Fly the Pet Friendly Skies

It was Della and the Dealer and a dog named Jake

And a cat named Kalamazoo

Left the city in a pick up truck

Gonna make some dreams come true

Yeah, they rolled out west where the wild sun sets

And the coyote bays at the moon

Della and the Dealer and a dog named Jake

And a cat named Kalamazoo

If that cat could talk what tales he'd tell

About Della and the Dealer and the dog as well?

But the cat was cool 
and he never said a mumblin' word

~ Hoyt Axton
Della and the Dealer

This post is updated as of June 2018. 
Pets are members of the family, and when we go on vacation, we might take our furry family members with us. Lately, there have been some heartbreaking stories in the news about pets and airplanes. One family lost their beloved dog when a flight attendant insisted that he be put in the overhead bin. For the record, no animal should be placed in the overhead bin. It's not easy to fly with an animal.

A car ride would be difficult enough. Cats, unlike some dogs, do not like car rides. In the days before every family had carriers for their animals, my family would make the 14-hour drive from Georgia to Illinois, and we would take our cat, Millie, with us. The first half-hour of the trip, Millie would run around the car looking for an escape (heedless of the fact that we were traveling down I-20 at 60-plus mph). Finally, Millie would find her hiding place and settle in for the trip. Her hiding place? The piece of cardboard over the glove compartment. Given that the top of the glove compartment isn't meant to support weight -- even the weight of a cat that weighed less than 10 pounds--Millie would sink down into the glove compartment. At some point during the trip, my mom would open the glove compartment, and there would be gray fur coming out in all directions. Unlike Millie, animals on airplanes must be kept in a carrier. No running around and hiding.

The plane ride requires advanced planning. For this post, I'm going to focus on animals that can ride in the cabin. Although the airlines have tightened their rules regarding transporting animals as "checked baggage" or "cargo," I would encourage anyone with larger animals to think twice or even three or four times before flying them in the cargo hold on a commercial airline. I'm also not going to discuss service animals, because the rules are different if you need a service animal on your flight.

Before your flight. As soon as you know that you will be bringing your pet with you, you should find out the airline's requirements for flying with pets. At the end of this post is a chart listing the airlines, some relevant rules and regulations, and the cost of transporting an animal. For those of you with large animals, you can also see that several airlines will not transport animals in cargo (or as checked baggage).

• Make your travel plans. When choosing your flight, try to select direct, off-peak, nonstop flights. Remember your pet's stress will increase with each take-off and landing. Crowds or even children yelling, "Doggie!!" or "Kitty!!" are likely to excite your pet.
• Make reservations for your pet. Most (if not all) airlines require a reservation for your pet, even if they don't require payment until you arrive at the airport on the day of the flight. Also, most airlines only allow a certain number of animals to fly in the cabin on any one flight. Usually this is done on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Make sure you have a carrier that will fit under the seat in front of you. Animals flying in the cabin are treated as carry-ons. Check the airline's website to find out the maximum dimensions allowed. Most airlines will only allow a certain number of animals to fly in the cabin on any flight, so that's another reason to make reservations early.
• Go to the veterinarian. Though not required by all airlines, particularly for animals flying in cabin, take your pet to the vet before the trip and make sure the vet thinks they are healthy enough to fly. The vet can also issue a health certificate for your pet and offer advice on how to best keep your pet calm and relaxed during the trip.
• Help your pet become familiar with the carrier. Make the carrier accessible to your pet before the trip. Make it inviting. Cats, in particular, dislike change and need to become comfortable with their temporary home.

The day of the flight.  Once you're at the airport, you'll need to do a couple of things. 

• Check-in your pet. Even if you have checked yourself in online and printed your boarding passes at home, you most likely will still have to take your pet to the airline counter to check them in (and maybe pay the pet fee).
• Security. This is the one time during your trip that you should take your pet out of their carrier. You must maintain control of your pet and assist the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) in the screening process.  Never put a pet into the x-ray! If possible, take the animal out of its carrier. Send the carrier through the xray machine. Carry your animal through the metal detector with you. If you are not able to take the pet or animal out of the carrier, notify the TSO of your need for special assistance at the beginning of the checkpoint screening process. For more about the security process, see this press release from the Transportation Security Administration.
• After security. Once you're through security, you need to put your pet back in his or her carrier and then proceed to your gate. As much as you might want to cuddle and reassure your furry companion, he or she must stay in the carrier while you're in the airport and throughout the flight. That's a federal regulation (yes, we're back to that again). 
• On the plane. The most important thing to remember is that your pet must stay in their carrier, and you must follow flight attendant instructions (not cooperating with the flight crew can lead to you and your pet being grounded). You should stow your pet in his or her carrier underneath the seat in front of you as soon as possible. FAA regulations require that the carrier is small enough to fit underneath the seat without blocking anyone's path to the main aisle of the airplane. The carrier must be stowed properly in order for the airplane to leave the gate, and it must remain stowed the entire time the airplane is moving on the airport surface, and for take off and landing. I shouldn't have to mention this, but pets cannot be stowed in the overhead compartments! 
• When you reach your destination. You've arrived, but your pet should still stay in his or her carrier. The rules for the arrival airport are the same as the rules for the departure airport. Wait until you've reached your final destination (where you'll be staying) before you take your pet from the carrier.

I strongly recommend that you consult the airline webpage so you know what to expect. I also found this article from cheapflights.com to be very helpful. Happy Travels!

Airline	Rules and Restrictions	Pets in cabin?	One-way fee	Pets in cargo?	One-way fee
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines Pet Policy	→Dogs, cats, rabbits, and household birds.	Yes	$100	Yes	$100
Allegiant Airlines Allegiant Air Pet Policy	→Domestic cats and dogs.	Yes	$100	No	N/A
American Airlines American Airlines Pet Policy	→Specific animals not indicated, although implied to be limited to cats or dogs →Seven (7) pets are allowed per flight on American Airlines; five (5) pets are allowed per flight on American Eagle →Snub-nosed dogs or cats of any “mix” are not accepted as checked baggage →Carry-on pets not allowed on flights to certain international destinations	Yes	$125 per kennel	Depends. Restrictions apply.	$200 per kennel ($150 to/from Brazil)
Delta Delta Pet Policy	→In cabin: dogs, cats and household birds (no household birds on international flights) →In cargo: cats, dogs, household birds, guinea pigs, rabbits hamsters, marmots, reptiles, primates →Snub-nosed dogs or cats of any “mix” are not accepted in cargo →Pets must be at least 10 weeks old	Yes	$125 (U.S.; Canada; Puerto Rico; Virgin Islands) $200 (Outside U.S.) $75 (Brazil)	No pets in checked baggage after 3/1/16; Pets  may continue to fly in cargo	Rates vary
Frontier Airlines Frontier Pet Policy	→Domesticated dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and small household birds. No reptiles or arachnids. →Only domesticated dogs and cats on flights to/from international destinations. → Up to two (2) small animals may be transported in one travel container as follows: puppies or kittens (8-10 weeks old), hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and small household birds.	Yes	$75	No	N/A
Jet Blue Jet Blue Pet Policy	→Small cats and dogs on both domestic and international flights (with the exception of flights to some Caribbean countries, and interline bookings).	Yes	$100	No	N/A
Southwest Airlines Southwest Pet Policy	→Small cats and dogs. →No animals on international flights or any itinerary that includes an international flight. →Six (6) pets are allowed per flight with a limit of one pet carrier per paying Customer traveling on the same flight.	Yes	$95	No	N/A
Spirit Airlines Spirit Airlines Pet Policy	→Small domestic dogs, domestic cats and small household birds. →Birds are not allowed to and from cities in Puerto Rico or St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. →Animals are not allowed on international flights →Maximum of four (4) pets per flight (total).	Yes	$110	No	N/A
United United Pet Policy	→In cabin: domesticated cats, dogs, rabbits and household birds (excluding cockatoos) →Rules for international in-cabin pets vary. →Four (4) per flight are allowed in Economy on all flights	Yes	$125 (plus $125 for each stopover more than four hours within U.S. or 24 hours outside U.S.)	Yes	Rates vary
Virgin America Virgin America Pet Policy	→cats and dogs	Yes	$100	No	N/A

Hail to the Chief; the Buck Stops Here

Hail to the Chief we have chosen for the nation,

Hail to the Chief! We salute him, one and all.

Hail to the Chief, as we pledge cooperation

In proud fulfillment of a great, noble call.

Yours is the aim to make this grand country grander,

This you will do, that's our strong, firm belief.

Hail to the one we selected as commander,

Hail to the President! Hail to the Chief!

Hail to the Chief

~Lyrics by Albert Gamse

 and set to James Sanderson's music

If you work for a bank or the government,  you may have spent today off work. Same goes for school-aged children and teachers. For many of the rest of us, it was business as usual. If you work in retail, you may even have had a more hectic day punctuated by the ubiquitous President's Day sale. You have to wonder what George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would think of their cartoon likenesses selling everything from furniture to automobiles.

The third Monday of February is "President's Day" in the United States ... or is it? Actually, the third Monday in February is when George Washington's birthday is celebrated. There is no federal holiday called, "President's Day." 

Our first President was born on February 22, 1732. In 1879, Washington's Birthday became a holiday in the District of Columbia. In 1885, it became a federal holiday. Until 1971, the United States celebrated Washington's birthday on February 22. However, in 1968 Congress enacted the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to permanently set five federal holidays on Mondays in order to create more three-day weekends. The Monday holidays included Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veteran's Day (which was ultimately moved back to November 11).

A popular misconception is that the Act created "Presidents Day." Lincoln's birthday, while also in February, has never been designated as a federal holiday. An early version of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act designated the third Monday in February as "Presidents Day," and set the holiday to fall after Lincoln's birthday and before Washington's birthday. Not surprisingly, this idea is attributed to legislators from the Land of Lincoln. However, the state of Virginia objected to celebrating Lincoln with Washington, and the federal holiday remained Washington's Birthday.

Among the states, there is no agreement on how to commemorate the two Presidents' birthdays. Some states follow federal law and celebrate Washington's Birthday on the third Monday of February. Some states celebrate Presidents Day on the third Monday of the month. Some states celebrate Presidents Day at an entirely different time of the year. Some states, like my home state of Illinois, celebrate Washington's Birthday on the third Monday of February and Lincoln's birthday on February 12. States in the South (those that seceded from the Union in the 1860s) do not mention Lincoln by name. See Presidents Day 2016: Proof Alabama still hasn't forgiven Abraham Lincoln.

February may be the month in which two of our most popular Presidents were born, but October boasts the most Presidential births with six (Jimmy Carter, Rutherford B. Hayes, Chester Arthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Teddy Roosevelt, and John Adams). Two other Presidents were born in February--Ronald Reagan and William Henry Harrison. 

Before it's time to go back to work, here are a couple quizzes to test your Presidential knowledge: Washington Post Presidents Day Quiz and Put the Presidents in Order. Enjoy!

Who Should Appoint the Next Supreme Court Justice?

If you’re going to be a good and faithful judge, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you’re not always going to like the conclusions you reach. If you like them all the time, you’re probably doing something wrong. 

~ Associate Justice Antonin Scalia

1936-2016

Just six weeks into the year 2016, and two deaths have caused me to stop and take notice. The first, Glenn Frey, one of the founding members of the Eagles (arguably the greatest band of all time), died on January 18th. The Eagles, a product of the 1970s, provided one of the most frequently quoted lines of a popular song, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." Many hours have been spent trying to interpret the lyrics to that song. Was it meant to be taken literally or was it a commentary on the culture of excess prevalent in Hollywood in the 1970s?

The second death that was more than a passing news story was the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia that occurred just in the past couple days. Justice Scalia also used words to generate thought, but, unlike Glenn Frey, his job was to provide the interpretation of what someone else wrote. Specifically, his job was to interpret the intent of the Constitution.

Justice Scalia's judicial philosophy was one of "originalism." He believed that the Constitution should be interpreted in terms of what the founding fathers intended when they ratified the document over 200 years ago. In 2013, he told an audience at Southern Methodist University that the Constitution is "not a living document" and is "dead, dead, dead." His belief of a dead Constitution clashed with the views of his more liberal counterparts and the more commonly held view that the Constitution is a "living document," allowing courts to take into account the views of contemporary society. He hated the concept of "judicial activism," and believed that the legislature was responsible for bringing about change.

Within hours of the announcement of his death, talk of his replacement had already reached a fevered pitch. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) declared that President Obama should forgo selecting a replacement and leave that to the next President who will be elected in November and inaugurated in January 2017. At the Republican debate in Greenville, S.C., candidates echoed the idea that the next President should select Scalia's replacement.

It doesn't take a Harvard Law degree to realize that they would they be singing a different tune if the current President were a Republican. Perhaps not as obvious, however, is that holding off on appointing a successor is contrary to Justice Scalia's firmly held beliefs.

Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution states:

[The President] shall nominate, and, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

Justice Scalia probably would have put off retirement until at least after the next election when he would have known the political proclivities of the new President. He would have preferred that his successor lean more towards strict interpretation of the Constitution, rather than adapting it to fit with contemporary society. Still, he would not now read the clause above to include a "waiting period." On the other hand, Justice Scalia was in the minority on many recent Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Constitution, so maybe his beliefs should not enter into the discussion of his successor.

So, let's look at a source a little closer to home. On the website Congress.gov, there is the annotated Constitution. In other words, the Constitution is explained by citing various sources -- court opinions, Attorney General opinions, etc. There, you can find the following:

The bottom line: Congress cannot put conditions on Presidential appointments. Their job is to approve or reject the nominee put forth by the President.

One other point--Republicans seem to presuppose that the next President will be a Republican. However, with the possibility that one of the Democratic candidates may be elected, this may be a situation where they should be careful of what they wish for.