The TSA or Transportation Safety Administration encountered two pet incidents in different airports, just days apart.
Did you know TSA has a wide range of responsibilities in making sure that our safety is on its top priority list? Even if you are flying abroad, TSA works with global aviation security companies to ensure high-level security in and out of our country.
Aside from security, TSA also ensures our safety, and this includes our pets.
On November 22, a TSA agent assigned to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport noticed something on the X-ray machine.
Inside the red and black luggage bag was the image of a cat.
In the photo posted on TSA’s Twitter account, you’ll notice the cat’s figure in red.
The cat that was trapped inside the luggage belonged to a passenger bound for a flight going to Atlanta with a connecting flight to Orlando.
The TSA officers immediately rescued the tabby cat and said that the feline was in good health, though he might be down to his eight lives after this incident.
“The cat did not belong to the individual with the suitcase, it belonged (to) someone else in the household,” TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein explained in an interview for NBC News.
Fortunately, the cat was rescued on time before he was put inside the pressurized cargo hold of the said plane.
Can you imagine what could have happened to the poor cat?
In a news update twelve days after the said incident, the owner of the cat, sent a photo showing the cat eating a gourmet dinner.
The owner wanted to update the people asking about Smells (the cat) and people adored his photo saying he eats like a king.
Unfortunately, last December 6, another TSA officer found a dog inside a carry-on backpack after it went through the X-ray machine.
The TSA officers rushed to get the dog out at the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, and the dog was fine.
Even though the dog was fine, TSA reminded all the people to be mindful and cautious next time.
Two instances of animals trapped in suitcases and carry-on bags in just two weeks is alarming.
“When traveling with any animal, notify your airline & know their rules,” TSA Great Lakes wrote in their tweet. “At the checkpoint, remove your pet from the bag and send all items, including the empty carrier, to be screened in the machine.”.
In a follow-up tweet, TSA also included a short video showing passengers the proper way of traveling with a pet.
Also, on their website, there are very clear instructions on how a person should proceed in any event they have to travel with a pet.
According to TSA’s website:
“Please remove your pet from the carrying case and place the case through the X-ray machine. You should maintain control of your pet with a leash and remember to remove the leash when carrying your pet through the metal detector. Animal carriers will undergo a visual and/or physical inspection.”
Having a pet means you need to be responsible for them, and this includes their safety when you’re bringing them with you.
Take time and read instructions, talk to officers at the airport, and make sure to check their policies before proceeding.
Watch Smell’s update below.
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