Enough with the dogs in the hold of the planes! We stop treating them as if they were luggage

In 2023 a disturbing episode that saw the protagonist Joao Paulo de CostaBrazilian breeder, has rekindled the debate on Conditions in which animals are transported to air travel. During a stopover a Istanbulthe man was caught by one panic crisis and despair after discovering that his four dogs They had disappeared and that the airport staff refused to give him information.

His furry, for him real children as he feels he repeated several times in a video that have become viral, had been embarked in the sifth of the planeas required by dog ​​regulations above 10 kg. De Costa, visibly shocked, had collapsed to the ground in the tears shouting: “Where are my dogs?”, While the employees continued to ignore his requests. Only after the intervention of the airport police It was possible to locate and finally bring together the man to his beloved animals.

Also the content creator Paola Filacchioneknown as My.Samshine, he rested the movie taking the opportunity to tell that he had lived a similar experience: during an international move, his dog had been embarked on the hold and lost for many hours. Fortunately, it was then found, but not everyone has the same fate.

The stress of the hold is enormous

This leads to an important reflection: Is it still acceptable to transport dogs how they were luggage? In the full 21st century, with the progress of technology and the growing awareness of the importance of animal welfare, it appears anachronistic and cruel to force dogs to travel in noisy, dark and potentially traumatizing environments.

The hold: the noises of the engines, the vibrations, the lack of supervision and the unstable temperature conditions can cause extreme stresswounds or even death. Whoever has a dog knows: it is not an object to be transported, but of a family member.

Air travel should predict safer and more respectful solutions For animals of all sizes, for example dedicated spaces in the cabin or pressurized and controlled compartments by specialized personnel. The pain of De Costa and many other people like him should push airlines and authorities a completely rethink the animal transport systembecause every dog, small or large, is, It deserves to travel in safety and dignity.