A top European court
just ruled that airlines are allowed to categorize pets traveling on their planes as "luggage." That means that if an airline does the unthinkable and actually
loses someone's beloved pet, that company is not required to monetarily compensate the owner at a higher rate.
But anyone who has ever had a pet knows that this ruling is ridiculous: pets are living, breathing creatures that have complex relationships with their owners.
Sign the petition to tell the European Union: create a separate, third classification for pets, as distinct from luggage and human passengers! Pets are real, living beings, and they matter MORE than luggage!The ruling from the court comes in response to the tragic case of
Mona, a dog traveling with her owners - a mom and her child. Mona had been in a special pet crate for flight travel when the crate opened up, leaving Mona to run out and escape. Airline staff claimed they were unable to "recover" her.
Imagine if you were flying and an airline full-on lost your pet - if staff saw your pet running away and just let that be that. If the airline then offered you the same compensation payment as someone who lost a bag,
how insulted would you feel? Mona's story is absolutely heartbreaking, and her owner deserves to be appropriately compensated for the loss of their beloved companion animal, something clearly different than losing a piece of luggage.
This is a terrible ruling, and it's time for the European Union to step up and create its own policy to clearly distinguish between pets and luggage on flights.
Why are European courts pretending that losing a dog is the equivalent of losing a jacket or pair of pants?It's time for the European Union to commit to new rules around luggage and pets to prevent something like this from EVER happening again in the future! Sign the petition now if you agree!