Virgin Australia joins ban on snub-nosed dogs

Australian snub-nosed dog owners will have to leave Rover at home if they want to fly on either of the nation’s major airlines in the near future. Virgin Australia has joined Qantas in suspending the carriage of snub-nosed breeds after several high-profile deaths, including Duke the boxer dog and Frank the bulldog in Australia. Duke's death in December generated international headlines after his owner accused Qantas of negligence for leaving her dog on the tarmac in 39C heat for more than an hour. READ: New Qantas rules fails to impress grieving owner. Virgin’s ban comes into effect from January 24 “until further notice” for a long list of dogs ranging from American cocker spaniels to pugs, boxers and “apple-headed” chihuahuas. Nor is Virgin’s suspension restricted to canines: a number of cat breeds are also on the list. They include Persian, American Burmese and Himalayan cats. Jersey wooly, lion head and lop rabbits are also out of luck. The airline says it will honor bookings made before January 24 but notes they are flown at the owner’s risk and will refund owners who decided to cancel an existing booking. “We strongly recommend pets five years or older of this breed type are not presented for travel due to welfare concerns,’’ it adds. A Virgin spokesman said the decision to suspend the carriage of snub-nosed breeds had been difficult. "We continually review and enhance our operating procedures and work closely with animal welfare bodies such as the RSPCA to ensure the safety and welfare of animals traveling across our network,'' he said. "We have seen a tragic spike in issues across the industry when transporting snub-nosed breeds and this has prompted Virgin Australia to review the transport of these animals. "While we understand that snub-nosed breeds are a popular choice of pet, they are a high-risk animal to transport due to their known respiratory issues and other health problems that may be compounded inflight." Qantas announced earlier this month that it was suspending the carriage of snub-nosed dogs because they were at significantly higher risk of health complications due to their short snouts and respiratory systems. The airline said it was working with the RSPCA and other animal experts to finalize additional measures which include requiring all snub-nosed dogs to be cleared to fly by a registered vet immediately prior to travel. Qantas strongly recommended that customers who want to ship the dogs use registered animal shipping companies with vets at major capital city airports. It also said it was taking “a longer-term review” of airport equipment to provide further tarmac protection for vulnerable breeds in extreme weather and is reinforcing procedures for minimizing time on tarmac. The RSPCA says the extreme features of snub-nosed dogs mean they often struggle to breathe and regulate body temperature effectively, particularly on hot days and on planes.