This is a proposition that airlines will no longer have to abide by rules and regulations of carry-on baggage, to allow pets in-cabin with their owner in order to make pet transportation safer.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, airlines decide if you are allowed to travel with pets in the passenger cabin. However, if they do allow them to travel with their owner, they must adhere to all carry-on baggage guidelines. This means the pet must fit in a specified carrier, under the seat in front of you for the duration of the flight. This limits in-cabin transportation to small pets. A change in this law would not open the doors to unlimited pet transportation. It would simply give airlines the option to allow a way for larger pets to travel in-cabin​. Airlines would still be able to include additional procedures such as:

- Limiting the amount of pets per cabin

- Limiting the number of pets traveling with each passenger

- Requiring your pet be harmless, inoffensive, and odorless

- Requiring a recently issued health certificate for pet

- Limiting types of pets you may bring

- Requiring the owner to carry a muzzle in case an issue arrises

In recent years, airlines have been required to report any deaths, injuries, and losses to the US Department of Transportation. Although most pets travel safe and sound in cargo, from January 2016 - October 2016 alone, 23 pets were killed in the cargo of an airplane. This number does not include pets who lost their lives shortly after they landed, like my very best friend, Jacob. Lies and mishaps with United Airlines' "PetSafe" program led to my beautiful, healthy, 7 year old golden retriever to suffer from GVD after his ten hour trip suddenly became 20 hours longer in a place too far away for me to save him. It breaks my heart knowing at least 23 families had to endure such a tragedy in the last year alone. Imagine if this was the number of humans who passed on flights. Pets become part of our families and show us an unconditional love unlike any other. They should be treated as such, and not locked beneath a plane terrified for their lives.

The FAA already recognizes that you will be exposed to pet dander on every flight because most allergens are carried into the cabin on the clothes of other passengers. They have procedures in place if you wish to be on a plane with no pets.

Please help reach out to the FAA to change these guidelines and bring peace to pet owners everywhere. It's time we know that cargo is not the safest option for pets and fight to make these changes. Thank you.