saying she only has eyes for one male: Jack, her Jack Russell terrier.

"I'm in love with my dog," said the singer, 39. "He is my special someone. I love spending time with him."

Even when love hurts her adoration stays strong: Carey wore a pink Hello Kitty band-aid on her hand at the premiere, explaining that Jack "accidentally bit me."

In her new film, she plays Krystal, a troubled diner waitress and aspiring singer who tackles personal demons on a road trip to Tennessee.

"This is something very close to my heart," she said of her first major role since the 2001 bomb Glitter. "I'm very grateful to be here tonight. Some people come into our lives and take a chance, someone like Lee Daniels," who produced Tennessee.

"I feel that everything happens for a reason," says Carey.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195820,00.html

Dog Gets Medal For Saving Kids

MotoLinz — Sun, 13 May 2007 09:38:36 -0700

I thought this was a really sweet (but sad) little story. What a brave pup!

Dog Gets Medal For Saving Kids

Nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier George is being honoured with a posthumous bravery medal for saving five New Zealand children from an attack by two pitbulls.

The medal from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) comes after US Vietnam veteran Jerrell Hudman said he was sending his Purple Heart medal to George's owner after hearing of the dog's bravery.

George, who had a heart problem, won fame after defending five children from the pitbulls in the small North Island town of Manaia a week and a half ago. The two pitbulls rushed at the five children on the street, prompting George to charge the much larger dogs as the children escaped.

The Jack Russell was badly mauled by the two pitbulls and later had to be put down because of his extensive injuries. The two pitbulls were also put down.

The SPCA medal is usually awarded to people for their bravery in defending animals.

"George was a very brave little dog who almost certainly prevented severe injury, if not death, to at least one of the children," SPCA chief executive Robyn Kippenberger said.

"It's truly tragic that he paid with his own life for his instinctive act of courage."

Hudman, 58, of Austin, Texas was a US Marine for 30 years and said he decided to send his Purple Heart to George's owner Alan Gay after reading the news on the Internet because the dog was "a little warrior".

Source: Yahoo! News