[pyrnet] CARE, EVENTS: American Airlines lifts breed ban

["Robyn Allwright" <theashes@earthlink.net>]

After all the discussion about topics, I really didn't know what to put
this one under care and events ans it could be applicable to both.

This came off the AKC web site.

>  After months of negotiations, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has
> =
> > learned that American Airlines is reversing its ban on Rottweilers, 
> =
> > Doberman Pinschers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers, 
> =
> > American Pit Bull Terriers, and any mixed breeds containing one or 
> more
> =
> > of those breeds. Effective May 17th, 2003, all dog breeds will once 
> =
> > again be accepted for shipment, and new safe container requirements
> will =
> > be imposed uniformly for all animals traveling as cargo or excess =
> > baggage.=20
> >       Acceptable kennels used to ship dogs will require releasable
> cable =
> > ties attached to each of the four corners of the kennel door. 
> American
> =
> > Airlines will provide the releasable cable ties to the customer at 
> no =
> > cost and the ties must be attached to the kennel by the shipper. =
> > Acceptable kennels must meet the requirements of the International 
> Air
> =
> > Transport Association Live Animal Regulations and may be purchased 
> from
> =
> > American Airlines.
> >
> >       American Airlines first implemented its breed ban in August,
> 2002, =
> > following an incident involving a "pit bull" puppy that escaped its 
> =
> > crate and damaged the cargo hold of a plane. This was clearly a 
> case of
> =
> > crate failure and was unrelated to the breed of the dog involved. 
> The =
> > AKC immediately launched a nationwide letter-writing campaign to 
> the =
> > airline, calling on fanciers to contact American Airlines and 
> express =
> > their opposition. AKC Chairman of the Board Ron Menaker, Vice 
> Chairman
> =
> > David Merriam, and President Al Cheaur=E9 personally contacted the =
> > carrier and offered the AKC as a resource to establish kennel =
> > regulations for safe shipment of all breeds of dogs.=20
> >
> >       In addition, AKC worked behind the scenes with 
> representatives =
> > from American and the International Air Transport Association 
> (IATA) =
> > Live Animal Board to focus on strengthening crate requirements to =
> > prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. AKC federal 
> =
> > government relations consultant James Holt negotiated proposed 
> changes
> =
> > to the container regulations, including a strap proposal, with 
> American
> =
> > Airlines last fall, shortly after the breed-specific embargo was 
> put =
> > into place, and attended an IATA meeting in October to discuss 
> uniform
> =
> > crate standards
> >
> >       The AKC consultant also worked out a strategy with then 
> Director
> =
> > of Live Animal and Dangerous Goods Cargo Operations, Richard 
> Powers, at
> =
> > American, who was very cooperative with AKC in trying to end the =
> > breed-specific embargo. It was tentatively agreed that American 
> would =
> > adopt the strap proposal as a carrier-specific requirement, and then
> use =
> > that as the basis for dropping the breed-specific embargo. The plan 
> was
> =
> > interrupted, but not derailed, by a major layoff at American in =
> > November, 2002>
> >       Outraged purebred dog owners were quick to respond to AKC's 
> call
> =
> > to action and over the past several months have flooded the airline
> with =
> > letters, faxes and e-mails. Many national breed clubs whose breeds 
> were
> =
> > targeted by the ban organized additional grassroots efforts. All of 
> =
> > these communications no doubt helped convince American Airlines to =
> > resolve this issue, thereby improving travel conditio