Articles

Every day, thousands of pets fly on U.S. airlines. Most of the time, it's a seamless event and everyone arrives safely. Occasionally it's not -- with some unfortunate results.

More than 140 pets died and 88 were lost or injured while traveling on airplanes between May 2005 and July 2010, according to a Department of Transportation report. So what does happen when your precious pooch goes in cargo? We asked Continental Airlines to show us the trip of one checked pet as it travels from Houston to Newark.

First, there's a little preparation the pet owner needs to do.

Over-the-Top, Bizarre, Super-Extravagant, or Just Plain Forgot-Your-Good-Pants Problems? Ask a Concierge

No, not even the best concierge in the world can arrange for a hotel guest to water ski on the lake in London's Hyde Park or to ride Queen Elizabeth's horse -- both requests made to the concierge desk at Hotel Metropolitan London.

Americans love their pets, and when they go on vacation, they want their dogs and cats to have a holiday, too -- often at five-star pet hotels. Last year, Americans spent more than $45 billion on their pets -- not just on necessities like food and vet care -- but also on luxuries like jeweled collars and designer dog beds.

So is it any wonder that we now have a new breed of pet boarding facilities that bear no resemblance to plain, old-fashioned kennels?