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Hello Friend,
Today is the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination as you likely know, but even being a Canadian, it affected me.
My mother was working as a new nurse who had emigrated from Scotland to Dallas, and she clearly remembers when the announcement came in the hospital.
" The president has been shot" . She said immediately nurses, doctors and patients were all crying at the news.
My mom frequently talked about it- she was deeply affected, and she wasn't even American ( being Scottish)
The entire U.S., and virtually all countries in the world were shocked, with world leaders openly weeping.
JFK clearly connected with a nation - I only hope we can have future leaders who can lead and inspire once again.
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| Before we get into today's story, I want to mention my Manual of Pet First Aid. It's a wonderful resource to have, and something I personally refer back to.
Here's where you can get your own copy:
http://www.petfirstaidsecrets.com
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'United Airlines Refuses to Pay Veterinarian Bill'
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A pet owner says that her dog almost died in United Airlines' care during a cross-country move, and afterward, the airline refused to pay her veterinary bill unless she agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement. ( Source: http://www.nbcbayarea.com}
Janet Sinclair loves her pets — her sleek greyhound, Sedona, and her cat, Alika.
That’s why she shipped them using United Airlines' "PetSafe" program in July, when she was making the move from San Diego to Boston. The program promises pets will receive personal handling in climate-controlled vehicles and "never will be exposed to temperatures greater than 85 degrees for more than 45 minutes."
"They assured me that my animals would get a safety stop – a comfort stop – in Houston that I paid extra for," Sinclair said.
But, according to Sinclair, her pets were not safe. In fact, she says, the comfort stop nearly killed them. As she sat in her window seat looking out onto the tarmac of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Sinclair says she saw a cargo employee kick Sedona’s crate six times to shove it under the shade of the plane’s wing instead of gently moving it there.
Urged by a fellow passenger, Sinclair began documenting what was happening to her animals.
"And the woman in front of me said – 'Is that your dog?'" Sinclair said. "And she said, ‘Honey, I sure hope you’re taking video of this.’ And that was the beginning of the worst day of my life."
She shot cell phone video that July day and shared it with NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit. The video she recorded periodically shows her pets left outside, not in a temperature-controlled vehicle. According to the National Weather Service, the high in Houston that day was 94 degrees. When they touched down in Boston, Sinclair said her dog was barely alive.
"Sedona’s entire crate was filled with blood, feces, urine," Sinclair said. "Sedona was in full heat stroke. All of the blankets were filled with blood. She was urinating and defecating blood. She was dying, literally, right in front of me."
Sedona and Alika survived the trip. But their trying ordeal highlights the potential dangers of having pets aboard commercial flights as cargo. Over the last year, the Investigative Unit has uncovered more than 300 pets that have died, been injured or been lost in the care of airlines.
In Sinclair’s case, United Airlines claimed Sedona had a pre-existing health condition, even though Sinclair insists that, prior to leaving San Diego, both of her pets received a clean bill of health from their vet.
Despite the fact that Sinclair was never charged for shipping the pets, the airline agreed to pay the $2,700 it took to save Sedona. The greyhound spent three days being treated in the intensive care unit for heat stroke.
According to the vet that treated Sedona, she had a heat stroke, urinary tract infection and problems with the liver. The doctor’s report states, "We have no reason to believe that these medical problems were due to underlying disease, and we believe that these medical problems were secondary to hyperthermia that she suffered during her United Airlines flight."
But Sinclair would only get that money if she remained silent and signed a nondisclosure agreement.
Sinclair said no.
She even started a Facebook page "United Airlines Almost Killed My Greyhound."
United Airlines declined a request for an on-camera interview with NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit.
Instead, in a written statement United Airlines said, "We are committed to ensuring safe and comfortable travel of all the pets that fly with us and regret that Sedona did not have a good experience. We offered to compensate Ms. Sinclair by fully reimbursing her vet bill, but unfortunately she declined to accept the terms of the agreement."
In an email, NBC Bay Area asked Jennifer Dohm of United’s corporate communications office if the airlines will not reimburse Sinclair because she did not sign the nondisclosure agreement. "That’s correct," Dohm responded.
Also, by law, airlines must report whether a pet is hurt, lost or dies on a trip within 45 days of an incident occurring. As of November, the Department of Transportation has no record of Sinclair’s pets’ injuries, even though they were sustained in July.
According to Kelly E. Carter, president of TheJetSetPets.com and a best-selling author on pet travel, non-disclosure agreements are common. But she notes that this case highlights how shipping pets can be a gamble.
"People have to really stop and think about it long and hard," Carter said. "Is it worth it for me to check my family member into baggage?"
Sinclair said she feels that her pets were treated even worse than baggage. During the flight, she said, she spoke up to the flight attendant, saying, "We need to get my animals off that tarmac, they’re supposed to be in an air-conditioned van."
And, because her pets stayed out in the heat, and suffered because of it, Sinclair has decided to take her battle public.
"The only reason I’m doing this interview is because I didn’t sign that, and I won’t sign it," she said, referring to the nondisclosure agreement.
Carter agreed with Sinclair’s decision to air her story. "You have to go public. You owe it to the public, to the passengers, to the pets."
Today, Sedona and Alika are settling in to their new home on the East Coast. As for all the medical bills, Sinclair is still waiting for the airline to take responsibility.
"I still want to be reimbursed," she said. "But I’m not going to be quiet."
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Veterinary Secrets Pet of the Day!
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Angel
> Here is Angel, 17 years young, found her running on a busy road, she was
> approx. 3 when I found her, she has been on "Ultimae Canine" for a few
> years now, she is blind, deaf, a little senile, but her quality of life is
> still good. She is happy, and I'm her life, and she is mine.
>
> Thank you
> Janice and Angel |
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| Dog and Cat Words of Wisdom...
“If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity...we all inhabit this small planet." John F Kennedy
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| Heal Your Pet At Home!
Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones, DVM |
| P.S. United Airlines deserves the bad press. I wouldn't being flying my own pets on United. How about a sincere apology and payment....
P.P.S. In my Manual of Pet First Aid you will find clear STEP by STEP instructions for all the common dog and cat emergencies.
Get our copy here:
http://www.petfirstaidsecrets.com
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| DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. Dr Andrew Jones resigned from the College of Veterinarians of B.C. effective December 1 2010, meaning he cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make specific medical recommendations for your pet.
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