There is little doubt that the giant bunny which was found lifeless earlier this week in the trans-Atlantic United Airlines cargo area, was probably not the first to experience this tragedy.

The good news is that there are guidelines provided by federal agencies to help assist in keeping the animals involved as safe as possible.

Take a look now at some positive suggestions for pet owners in how best to keep pets safe when they are flying:

Just Which Pets Are You Permitted To Fly With?

You should be aware that even though it is mandated by the Department of Agriculture just which animals may be transported on airline flights, the individual carrier involved may have different rules in place on their agenda.

With some breed restrictions, American Airlines only permits dogs and cats on their flights. United Airlines permits domesticated dogs, cats, household birds and rabbits to travel in the cabin, as long as they are accompanied.

Animals flying in the cargo area of the planes is not permitted by several carriers including Southwest Airlines and JetBlue. However, JetBlue does permit small dogs and cats who weigh less than 20 pounds, with their carrier weight included, to travel in the cabin with their owners at the cost of $100 one-way fee per pet. That same policy is also permitted by Southwest, at the expense of $95 one way.

Because they guide people with disabilities and are not considered pets, service animals are supposed to be exempt from these restrictions.

Traveling With My Pet Will Cost How Much?

Depending on which airline will be involved and just how the animal is going to be transported, prices will vary.

On American Airlines, for pets brought into the cabin, there will be a charge of $125. For those pets that are checked, the prices can range up to $200 per kennel.

A range of prices are charged on United Airlines, and these will depend on the animal's size, where they are placed on board and where they are headed. This range may go anywhere from $200 to $2000.

On Delta Airlines, the rates involved are going to range somewhere between $75 and $200.

When the subject turns to service animals, be aware that they will fly for free!

During A Year, How Many Injuries And Deaths Occur?

Even though it is mostly considered to be safe to travel with animals, the U.S. Department of Transportation has provided information for the year 2016 reporting that 26 animals died and 22 were injured in the course of their flights. Of course, those numbers are indeed sad, but on the other side is the more optimistic point that these numbers translate to one death per every 10,000 animals that were transported that year.

Of all 17 airlines which were included in the report, the highest injury rate of all was attributed to United Airlines with nine deaths and fourteen injuries suffered by their over 100,000 animals transported in 2016!

In the report, some of the injuries are detailed. It tells us that the majority of these were in fact self-inflicted. In the case of the deaths, the majority of these were due in fact to natural causes. The report also states how so many of the incidents involved were truly minor ones. An example of this pointed out involved a boxer by the name of Phoebe, on April 5, 2016. Phoebe was said to have cut her paw, after escaping from her crate. She was then taken and returned at the point of origin to her owner before being shipped on United. The report goes on to state that "no veterinary care was in fact requested or required" and that there were no further corrective actions taken. With these pet-related incidents, this is most often the case.

United Airlines did have the highest death rate in the year 2015 and the second highest in the year 2016. For every 10,000 animals, the rate decreased to 2.11 from 2.37 the previous year.

Hawaiian Airlines registered three deaths for the 7,518 animals that it transported in 2016, making it the one with the highest incident rate of all the airlines. One of those deaths was attributed to heatstroke, while the other two were listed as "unknown." According to the reports, no corrective actions were taken.

Just How May I Keep My Pet Safe?

The policies of the USDA dictate that animals unaccompanied may be shipped as cargo and those accompanied may be brought as baggage on flights.

One positive suggestion offered by the Department of Transportation(DOT) is to have the owners spend the time needed to get their pets accustomed to and feeling comfortable in their kennels before embarking on the flight.

Another good suggestion is to make certain that for at least six hours before the flight, no solid food is consumed by the pets.

Finally, before giving the pets any sedatives, owners should always consult with a vet first!

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