where is the logic?

my musing for today:

I have an adorable mini rabbit that I bought very soon after arriving in Japan. I have brought him up since he was able to fit in the palm of my hand at only a month old. I make sure he has a proper bunny diet, plenty of room to run around, enough fresh air and sunshine, and of course, too much attention from me. I've always made sure he has the best care taker available when I've gone on trips. I have left the light and heat on for him when I'm not home so he doesn't get cold or feel scared. I haven't throttled him for destroying the tatami in one of my rooms, but just covered it up and will deal with the consequences later on. I paid to have him neutered to regulate his hormones and increase his lifespan.

And now I'm willing to pay the ridiculous fees associated with trying to take an animal on board a plane so that, like a responsible pet owner, I don't just dump him because it's inconvenient to take him back to my home country. But what's that? I have to jump through 5 million hoops to do this? And I have to sign a waiver saying the airline is not responsible if he dies in transit, yet they won't let me take every measure possible to prevent this, including having him with me in the cabin?

I seriously don't get it. You can talk to me about sensitivity to allergies people may have, the limits necessary on taking certain animals on a plane, blah blah blah, but I ask, where is the logic?

Instead of sweeping regulations that cause unbelievable stress on both the owners and animals in the end, just take things on a case-to-case basis. My boyfriend was trying to say that they just have these sweeping regulations because of how infrequent animals need to fly, but to me that's exactly the point; Usually animals classified as pets need to be flown so infrequently that the conditions surrounding their need to fly should be evaluated and permitted on more logical grounds.

My example that I ranted on my facebook status upset a friend, but I could care less. I said that if a screaming child under the age of 2 or whatever it is can fly FOR FREE and disturb other passengers, then logically, my small, quiet rabbit should be allowed to be with me in a carry on size bag under my seat. Allowing this for free makes sense to me (since I'm giving up a carry on bag to bring him on), but in the end I don't even care if they charge me the extra $150 and say that I can't take him out of the carrier (because, duh). I'd rather have him with me so I can monitor him and comfort him with my presence.

Instead I'm facing airlines that either a) don't allow rabbits period. No reason, just arbitrarily say no to them. b) will only fly him as cargo with an extra fee c) will allow them in the cabin if no other passenger has an animal. Also for an extra fee. d) Quarantines them and requires health certificates that need to be officially translated into the language of every destination the animal will arrive at. (understandable, but what a b-itch of a task).

So: a) I have to leave him behind because you say so? Um, no. b) a small, genetically disposed nervous creature is forced to fly alone on a airplane in the freezing cargo space because you say so? NO. That's the surest way of killing him. c and d) the extra fees and hoops suck, but oh wait, I'm flying across the world (in my case) so not all of my connecting flights allow option c.

Like I said, my stress levels are high when, if logic prevailed, airlines would reward responsible pet owners who are planning on keeping, not abandoning their pets, and give them every option available to make a journey with an animal as stress-free as possible for both the human and animal's sake.

Sigh..If only logic prevailed in this world..
It's like the saying goes, "common sense is not all that common."