11 Jun 2025

I am very glad to share that the issue raised in this petition has now been resolved. Thank you to Loganair for taking this feedback on board and choosing to reinstate the allowance for passengers to travel with small pets on their flights.

This change creates safer, more compassionate options for pet owners — and removes another barrier to practical, caring living in island communities.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who signed, shared, and spoke up. This was an issue affecting a relatively small number of people, scattered across unique and remote contexts — and the strength of support has been truly heartening.

Island life can feel isolating, but the response — from across Orkney, Shetland, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Highlands, and far beyond — has shown that we’re part of a much wider community. One that supports each other and has real strength behind it. Your voices helped bring visibility we couldn’t have reached otherwise — and there’s no doubt it made a difference.

The petition will now close.

I’m sure I speak for many small pet owners when I say: I hope the need to use this accommodation is a rare one!

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With particular thanks to:

The house rabbit community, whose deep resonance with this issue helped ground the campaign;
The community of Nerdfighteria, for helping reduce this small but meaningful pocket of worldsuck;

One bunny loving journalist who reached out to help me get the issue heard beyond the rabbit community;
The BBC and The Orcadian, for their compassionate communication with me;
North Vet, for their flexibility and care during a stressful time;
The House Rabbit Society, Cavy Capers, and Beloved Rabbits who supported the campaign;
Friends, neighbours, and experts whose experiences and knowledge gave the campaign strength and depth;

Everyone who generously donated to help share the petition more widely;

And importantly, thank you to the inter-island Loganair staff at Kirkwall Airport, who have always done everything they can to help and support all island residents within the remit of wider policy.
 

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Note:
I’ve chosen to remove some of the more emotional examples from the original petition text (which remains below as a record). This isn’t to downplay what happened, but in good faith — to reflect that Loganair have now taken positive steps to resolve the issue.

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PETITION RECORD: 

To Loganair Management,

We urge you to revise your Islander aircraft pet travel policy for residents. As it stands, only cats and dogs are permitted on board—excluding all other companion animals, even in medical emergencies.

This is not a new concern. I (and countless others) have raised it repeatedly over months and years: I’ve written emails, made calls and escalated through every available route—always explaining that our rabbit, Romeo, lives indoors as part of our family. As vegetarians, we chose a rabbit specifically for ethical reasons. Each time, I was dismissed.

Then, on 4 June 2025, it happened. Romeo became critically ill. With ferries cancelled, air travel was his only chance to receive emergency veterinary care. The answer was a firm and absolute no. Not because it was unsafe. Not because there wasn’t a carrier. But simply because Romeo is a rabbit.

This policy assumes that only cats and dogs are meaningful companion animals. It fails to account for the fact that many islanders—due to housing restrictions, allergies, ethics, or other factors—have different animals in their lives. Rabbits are the UK’s third most common pet. They are intelligent, emotionally bonded, house-trained animals who feel pain and fear just like dogs or cats. They are also medically fragile, and delays in treatment are often fatal.

Loganair has cited a concern about “opening the floodgates” to all animals. But that is a false comparison. Nobody is asking for open boarding. We’re asking for a simple, pre-registration process—where residents can apply in advance for a small animal to be considered eligible for emergency transport. This would give the airline full control, and allow the policy to fulfil its intended role: Support for islanders and their families. 

A calm, secured rabbit poses no greater disruption—and often far less—than a dog. Yet dogs are allowed - as they absolutely should be.
This policy is, at its core, an embodyment of the idea that only cats and dogs matter.

Romeo survived this time. But other families have already suffered. 

This isn’t just about pets—it’s about equity, and listening to the vulnerable communities you serve when they tell you what they need. 

We urge you to:

Acknowledge that cats and dogs are not the only valid companion animals by:

• Introducing a clear, minimal system for pre-approved emergency pet travel, for example: 
  • Allowing pre-registration of individual small animals who are genuine, permanent household pets on the remote islands you serve. 
• You may wish to secure the policy by:
  • Stipulating the appropriate carrier in advance.
  • Requiring confirmation that the animal is registered as a pet with a mainland vet.
  • Even by requiring confirmation of a medical emergency from the vet, if you truly must.

Please acknowledge that this policy is not a stance, but an oversight, and fix it quickly.

Sincerely,

Daryl McLeod (and supporters)

Papa Westray, Orkney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video of Bob the rabbit heading onto the plane, before the unexplained policy came into effect:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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🚫 POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS 🚫

 
1. “It’s a national policy – we have to comply and only cats and dogs are permitted.”
✅ Counter: While we understand corporate policies aim for consistency, a rigid national policy that doesn’t differentiate lifeline Islander routes ignores its disproportionately negative effect on remote island communities.

This “one size fits all” approach results in inequitable access to emergency veterinary care and highly avoidable suffering. 

Moreover, this policy is inconsistent — rabbits are permitted on other UK domestic flights, showing there is flexibility in airline policies.

Loganair has the capacity and justification to set an exception for lifeline routes.

 
2. “If we allow rabbits, we’ll have to allow all animals.”
✅ Counter: The 'slippery slope' fallacy is a tactic used to avoid reasonable policy change. Setting a precedent for small, quiet, and commonly kept pets like rabbits or guinea pigs does not mean opening the door to exotic, large, or potentially disruptive animals. Policies commonly differentiate by species, size, risk and behaviour.
Loganair already allows cats and dogs — this proves they can manage and assess appropriate pets case-by-case. There is no reason why well-contained small mammals, posing minimal risk, cannot be similarly accommodated on lifeline flights without opening floodgates.

 
3. “It’s about insurance and liability.”
✅ Counter: We understand insurance and liability are important. However, insurance policies rarely specify cats and dogs exclusively. If Loganair’s policy does, this is a choice the airline has made—not a legal or industry standard requirement.
Rabbits in soft carriers are low risk, smaller, and quieter than cats, which are already allowed. There is no clear reason insurance should exclude them, and Loganair can absolutely review and adjust their policy accordingly to meet real risks and community needs.

 
4. “The space on Islander planes isn’t suitable for other animals.”
✅ Counter: The current policy already allows cats and dogs in soft carriers, which take up minimal space. Allowing similarly sized and contained animals like rabbits requires no extra room beyond what’s already allocated. No special seating or cargo changes are needed.
Lack of heating is no issue given that rabbits are naturally very cold-tolerant and comfortable in soft carriers without special conditions on these flights.

 
5. “There’s a risk to other passengers.”
✅ Counter: Rabbits are silent, less allergenic, and less likely to cause disruption than cats or dogs. This is obviously not a legitimate safety risk.

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