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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2010 Two wings, a lot of wagging tails and wet noses pet airways from F1
procedures: health certificate, ac- curatemeasurement (for crate se- lection purposes), discussion of Red’s demeanor and crate train- ing. But still. As we exited the car at the cargo building, I was ner- vous:Was Iputtingmygentleman of a dog at risk? PetAirwaysdidn’tknowIwas a
journalistworkingonastoryuntil later, but the staff inside the “pet lounge,” brightly decorated with paintings and photos of dogs and cats, put us both at ease, although my dog didn’t really need much calming. LoungemanagerDenise Rocks immediately asked, “Is this Red?” and reached out to scratch him. Pilot Casey Martin called out, “Hey, buddy!” from behind the counter. Rocks took the leash while I filled out paperwork and led him around so he could sniff, sniff and sniff somemore. Separation anxiety? It was all
mine. Red paused to look at me quizzically when I turned to go, thenwent back to sniffing.
Sobering statistics Is flying a pet in cargo danger-
ous? Since May 2005, the Depart-
ment of Transportation has col- lectedmonthly data fromairlines on pet incidents. ThroughAugust 2010, the total was 154 pets who died, 63 injured and 38 lost. (That last numbermakes it difficult for anyone to argue that animals aren’t being treated like luggage.) Continental has had the most
deaths, at 44, followed by Ameri- can (33), Delta (22), Alaska (19) and United (16). Those numbers might soundminuscule given the millions of animals that fly every year, but in fact the DOT figures include only pets, while that 2- million-a-year figure is from the Department of Agriculture and includes many non-pets. The air- lines don’t have to report how many pets they fly every year. Some say that the airlines have
gotten somewhat of a bad rap and that the situation is improving. All large jetshavepressurizedand climate-controlled cargo areas, saysRachelFarris,PRdirector for
Petrelocation.com, so it’s more important how they handle the pets when they’re not on the plane. She praises Continental’s PetSafe program, which among other things promises that pets areheldinclimate-controlledcar- go offices and transported to planes in climate-controlled vehi- cles.EventhoughContinentalhas had the most deaths since the DOT started tracking the figures, the airline says that’s simply be- cause it flies so many animals: about 110,000 a year. “The ani-
mals are cared for at every point by trained ground personnel and handled with extreme care,” said Continental spokeswoman Chris- tenDavid. Some airlines won’t allow pets
to fly in cargo during warmer months or when the temperature exceeds certain limits. Continen- tal, for one, prohibits adult Eng- lish bulldogs and other snub- nosed breeds from flying mid- May to mid-September. These breeds’ breathing difficulties make them more susceptible to medicalproblems fromstress and lack of ventilation on flights, and they have accounted for about half of the canine deaths, accord- ing to theDOT. Farris and others stress the
need for dogs to have a thorough veterinary exambefore flying, es- pecially if they are older, and be trained to be comfortable in a crate. “If people approached air travel the way they approachma- jor surgery — is your pet healthy enough to fly, young enough to fly? — pets would fly a lot more safely,” said Farris. Pet Airways, meanwhile,
echoes what groups such as the Humane Society and PETA, along with the Web site
Petfinder.com, say: If your pet is too big to fly in the passenger section of a plane withyou, resist resorting to cargo. For one thing, even if the pet
has been handled well up to that point,whenthe cargodoor closes, unlike onPetAirways,nohumans can monitor the animals for the duration of the flight. “It’s good luck, Buffy,” said Betsy Saul, founder of
Petfinder.com. “You’re putting your pet in a dangerous situation, unsupervised.” Saul’s site studies the pet-
friendliness of airlines every year and announces its favorites. Last year, before Pet Airways had real- ly gotten off the ground, the top honor went to Continental for its PetSafe program. This year, the fledgling airlinewon the top spot, while JetBluewas also singledout for its refusal to accept animals in cargo. While she acknowledges that airlines have made “huge strides,” Saul added: “It’s pretty cut and dried.No airline that still allows pets in cargo doesn’t have deaths. Shipping themin cargo is frankly inconsistent with being assured of your pet’s survival.” If cargo is the only option and
you can’t drive, Saul said, maybe youshouldreconsider takingyour pet in the first place. “I’m sure your pet would love to be with you,” she said, “but thereareprob- ably a lot of other people your pet would be happy to bewith, too.” Pet Airways co-founder Alysa
Binder puts it another way: “I wouldn’t put a human family
year-old rescue pup who he fig- ures is “probably some sort of cockapoo.” “We like to think of him as a
unicorn,” Emmett said. “A special guy. He was found in an aban- doned box, in an abandoned house,with his dead brothers and sisters. We had to take him. Named afterTedWilliams.” Hisotherdog,aschnoodle, flew
with his fiancee in the passenger cabin of JetBlue, but both dogs will return on Pet Airways be- cause “we’re going on our honey- moon in St. Bart’s, and the dogs aren’t coming.” Would he ever fly a dog in the
cargo hold of a commercial air- line? “Nope,”he said. “I couldnev- er put these guys through that.”
Back to earth A week earlier, I was in Em-
MARK GAIL/THE WASHINGTON POST Didyoumissme?Didyou?Didyou?Imissedyou! Vin the English springer greets owner DaveVladic at BWI.
member down there,” she said. “Whywould I do that tomy pet?”
‘A better way’ Pet Airways was born when
Binder and her husband,DanWi- esel, high-tech consultants, were moving from San Francisco to Florida and decided, “with some trepidation,” to fly their Jack Rus- sell terrier, Zoe, in the cargo hold of a commercial airliner. “When she got out on the other
end, she just wasn’t the same,” Binder said in a phone interview. “She was very skittish.” After a while, Zoe returned to normal, “Butwe thought, there just has to be a betterway.” They started the company in
2005, but Pet Airways didn’t fly until 2009. It took that long to work out all the details: which airports to fly out of, what planes to use and how to design them, not to mention navigating the maze of regulations. “Since we’re the first to do this, the reactions ranged from ‘Hmm, interesting’ to ‘It’s about time’ to ‘What are you, crazy?’”Binder said. “Itwas a long process because we weren’t just going to build it to build it. It had to be about safety, comfort and care,with safety first.” Pet Airways subcontracted
with Suburban Air Freight Inc., which has retrofitted four planes according to Wiesel’s specifica- tions, and started with smaller airports near five cities: Balti- more-Washington,NewYork,Chi- cago, Denver and Los Angeles. “We wanted to make sure we
could bring the planes in really close, load them quickly, taxi quickly, and get up in the air quickly,” she said. In the airline’s second year, it
hasaddedfourmorecities.Binder wouldn’tdiscloseoccupancyrates but said the flights have been “mostly booked,” somuch so that the company is continuing to ex- pand. She wouldn’t give details but said the airline is on track to eventually serve locations “within two hours of every major city in theUnited States.” All of the employees have expe-
rience working with pets, Binder said, such as in veterinary offices or boarding facilities. “They have to love animals,” she said. That was apparent when, a
week after Red’s flight, I asked to see behind the scenes as a Pet Airways flight landed at BWI on a crisp, sunnyWednesdaymorning. The plane had started in Los An- geles, stoppedat severalpoints on its way east, and was pausing at BWI before heading to Fort Lau- derdale. Rocks, the lounge manager,
oversaw three attendants who took a van themere 400 feet from the hangar to the little plane,met pilot Martin, in-flight attendant Hansen and trainee Richard Lo- pez, and started unstrapping the crates and moving the 19 pets fromplane to van. A border collie namedMaggie was itching to get out: She barked incessantly, and attendant Jessica Placchi said, “Where’s your toy, Maggie! Get your toy!”Maggie grabbed a lime-
Service at your bark and claw hotels from F1
esteemed position for five years. “Her roles are quite numerous. Guests build a rapport with her, and when dogs see her, their tails startwagging.” Ginger — species, canine;
breed, teacup Pomeranian; cute quotient, through the roof — was just one of the staff members I recently shadowed at the Muse, peeking behind the curtain of the Kimptonbrand’spet-friendlypro- gram.Myobjective: toseehowthe hotel preps for and tends to four- legged (and sometimes no- legged) guests. My revelation: In many cases, thehumans arehigh- ermaintenance.
Who lets the dogs in? More and more hotels these
days are letting the dogs in. In the past five years, says
Bringfido.com President Melissa Halliburton, the number of pet- friendly accommodations in the United States has doubled. Her site launched in 2005with 10,000 properties and now features 20,000 domestic lodgings and nearly30,000worldwide.Andina recent study by the AmericanHo- tel and Lodging Association, about half of the 8,500 respon- dents said they allowpets. “Everyone’s in the game,” said
Sue Smith, president of PetTrav-
el.com,whose listings havemush- roomed from about 2,000 in the late 1990s to 30,000 today. “The finer hotels will bend over back- wards to cater to pets. The lower- end hotels are more restrictive, especiallywithlarger dogs.” The programs are very individ-
ualized, often reflecting the ho- tel’s level of service and star value. Budgetpropertiesoffer thebasics, simply allowing the pooch to crash on the guest room floor. By comparison, upper-shelf lodgings treat the pets as if theywereWest- minster show dogs, showering themwith organic treats, spa ser-
vices, toys, even a pet psychic at cocktail hour — some gratis, oth- ers for a fee. In their customer servicetextbook, thereisnodiffer- ence between people and pets: Both deserve full attention, though only the latter get scratched behind the ears. Among pet travel experts,
Kimpton’s program ranks among the top. First, none of the chain’s 50 boutique hotels charges for the animal.By comparison, theAHLA found that up to 54 percent of surveyed properties tack on an extra fee; W Hotels, for example, adds $25 per day, plus a nonre- fundable$100cleaningfee.Kimp- tonalsowelcomespets of all sizes, weights and natures; the Royal SonestaHotelNewOrleansmaxes outat 15pounds.Thatmeans such popularbreeds as cocker spaniels, beagles, schnauzers and Scottish terriersmust find alternate hous- ing—or go ona severe diet. To personalize the experience
for pet and owner, a handful of Kimpton properties feature a di- rector of pet relations, a position openonly to individualswhobark and fetch. The dogs, typically owned by staffmembers, capture the style and attitude of the hotel. At Hotel Palomar in San Francis- co, an energetic retriever named Maverick sits in a vintage wine barrel during the evening social hour and raises funds for an ani- mal-rescue organization. At the Muse, Ginger is an up-
town girl who wears designer duds and lounges atop a paw- printpillow.OnherWebpage, she lists her hobbies as “shopping, eating, modeling and trying on clothes, posing for photo shoots, and days at the spas.” When I showeduptomeetGinger,Lauren Myerson, her owner and a con- cierge at the hotel, explained her absence: “She heard it was sup- posed to rain, and she didn’twant tohave a badhair day.” Anthropomorphic behavior aside,Gingerdoes serveanimpor-
tant function: to affirm the pet- friendliness of thehotel. “Forguestswhodon’thavepets,
she breaks up the monotony of their trip,” said ErickaNelson, the Muse’s generalmanager. “And for guests who couldn’t bring their pets, she reminds themof home.” (Also for guests who had to leave their pets behind: Send in a photo and the hotel will frame it and place it by the bed.) On occasion, Gingerwill escort
visitors to their room.Or shemay romp with them. Last Friday, she and a Shih Tzu named Prada per- formed a canine fandango in a conference room, before Prada bolted down the hallway exuding puppy love. But to be honest, when hard
work is required, Ginger tends to nap.Which is why those with op- posable thumbs frequently step in.
As concierges for pets and peo-
ple alike, the staff must fill re- quests that go beyond dinner rec- ommendations and Broadway tickets. Myerson, for one, helps bookHersandFurspeticures,hire a pet chauffeur and arrange a dog walker. In a pinch, employees have run up to a roomto check on a pet, strolled a pooch around the block, and even provided dog-sit- ting services behind the front desk. Recently a guest from Can- adagaveCamachoanassignment: Go findadesignerdog leash.With $500 in his pocket, he scoured such haut retailers as Louis Vuit- ton and Prada, finally finding his prizeatGucci.Hegave thewoman the leashand$103 inchange. “I love the challenges,” he said.
“Theydon’t just trustuswiththeir reservations, they also trust us withtheir pet accessories.” On a day-to-day basis, the re-
sponsibilities associated with the pet program are pretty manage- able, if notminor.When the front desk learns that a guest is check- ing inwith a pet, the staffwill add some animal-centric accessories
to the guest room decor: a leop- ard-printdogbedandbowls inthe corner, for example, and on the desk, a free bag of goodies that includes organic dog treats, dis- posable bags, aromatherapy wipes and a toy (i.e., a squeaky, plush Starbarks cup or subway card).Guests can also submit spe- cial requests and messages via e-mail toGinger. “Dear Ginger,” began a recent
note, “Hi!MynameisSid,andIam a teacup Pomeranian too! . . . I’m looking forward to my pet pack- age and seeing the sites ofNYC.” The 200-room hotel typically
hosts one or two dogs during the weekdays, and a few over the weekends. To safeguard visitors who might be allergic or skittish, pets are restricted to the second and third floors. Guests are al- lowed to leave their pets alone in the roombut are asked to provide reception with a cellphone num- ber, in the event of a ruckus. To alerthousekeepingtothe surprise inside, guests are given a door- knobsignthatwarns: “Grrrr.Cau- tion: You are entering the tempo- rary habitat of a very special crea- ture.” However, sometimes the note is superfluous: A simple knock anywhere along the hall- way canset off a chorus of barks. Mind you, the definition of
“creature” is broad.Kimpton does not discriminate against pets that wouldcauseasceneinaneighbor- hood dog park. Like a snake or a penguin. Discovery Channel staffers, for
example, once checked in with a sloth (special request: bananas), a penguin, snakes and an iguana. Four months ago, a couple from Australia sauntered inwith a pot- bellied pig on a leash. For the porker, the staff assembled a grassy pigpen in the room, plus treats fromthe restaurant, includ- ing an odd intraspecies buffet of pigs in a blanket and bacon. The front desk has also seen a guest
green stuffed animal and started tossing it in the air. “It says here thatyou’reshy,”Placchi said, read- ing the note attached toMaggie’s crate, with her weight, destina- tionandpersonality comments. “I don’t think so.” Theymade two trips to line up
the 19 crates in the hangar, then started going over the pets’ notes to see if any needed medication. The attendants started taking the dogs out to feed, water and walk them and, in the case of six who weren’t going on to Florida, pre- pare them to be picked up. They made sure each had their “lug- gage,” a gallon-sized plastic bag that owners could fill with treats, food, etc., as well as the T-shirt or pillowcase many owners had left sotheir scent couldbeput intothe cratewith their pet. When Maggie continued to
bark, Rocks quickly kneeled in front of the crate and stuck her fingers in, lettingMaggiesniffand lick and nuzzle. The dog immedi- ately quieted down. Owners started trickling in.
Dave Vladic, 40, was picking up spaniels Coco and Vin because he’s moving from Arizona to Vir- ginia. Pet Airways staff say they even have some shared-custody pets, who fly back and forth to visit divorced parents. Quinn Emmett, 28, lives in Los
Angeles but had just driven to Baltimore fromhis home town of Williamsburg, where he was pre- paring for his wedding. “We just couldn’t do it without the little guy.” By that, hemeant Teddy, his
mett’s shoes, driving to pick up Red on Long Island, but this time it was a windy, rainy day. I kept checking the back seat expecting to see himstretched out, buckled in with his safety harness. As my car was buffeted on bridges and the like, I imagined Red and his fellow pawsengers in their crates strapped to the interior of the turboprop. Pet Airways says Sub Air has an excellent safety record, but I know how I feel on a small plane, especially when it’s bounc- ing through a storm. At 8:10 p.m., my cellphone
rang. “Hi, this isMichael fromPet Airways,”hesaid. “I justwantedto let you knowthat Red has landed safely and can be picked up at any time.” Iwas only 15minutes away, andMichael gaveme better-than- Google-Maps directions right to the pet lounge, in an outlying building apart fromthemain air- port terminal. Inside, in-flightattendantHan-
sen was walking Red around. No other dogs were in sight. My boy wasn’tmerely safe, hewas excited to see me and full of energy. If there had been motion-sickness- inducing turbulence or other stress on board, Red certainly didn’t show any signs. (The pilot told me later that he was able to easily fly above the storms, and that everythingwas smooth.) “He’s awesome,” Hansen said
about Red. “Really great dog.” I appreciated that the staff asked me for an ID so they could make sure I was indeed authorized to pickhimup:Nochanceof thisdog being “lost” like just another suit- case. Nothing alleviates a little sepa-
ration anxiety like a reunion. I let Red roamaround the parking lot for a few minutes, then he re- sumed his rightful place in the back seat of the car.
yonanj@washpost.com
where the Shih Tzu had bunked for the weekend. The breed does not shed, a coup for house atten- dant Tom Garcia. “Based on this room, it’s really hard to tell that a dog has been here,” said Garcia, who performed the heavy clean- ing that preceded housekeeping’s light dusting and linen exchange. “Thiswasn’t a sheddy dog.” However, if the dog experi-
enced substantial fur loss, Garcia would have to employ the big equipment. “The shampoo ma- chine is huge,” he said. “ You have tomoveeverythingaside.” Inaddi- tion, if eau de canine permeated the room, he would set up an odor-neutralizing air freshener. But for today, the room looked fur-free and smelled like a scent- less bar of soap. Typically, the heavy-duty clean-
KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTS
Meet Ginger, top dog at the Muse hotel inManhattan, where pets stay free.
walk inwith guinea pigs on leash- es and another pushing a dog in a baby carriage. “These are classics,” Nelson
quipped. Overall, the pet-friendly pro-
gramdoes not cost the hotelmore thanother special in-houseservic- es, such as champagne and rose petals for an anniversary, or cake for a birthday celebration. Nor does it require an extraordinary time commitment.Theone excep- tion:heavy shedders.
Hair of the dog?Nope. After Prada left Manhattan to
return home onMonday, I joined housekeeping in Room 304,
ing follows a 90-day cycle. But when a pet overnights, the sched- ule speeds up. For the thorough routine, Garcia stripped the sheets, then pushed the bed away from the wall, dusting the head- board and the trimbordering the carpet.He vacuumed around and under the bed, nearly disappear- ing beneath the box spring. He passed a cloth over the night- stands and the drawers of the armoire, which he also moved. Half the time he was in a deep crouch or an inverted L-shape. Before tossing the dog pad in the hallway, he vacuumed both sides. Inthe bathroom,he ranbothmet- al bowls underhotwater. “I don’t want any sign that an
animal was in there,” said Chery- lann Welcome, whose hospitable name befits her position as direc- torofhousekeeping. “Just like you know that another person stayed in the room, but you don’twant to see signs of it.” After 45 minutes of furious
cleaning, the roomglistened.Wel- come closed the door to Room 304, satisfied that any evidence of Prada had been swept up and away. Even with a dog’s height- ened sense of smell, the next four- legged occupant wouldn’t catch a whiff ofher.
sachsa@washpost.com
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