United had more pet deaths in 2016 than any other major US airline
United Airlines made headlines on Wednesday after a giant bunny died in one of its pet-holding facilities after flying with the airline from London to Chicago.
But this isn't the first time the airline has come under fire for how it handles pets in transit. In February, A Michigan resident said the airline was responsible for the death of her golden retriever, Fox News reported.
According to data provided by the Department of Transportation, United had more "pet incidences," which refers to injuries, deaths, and losses, than any other major airline in 2016. There have been 4 injuries and 9 deaths. Delta, which ranks second for pet incidences, is responsible for 5 deaths and 5 injuries.
However, United has transported more pets (109,149) compared to Delta (81,070). When you break it down by percentage, United's track record for pet incidences is a mere .02%, while Delta's is .01%. When you put it in that context, airlines have a fairly similar, and low, percentage of pet incidences.
United spokesman Charles Hobart told the Associated Press it's reviewing the handling of the bunny, which didn't show signs of distress when it initially landed in Chicago.
"Travel can be stressful for animals," Hobart told the AP. "We have a lot of tips and suggestions for customers who decide to ship their pet or (other) animal."