Airline passenger sparks angry debate over PETS flying in the cabin after disgusting dog poop incident forces United Airlines flight to DIVERT
A plane passenger has sparked a furious debate over whether pets should be allowed to fly in the cabin after describing a horrific incident where a dog’s “messy accident” forced a flight to divert. .
In the US, it is not uncommon to see pets on board a domestic flight, provided they meet certain weight and size requirements, while in other countries, passengers’ fur babies may be restricted to traveling in cargo.
However, a recent incident on a United Airlines flight – which was forced to land mid-journey after a dog relieved itself outside the first-class toilet – has sparked fierce debate about this policy.
In a poll of DailyMail.com readers asking ‘should dogs be banned from airplane cabins?’, an overwhelming 68 percent answered ‘yes’.
14 percent of respondents said ‘no’, while the remaining 18 percent believe that animals should not be banned if they are properly trained.
A furious debate has erupted over whether dogs should be allowed to continue flying in aircraft cabins after a dog suffered a ‘messy’ accident during a flight that forced it to swerve (stock image)
A United Airlines flight was forced to land after a dog defecated in the plane’s aisle – just outside the first-class bathroom, a spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com
The messy incident behind the poop debate was captured by Reddit user gig_wizardwho said they were on the five-hour flight 422 from Houston to Seattle on Friday, April 7, when the incident occurred.
“Dog had a messy accident in the aisle in first class,” the passenger captioned the photo.
The Reddit user said the flight was diverted to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, where ground crews spent more than two hours cleaning the carpet with paper towels, noting that the smell made them sick.
“Gate agents continued to yell at the passengers and cabin crew,” they continued.
“The smell never completely went away.”
The multi-hour cleanup was ultimately unsuccessful, after the first-class toilet was declared unusable.
“The dog poop was apparently undissolved there,” the passenger wrote. “Eating went bad while we were on the floor, so there were very few snacks left.”
In an email to DailyMail.com, United Airlines confirmed the incident had occurred but declined to share other details.
According to the Ministry of TransportWhen pets travel on airlines, they must meet the requirements for animal transportation by a federal agency, a U.S. territory or a foreign jurisdiction.
The website notes that airlines may require: a US DOT form confirming the animal’s health, behavior and training; and a US DOT form showing that the animal is unable to relieve itself or defecate in a hygienic manner if the animal is on a flight of 8 hours or more.
However, comments on the post criticized people taking their dogs on flights, with many calling for them to be restricted to cargo.
The comments on the post criticized people who take their dogs on flights, with some even sharing their own stories
“Get dogs off the damn planes unless they fit in a carrier under the seat and stay there,” was one person’s opinion.
“This MUST have cost United tons more than the ticket,” another surmised. “You’d think they would individually ban owners of bad dogs from bringing their ‘service’ pets.”
‘All animals must be in a crate or in the cargo hold. Only service animals are allowed for the blind. You don’t need an ’emotional support dog’ for a crazy plane ride,” one user raged.
“Dog people are crazy and I’m tired of the ‘he’s my baby’ mentality of owners. It’s a crazy animal. And the owner has to clean up that mess. Take a dog on the plane and clean up your mess,” they concluded.
Another user agreed, saying they recently moved to Germany and had to fly with their pet.
“I don’t want my dog in the cargo, but that’s where most dogs belong,” they wrote. ‘Too many people have the energy of the main character and think their dog should be in the cabin. If it’s a carrier, fine, but so many aren’t. There are real guide dogs, but the rules have become far too lax.’
In January they were passengers shocked after a fellow traveler pooped in his pants during his flight, leaving feces ‘like peanut butter’ all over the seat.
One of the disgusted travelers took to Reddit to share his dismay at the situation – and it quickly went viral, amid some suggestions that it may have been a made-up story.