'UNACCEPTABLE'

Air Force General Apologizes After Three Pets Die on Flights in Two Weeks

According to General Mike Minihan’s statement, Air Military Command has not found any signs of negligence despite the dog deaths.

Over the past two weeks, three military family pets have died during international travel, prompting the head of Air Mobility Command to issue a public apology on Friday. Four-star General Mike Minihan called the deaths “unacceptable” in his statement, and explained that his team is currently reviewing Patriot Express travel. Air Mobility Command has, Minihan said, made “immediate improvements,” including allowing families more access to their pets during layovers and keeping cargo holds cold during loading and unloading. As MilitaryTimes reported, the investigation has not identified any signs of negligence thus far. Minihan said that pet age, health, and breed seem to have contributed to deaths. In a Facebook post, the Air Military Command said that snub-nosed dog breeds, like pugs and bulldogs, constitute most of the pet fatalities.