Our poor Marley will have to brave the skies as he makes his way across the US in the cargo hold of a commercial flight. In pitch black, in the belly of an iron beast, the poor dog will probably undergo his utmost moment of terror, or, he'll sleep it off and wake up all refreshed and ready to go to his new appartment on a city street. I'd go with terror and a lot of whimpering. He loathes the crate and to be in one for about 8-9 hours would bring on claustrophobia and be both terrifying and completely disorienting. The poor thing. If only they would let him sit next to me - after all, I am paying over full fare! Besides if he could talk, he'd talk the ear off the one guy that talks everybody's ear off on these long unbearable flights.
It seems funny the way that "live animals" are often referred to in the rules and regulations language of each airline. They are either shipped as "cargo" without the need to be accompanied, or as "check-in luggage", travelling with you thus diminshing your alloted two bags to a bag and the pet. There are regulations for specific dog breeds such as pugs and bull dogs who have more difficulty with breathing, especially in unusual circumstances, and a completely different set of regulations for "cold blooded live animals" as opposed to the "warm blooded ones". It seems funny to me, and let me explain this, because Marley is really one of our kids. He's not merely a pet nor a piece of luggage or cargo to us, he is a living breathing being that has an over-friendly personality with an exceeding need to be loved. On the otherhand, he doesn't take shit from any other "complete" dogs (dogs with balls, OK?) when they try to bully him to submission in the dog park. He can take care of himself, and pretty much defends his territory when other dogs think it funny to try and hump him. One lady with an overly aggressive idiotic dog who thinks bullying Marley a funny thing to do, dubbed him "The Mean Golden" - as if goldens could ever be mean! Although, I wouldn't be sorry if he ripped her dog's ear off... Usually, he just minds his own business and does his thing (sniff, pee, sniff pee, try to hump female dogs, sniff, pee, drink some water, pee some more), and in general is just happy to play with you and please you as much as possible. He has never been a barker and has never ever been ill tempered no matter how you scold him. He will cower with fear/shame, and then try to make it up to you. He's the best dog we've ever had and loves us back unconditionally with nary a word of back-talk or tantrum in sight. He aims to please and all he asks is to be loved in return. So, it should only be that I am a little apprehensive of subjecting him to fly the "friendly" pitch black skies.
2:21 PM | |
