The federal government announced this Wednesday (30) stricter rules for transporting animals on flights. Owners will be able to track their pets at all stages of air transport, from boarding to disembarkation. This monitoring will be done through cameras and applications, informed the Ministry of Ports and Airports, which announced the new standards, called Animal Air Transport Plan (Pata).
Another measure is that airlines will have to offer veterinary services for emergencies, as a way of ensuring that animals will receive adequate care.
The plan also foresees the creation of a direct communication channel with guardians, which will provide information about the flight situation; qualification and training of professionals in the airline sector and control of the service provided. The rules will be published this Thursday (31) and will come into force.
It will be up to the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) to monitor compliance with the plan. Airlines will have 30 days to adapt to the rules.
“There will be collective work by Anac to monitor, charge and fine airlines that do not act in accordance with the good animal transport service”, said the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho (photo).
The plan was prepared by a working group, made up of representatives from nine government bodies, animal protection entities, airlines, which analyzed more than 3,500 suggestions from society.
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The plan is presented six months after the death of golden retriever Play. The dog died in a transport box after air transportation failed by Gol. The animal should have been taken to Sinop (MT), on a flight lasting around 2h30, but its destination was changed due to error. Joca was transported to Fortaleza and then returned to Guarulhos Airport, in São Paulo, resulting in around 8 hours of flight time.
The veterinary report pointed to stress, dehydration and heart problems as causes of death.
Brasília, (DF), 10/30/2024 – The owner of the dog Joca participated in the presentation of the new rules for transporting animals on flights. Photo: Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil
For Joca’s owner, João Fantazzini, the standards represent an advance for the country with the aim of guaranteeing the well-being and safety of animals. He also defends the approval of laws that allow pets of any size to be transported with their owners on planes.
* With information from Oussama El Ghaouri, reporter at Rádio Nacional
