Bulldogs banned from Japan Airlines

updated 4:28 p.m. ET July 6, 2007

TOKYO - Japan Airlines Corp. has banned bulldogs from all its flights, saying Friday the stress of flying can prove fatal for the sensitive breed.

Following advice from veterinarians, JAL will not allow passengers take to any bulldogs on any international or domestic flights starting later this month, airline spokesman Hirokazu Inoue said.

A number of bulldogs have not lasted the entire trip on JAL, Inoue said, without specifying the toll.

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Because of their flat noses, bulldogs have difficulty adapting to the unstable temperature on an aircraft, Inoue said, adding that vibration and noise are also a destabilizing factor for the dogs.

Pets are not allowed in the cabin and must be checked in as special baggage and stored in an air-conditioned compartment at a fee.

The decision comes just before the summer traveling season when many Japanese vacationers are expected to travel with their furry companions amid a nationwide pet boom.

About 60,000 pets, mostly dogs and cats, flew on JAL's domestic flights last year, up nearly 10 percent from a year earlier, according to airline statistics. No international figures were available, Inoue said.

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