American Airlines ended its sponsorship of Humane Society of St. Thomas’ Pets with Wings program that provided free air transportation for dogs to the mainland, American said in a prepared statement on Friday.
“After careful review during our company’s restructuring process and due to the large number of requests we receive, we are unable to continue to support this program,” American Airlines communications manager Dori Alvarez said via email after two requests for information. “We continue to evaluate community requests on a case by case basis.”
Alvarez’ email indicated that “American Airlines is committed to serving the communities in which we live, work and do business. We are proud of our work with local organizations in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including with the Humane Society, which we have helped to transport shelter dogs when possible.”
Animal shelter manager Rhea Vasconcellos said the program was organized by American’s St. Thomas office.
The Humane Society is still waiting for the written confirmation from the airline, Vasconcellos said late Friday afternoon.
When word got out that American’s assistance with the Pets with Wings program was in jeopardy, residents launched a petition campaign that got big play on the Internet and in local media. It was not enough to convince American to change its mind.
Vasconcellos said she heard from a local American employee that the free transport would likely be stopped after a passenger waiting to check in at Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas complained about a shipment of dogs. All the dogs are accompanied by a paying American customer.
Vasconcellos knew it was true that the program had ended when she went to ship some dogs to the Boston area on June 8. She said the agent told her American would no longer waive the $125 fee for dogs that travel under a seat or the $175 for dogs that go as cargo.
“It’s a good thing I had a credit card,” Vasconcellos said, adding that she paid the bill so the dogs could still fly.
Vasconcellos said she wished American had notified her in writing before she headed to the airport with the dogs.
The Humane Society always paid the $60 to $85 per dog for the required health certificate and rabies shot. She said the fee varied depending on the age of the dog.
Both Vasconcellos and Humane Society President Joe Aubain both spoke about how unfortunate it was that the program was canceled.
“It’s a tremendous loss,” Aubain said.
Vasconcellos said that during the last two years, the Humane Society sent 100 to 150 dogs to three shelters in the Boston area. She said all but one got adopted, likely because a mandatory spay and neuter program created a dog shortage in that area.
She said that while shelters across the mainland can ship dogs to areas with dogs in short supply, that’s not the case in the Virgin Islands where air transport is the only feasible way to relocate them.
According to Vasconcellos, every dog that flies to the mainland frees up space for another dog in the shelter. This reduces the number of animals that have to be euthanized for lack of space, she said.
The Pets with Wings program isn’t ended, Vasconcellos said. The Humane Society will now step up fundraising efforts so it can continue to pay the air transportation cost for the dogs and increase efforts to encourage spay and neutering.
“It’s a small island and the population can only accommodate so many,” Aubain said.
