In what amounts to an international puppy mill scheme, a Ukraine International Airlines flight was transporting 500 pure-breed french bulldog puppies from Ukraine to Canada. Due to lack of airline oversight and voluntary regulations, 38 puppies were found dead on arrival, while numerous other puppies on board were severely ill, suffering from extreme dehydration and were weak and vomiting. This case highlights yet again the corruption, profiteering and cruelty behind pure-breed puppy sales worldwide. This case of negligence should emphasize to all animal lovers and prospective pet guardians worldwide why it is vital to adopt pets from shelters.
It’s evident to us, as experts in animal welfare and transportation, that this awful tragedy could have been prevented, if the voluntary animal transport regulations set by the International Air Travel Association had been mandatory. Many of these regulations were blatantly ignored on this flight. This resulted in dozens of entirely preventable deaths and extraordinary suffering for the animals onboard.
How can we prevent this horrific tragedy from happening again?
This tragedy highlights the urgent need for improved international safety regulations for pet air travel. Ukraine International Airlines violated Canadian Health of Animals Regulations and International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) voluntary Live Animal Regulations (a group by which they belong). SPCA International calls on the IATA to make these voluntary Live Animal Regulations mandatory for all its airlines.
In light of this terrible tragedy, it is clear stronger international pet transport regulations are needed.
We ask the IATA, which is the leading airline trade association, to strengthen the Live Animal Regulations listed in the IOSA standards and make them mandatory for all member airlines.
Thank you for signing your name to the petition. You are lending your support to help prevent this tragedy from happening again. We’ll provide this list to the International Air Transport Association and its Live Animal and Perishables Board to demand change; strengthening standards for live animal transport and making them mandatory for IATA Operational Safety Audit registration. If we use our voices collectively we can demand change and help this all too common cruelty to cease.