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Alleged Epstein victim sues Prince Andrew for sexual abuse

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — An alleged victim of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew of Britain on Monday, accusing the embattled 61-year-old royal of sexually abusing her at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion and elsewhere when she was under the age of 18, according to court records.

The lawsuit, filed by Virginia Roberts Giuffre in federal court in New York, comes almost two years to the day that Epstein died in a New York jail while he was awaiting trial on conspiracy and child sex trafficking charges. The legal action also comes just days before the expiration date of a New York state law that permits alleged victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil claims that might otherwise be barred by statutes of limitations.

“If she doesn’t do it now, she would be allowing him to escape any accountability for his actions,” Giuffre’s attorney, David Boies, chairman of Boies, Schiller Flexner, told ABC News. “And Virginia is committed to trying to avoid situations where rich and powerful people escape any accountability for their actions.”

The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and accuses Andrew of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“Twenty years ago, Prince Andrew’s wealth, power, position, and connections enabled him to abuse a frightened, vulnerable child with no one there to protect her. It is long past the time for him to be held to account,” the lawsuit states.

Reached late Monday, a U.K.-based spokesperson for Prince Andrew said there would be no comment on the suit.

“I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but one can reclaim her life by speaking out and demanding justice,” Giuffre said, via her lawyers, in a statement to ABC News.

“I did not come to this decision lightly. As a mother and a wife, my family comes first. I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates. But I knew that if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down,” the statement said.

Giuffre, now a 38-year-old mother living in Australia, first accused the prince of sexual abuse in public court filings in December of 2014, in a case brought by alleged Epstein victims against the U.S. Department of Justice. That lawsuit challenged Epstein’s lenient deal with federal prosecutors in Florida in 2008.

Giuffre alleged in those court submissions that she was directed by Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell to have sex with Andrew on three occasions in 2001, in London, New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Her claims were met then with vehement denials from Maxwell and from Buckingham Palace on behalf of the prince, the second son of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

“It is emphatically denied that [Prince Andrew] had any form of sexual contact or relationship with [Giuffre]. The allegations made are false and without any foundation,” the Palace statement said.

Since that time, Giuffre’s lawyers contend they have made multiple attempts to engage with Andrew or his advisers in discussions about her allegations in an effort to avoid litigation. But those efforts, Boies said, have been ignored.

“Since 2015, we’ve been trying to have a dialog with Prince Andrew or his lawyers,” Boies said. “We have given him every opportunity to provide any explanation or context that he might have. We’ve tried to reach a resolution without the necessity of litigation. Prince Andrew and his lawyers have been totally non-responsive.”

The most recent letter to the prince’s presumed legal team was sent last month and warned that a lawsuit would soon be filed unless the prince agreed to enter into discussions for an alternative resolution, according to the court filing Monday.

“If she had simply failed to sue now, it would have validated the stonewalling tactics that Andrew and his advisers have employed,” Boies said.

For nearly a decade, the prince has been under scrutiny for his association with Epstein, a multi-millionaire financier and the subject of state and federal investigations since the mid-2000s for allegedly recruiting underage girls for illicit massages and sex.

Epstein initially avoided federal charges involving allegations of abuse of nearly three dozen girls by agreeing to plead guilty to two comparatively minor charges in Florida state court in 2008. He served just 13 months of an 18-month term in a county jail.

Prince Andrew, who said he’d first met Epstein in 1999, became embroiled in the controversy in late 2010 when he was photographed walking with the convicted sex offender through New York’s Central Park shortly after Epstein’s sentence ended in Florida.

Epstein was charged again, in July 2019, in a two-count federal indictment for child sex trafficking and conspiracy for alleged crimes in New York and Florida between 2002 and 2005. He died in prison on Aug. 10 from an apparent suicide.

Following those new charges against Epstein, the prince again found himself under scrutiny from the press and prosecutors for his association with Epstein both before and after the wealthy financier was designated as a sex offender.

In a rare television interview with the BBC in November 2019, Andrew categorically denied Giuffre’s allegations that he had sexual contact with her. He claimed to have no memory of ever meeting her and suggested that a widely-circulated photograph of him with his arm around the waist of then 17-year-old Giuffre, allegedly taken by Epstein in the London home of Maxwell in 2001, might have been doctored.

“I don’t believe that photograph was taken in the way that has been suggested,” he said. “I think it’s, from the investigations that we’ve done, you can’t prove whether or not that photograph is faked or not, because it is a photograph of a photograph of a photograph. So it’s very difficult to be able to prove it, but I don’t remember that photograph ever being taken.”

The prince also contended that he had an alibi for the date of the alleged encounter, claiming he was home with his daughter, Beatrice.

“I was at home,” the prince said. “I was with the children, and I’d taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at, I suppose, sort of 4 or 5 in the afternoon. And then, because the Duchess was away, we have a simple rule in the family that when one is away the other one is there. I was on terminal leave at the time from the Royal Navy, so therefore I was at home.”

The prince’s interview was harshly criticized in the British press and, within days, he released a new statement conceding that his “former association” with Epstein had become a major distraction for the royal family, and he stepped back from official duties.

He vowed in that statement that he would be willing “to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations.”

But Geoffrey Berman, then the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, publicly called out the prince a few months later for failing to live up to his stated promise. At a press conference in front of Epstein’s New York mansion early last year, Berman said Prince Andrew has provided “zero cooperation.”

Giuffre’s court filing Monday contains a copy of the photograph of her standing beside Andrew, along with references to flight records from Epstein’s private planes that indicate Giuffre was a frequent passenger to destinations in the United States and abroad while she was under 18.

Giuffre contends in her lawsuit that the prince engaged in the alleged sexual acts with her “knowing that she was a sex-trafficking victim being forced to engage in sexual acts with him” and that he was aware of her age. She contends she did not consent to engaging in sexual acts with the prince.

“[Giuffre] was compelled by express or implied threats by Epstein, Maxwell, and/or Prince Andrew to engage in sexual acts with Prince Andrew, and feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions for disobeying Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew due to their powerful connections, wealth, and authority,” the suit alleges.

Giuffre has previously settled two federal lawsuits she filed in connection with her allegations that she was recruited by Maxwell and Epstein into a life of sexual servitude to Epstein and other powerful men. She settled with Epstein in 2009 and reached an out-of-court settlement in her defamation claim against Maxwell in 2017. There were no admissions of wrongdoing in either case, and the financial terms of the settlements were not disclosed.

Maxwell, in deposition testimony in the defamation case, denied Giuffre’s allegations and described her accuser as an “absolute liar.”

“She has lied repeatedly, often, and is just an awful fantasist,” Maxwell said during a 2016 deposition.

Maxwell, who is currently awaiting trial on charges she aided Epstein’s alleged abuse of four underage girls, denied recruiting Giuffre for sexual activities with Epstein and denied instructing Giuffre to have sex with the prince or other men.

“I never saw any inappropriate underage activities with Jeffrey ever,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against her. She has not been charged in connection with Giuffre’s allegations of sexual abuse, though she is facing two perjury charges for alleged false statements in the 2016 depositions.

Boies told ABC News on Monday that it is his hope that the lawsuit finally leads to Prince Andrew agreeing to answer questions under oath.

“It’s one thing to ignore me. It’s another thing to ignore the judicial process of the state of New York and the United States,” Boies said. “If Prince Andrew does not take seriously the rule of law in this country, he is being very ill-advised. This is a serious lawsuit, and the court will take it seriously. We take it seriously. If he doesn’t take it seriously, it is at his peril.”

Whitney Houston’s story to be examined Wednesday on ABC special ‘Superstar’

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Today would have been Whitney Houston’s 58th birthday, and a new special focusing on the late icon’s life and career will air on ABC Wednesday night.

The special, Superstar: Whitney Houston, features new interviews with those who knew her well — including Brandy, Chaka Khan, Babyface and BeBe Winans — as well as archival interviews of Bobby Brown and Houston; among them, her infamous 2002’s sit-down with Diane Sawyer. It will detail her many accomplishments, as well as her struggles with fame and her tragic death in 2012.

In the trailer, Whitney can be heard in a voiceover saying, “I can tell you that I am not self-destructive. I am not a person who wants to die. I’m a person who has life, who wants to live. I’m not the strongest every day but I’m not the weakest, either. And I won’t break.”

Superstar: Whitney Houston airs Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, and can be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. It’s the first installment of a series examining the “mavericks who shaped American culture.” Other episodes will feature Robin Williams and Kobe Bryant.

Alarming 94K surge in COVID-19 cases among kids, hospitals overwhelmed

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Public health experts and state officials are raising alarms about a surge in COVID hospitalizations among children — now at their steepest and seeing the most significant increase since the onset of the pandemic.

After declining in the early summer, child COVID-19 cases have steadily increased again in recent weeks — just as many kids head back to the classroom.

In a newly released weekly report, which compiles state-by-state data on COVID-19 cases among children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) found that nearly 94,000 new child COVID-19 cases were reported last week, a continued “substantial” increase.

Some of the worst numbers are in Louisiana and Florida but could get worse elsewhere fast as public health officials express concerns with the highly contagious delta variant amid continued vaccine hesitancy.

“This is not your grandfather’s COVID,” Dr. Mark Kline, the physician in chief of Children’s Hospital New Orleans told ABC’s “Good Morning America” Monday. Louisiana is facing the nation’s highest rate of new COVID-19 cases with the Children’s Hospital in New Orleans describing what they’re seeing as “an epidemic of very young children.”

“We are hospitalizing record numbers of children,” Kline continued. “Half of the children in our hospital today are under two years of age. Most of the others are between five and ten years of age — too young to be vaccinated just yet.”

In Florida, the state with the highest number of confirmed pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations in the country, 179 patients are receiving care, according to federal data. As of Monday morning, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami had one child on a ventilator.

Dr. Marcos Mestre, the hospital’s vice president and chief medical officer, told ABC News that in recent weeks, his teams have seen a “significant uptick” in pediatric COVID-19 cases. He said some children are alone in the hospital because their parents, also unvaccinated, are battling COVID-19 at another hospital.

“It’s tough,” he said, and places “undue social stress on the child, as you can imagine, not having the parents around.”

Texas follows Florida closely behind with 161 confirmed pediatric patients hospitalized across the state, and in California, there are 98 confirmed pediatric patients receiving care.

It comes as the country’s daily case average for Americans increased to nearly 100,000 cases a day for the past four days — up by 31.7% in the last week and nearly nine times higher than the average was in mid-June. For children 17 and under, the rate of pediatric hospital admissions per capita is 3.75 times higher than it was just a month ago — now equal to its highest point of the pandemic, in January 2021.

While severe illness due to COVID-19 remains “uncommon” among children, experts say the increased trend is concerning.

“While severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection in pediatric populations continue to be relatively low compared to adults, the current exponential growth in hospitalizations is a very worrisome trend,” explained Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “As the remaining population ineligible for the vaccine, children will, unfortunately, be the main vectors of virus spread creating risk to both themselves and the rest of the population.”

The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved vaccines for children under 12, leaving a large youth population susceptible to COVID-19. But following data released by the AAP last week showing the massive increase in COVID-19 cases among kids, the organization wrote a letter to the head of the FDA urging authorization of vaccines for 5-11-year-olds as fast as possible.

“We understand that the FDA has recently worked with Pfizer and Moderna to double the number of children ages 5-11 years included in clinical trials of their COVID-19 vaccines. While we appreciate this prudent step to gather more safety data, we urge FDA to carefully consider the impact of this decision on the timeline for authorizing a vaccine for this age group,” wrote Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of the AAP.

“Simply stated, the delta variant has created a new and pressing risk to children and adolescents across this country, as it has also done for unvaccinated adults,” she said.

Beers told ABC News Live’s “The Breakdown” Monday that hospital workers are inundated with the massive increase in COVID-19 cases among kids particularly in areas where vaccinations are low.

“They’re seeing just a lot of kids who are very ill with COVID. They’re seeing children in their ICUs. They’re seeing children who are in pretty significant distress,” she said, reiterating the organization’s position that the FDA could approve vaccines for 5 to 11 years olds based on previous trials.

“We know that [COVID] can be severe in children, and so we should do those things that we need to do to help prevent the spread and help keep our kids and our whole community safe,” she added.

Dr. Ashish Jha, who supports expanding vaccinations for those 5 to 11, reiterated on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Monday the position widely shared by public health experts that the first step to getting kids back to school safely is with vaccinations for everyone who is eligible.

“Kids who can’t get vaccinated, you protect them by making sure everyone around them is vaccinated,” he said.

A recent CDC national immunization survey from late July found that among parents of children 13 to 17, 49.8% had children vaccinated or definitely plan to vaccinate, 25.4% were “probably will get their children vaccinated or are unsure”, and 24.8% are reluctant, “probably or definitely will not get children vaccinated.”

Despite the delta surge, a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found among unvaccinated adults, nearly half, 46%, say they definitely won’t get a shot, 15% call it very unlikely and 10% somewhat unlikely. In another question, one in five of the unvaccinated say news about variants has made them more apt to get a jab.

As pediatric hospitalizations rise, especially where vaccination rates are low, Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine called what’s unfolding in the South a “humanitarian catastrophe.”

“As schools act as an accelerant you should assume we’re going to see pediatric intensive care units all across the South completely overwhelmed and even a possibility of small tent cities of sick adolescents and kids,” he told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” adding the slope is “going up and up.”

Less than 30% of Americans ages 12 to 15, and only 41% of Americans 16 to 17 are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

“And now schools are going to be an extraordinary accelerant,” he added. “If your adolescent kid is unvaccinated, you should assume there’s a high likelihood that that child is going to get COVID.”

The nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, hopes that full approval to the coronavirus vaccine will be granted by the end of August, he said Sunday, and predicted the move will encourage and new wave of vaccinations.

“I hope — I don’t predict — I hope that it will be within the next few weeks. I hope it’s within the month of August,” Fauci said of full FDA approval on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “If that’s the case, you’re going to see the empowerment of local enterprises, giving mandates that could be colleges, universities, places of business, a whole variety and I strongly support that. The time has come.”

But there’s opposition — and it could be heard by the Supreme Court.

A group of eight unvaccinated University of Indiana students made an 11th-hour appeal to the Supreme Court last week to block the school’s vaccination mandate for anyone on campus this fall. They put forth various arguments for why the mandate allegedly violates their constitutional rights and heightened legal scrutiny, including that it’s contrary to FDA’s emergency use authorization terms for the vaccines — which public health experts are hoping changes soon. The students asked for a decision by Friday.

ABC News’ Gary Langer, Cheyenne Haslett and Devin Dwyer contributed to this report.

Michelle Obama, George Clooney & more appear in promo for ‘Ellen’s’ farewell season

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

As Ellen DeGeneres gears up for the farewell season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she’s compiling nearly two decades worth of highlights with appearances by Michelle Obama, George Clooney, Taylor Swift, Sandra Bullock and more.

A 30-second promo video for the final season includes a montage of signature scares featuring George, Taylor and Modern Family‘s Eric Stonestreet, in addition to the talk show host dancing with the likes of the former first lady and Justin Timberlake, as the voiceover announcer declares “two decades of television, hundreds of scares, 4,000 guests, countless lives changed.”

Several giveaways are also highlighted, including gifting scholarships to students in the class of 2017 and a grateful family touring their new home. “You’ve changed my life,” Ellen tells the audience in another snippet.

The comedian announced in May that the show’s 19th season would be its last. The news arrived months after Buzzfeed published an expose in 2020 in which current and former staff members reported multiple instances of a toxic workplace environment at the show.

After the report surfaced, Ellen issued a letter to her staff in which she stated, “It’s been way too long, but we’re finally having conversations about fairness and justice. We all have to be more mindful about the way our words and actions affect others, and I’m glad the issues at our show were brought to my attention. I promise to do my part in continuing to push myself and everyone around me to learn and grow.”

The farewell season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show premieres on September 13.

Judge denies Britney Spears’ request for earlier conservatorship hearing

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Britney Spears has been dealt a setback in her quest to remove her father, Jamie Spears, as conservator of her estate as quickly as possible.

According to Variety, a judge denied a request that Britney’s lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, filed last week, which asked to move up next month’s hearing to remove Jamie from his role. Rosengart had argued that the hearing should be moved to August 23 or as soon as possible, as “every day matters” in this case.

The judge decided the hearing will remain on September 29 but issued the ruling without prejudice, meaning Britney’s attorney isn’t prohibited from making a similar request again.

Jamie Spears is currently the conservator of Britney’s estate, meaning he controls all financial decisions. Jodi Montgomery is the conservator of the person, meaning she manages Britney’s personal and medical decisions.

In an Instagram post Monday, Britney posted a video of a fan waving a #FreeBritney flag. She wrote in the caption that people “only know half” the story in her conservatorship drama. She followed up the post with another saying that although she’s grateful to have a platform to share, she’s going to “post a little less from now on.”

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The Kid LAROI’s “Stay” hits number one; Justin Bieber now tied with Drake as Canadian with most chart-toppers

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The Kid LAROI has come from a land Down Under to reach the very top of the Billboard Hot 100.

The Australian rapper’s latest single, “Stay,” featuring Justin Bieber, has hit number one after debuting at number four four weeks ago. This is Justin’s eighth number one, but it’s the first one for LAROI. As Billboard notes, this makes him the first Australian-born male solo artist to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 40 years.

The last time that happened was in 1981, when Rick Springfield topped the chart with “Jessie’s Girl.” In fact, “Jessie’s Girl” hit number one the same day MTV launched. Springfield and LAROI are now the only solo males to top the Hot 100. The last Australian-born artist to top the Hot 100 period was Sia, who did it in 2016 with “Cheap Thrills.”

LAROI, who’ll turn 18 on August 17, previously reached the top 10 earlier this year with the Miley Cyrus remix of his hit “Without You,” and as a featured artist on last year’s “Hate the Other Side,” a track by LAROI’s late mentor, Juice WRLD, that also included Marshmello and Polo G.

Meanwhile, Justin is now tied with Drake as the Canadian artist with the most number ones on the Hot 100: they each have eight. The Weeknd is next, with six, followed by Bryan Adams and Celine Dion, both with four.

Fires out West: Health tips for residents who are escaping the flames

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The dangerous wildfires erupting across large portions of the Western U.S. are bringing major health risks to the residents.

The Dixie Fire near the Feather River Canyon in Northern California is now the second-largest fire in state history after it sparked last month. Whether you live in California, Oregon or Montana, here are some tips from doctors:

Dr. Zab Mosenifar, a lung specialist at Cedars-Sinai medical director of the Women’s Guild Lung Institute, says those in immediate danger are the residents within 25 miles of a fire.

Small particles in the air can travel hundreds of miles, and depending on the winds, particles can float for up to two weeks after a fire has been extinguished, Mosenifar warned.

Those especially in danger are children, the elderly and people with chronic respiratory problems, Mosenifar said.

“Breathing in smoke, spot and particulate matter in high concentration and/or for prolonged periods of time can result in short or long term lung damage,” said ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton.

“People who smoke, vape or have asthma are at higher risk for problems,” Ashton said.

“I recommend that anyone in the area wear an N95 particulate mask if possible,” she added.

Ashton urges residents with persistent coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing or chest tightness to seek medical attention and to wear goggles for eye protection.

“If your eyes are hurting or vision is impaired, seek medical attention immediately and do not rub your eyes as this could cause more damage,” she said.

Mosenifar recommends that residents use an air filter in their home or set their air conditioner to recirculate the air.

The Eagles schedule vaccinated fans-only show in Seattle in November

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The Eagles have added a new date to their current touring schedule, but there are different parameters for attending this particular concert.

All attendees of the November 5 show at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena will need to provide proof of vaccination in order to attend. Children under the age of 12 will be allowed to attend if they provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 48 hours of the show.

More details about this requirement are available at ClimatePledgeArena.com. The website notes, “This is a decision taken by the band supported by the Climate Pledge Arena team to ensure they, along with fans and staff, feel safe.” As of now, no other concerts scheduled for the arena will require fans to be vaccinated.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 13 at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. VIP Packages will be available starting Thursday, August 12 at 10 a.m. PDT.

The Eagles concert is part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers’ upcoming tour, which kicks off August 22 with two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It will feature the band performing its classic album Hotel California in full, accompanied by an orchestra and a choir, followed by a set of the band’s greatest hits. Right now, the November 5 date is the final one on the tour.

Tracee Ellis Ross recalls the time she “hated” Anthony Anderson

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Tracee Ellis Ross says it wasn’t always a perfect union between her and black-ish co-star, Anthony Anderson, who plays her character Rainbow’s supportive husband Dre on the ABC series.

Ross tells Entertainment Weekly that there was a time when she actually “hated” Anderson.

“He did something while we were working [and] I thought it was totally inappropriate!” recalls Ross, referring to when they co-hosted the Vibe Awards on UPN in 2005.

“I made a fart joke!” responds Anderson, before Ross injects, “You made a fart joke at my expense on stage!”

“I was like, ‘Not appropriate! I don’t know you that well!,” she continues. “What are you thinking?’ And I held this resentment forever.”

However, it’s safe to say that time has healed all wounds. Ross says she and Anderson have long since mended those fences.

“And now, look — I love this man!,” she says. “This man is like the best TV husband ever.”

Bringing pets on vacation: What you need to know

August 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(New York) — Pet adoption rates soared during the pandemic. According to a Rover.com survey from January, 49% of Americans said they got a new dog amid the pandemic.

With travel picking back up, pet parents are looking to bring their fur babies on vacation. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Understand the rules of flying with Fido

Last year, the Department of Transportation revised its rule on traveling with service animals, no longer classifying Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s) as service animals – opening the door for airlines to begin charging for ESA’s.

Currently, most U.S airlines charge customers $125 per flight to bring pets inside the cabin.

Dr. Marie Bucko, a veterinarian, said it’s important to first ask yourself if bringing your pet on your next trip is what’s best for them.

“Your pets are part of the family so it’s understandable that you would want to bring them on a family trip,” Bucko said in an interview with ABC News. “Sometimes it’s not so simple and there’s a lot to think about before bringing pets on vacation with us.”

Bucko said it’s important to take the time of distance of your flight into consideration.

“We certainly don’t want any of our fur babies to get sick on a flight,” Bucko said.

If you feel your pet is up for the plane, make sure your airline will allow them on board.

“Check with the airlines because they may have restrictions on breed and on size and most airlines also require a certificate of veterinary inspection which is like a health certificate more or less,” Bucko said.

If your pet is traveling in the cabin, Bucko said make sure you have an appropriately sized carrier and work on desensitizing your pet to it.

“At the airline or a local pet store you can kind of look into those dimensions and what their restrictions might be,” Bucko said.

2. Pack extra time so your pet can go potty at the airport

Once you arrive at the airport, Bucko said find out where the pet relief areas are located.

“Make sure that you arrived at the airport early enough to exercise your pet bring them to that relief area,” she advised.

After you’ve gone through security, Bucko said its important to let the flight crew know your flying with your pet.

“Your best bet is notifying the flight attendants as soon as you get on that either your pets are with you or they’re in the cargo hold,” Bucko said. “Just having an open line of communication with them as soon as you step onto that flight and say, ‘look I have my pet with me and is there anything that you need from me?’ in order to make this flight easier for all of us.”

3. If you can swing it, some are flying their pets private

Some pet owners are willing to shell out lots of cash to make their pets more comfortable. Luxury Aircraft Solutions, a jet charter company, said in June it saw almost 74% more people traveling with pets than in June 2019.

Daniel Hirschhorn, managing director of Jetmembership.com, said his customers are typically booking charters to move their pets around the country. He said taking your pet on a private jet is more costly than a commercial flight.

“Generally speaking, it’s significantly more expensive to do a private charter, even with those additional fees,” Hirschhorn said. “People spend a lot of money on their pets, they’re part of the family and if they need to get them somewhere they’re willing to pay up.”

Unlike a commercial plane, Hirschhorn said animals don’t need to be crated on Luxury Aircraft Solutions jets.

4. If your pet’s not up to flying, consider taking them on the road

Traveling with a pet by car is more economical for most people. Similar to travel crates, you can also work with your pet to get them used to the car.

“If you don’t often take your pet in the car you can start with short trips to fun destinations like a dog-friendly park or a play area to really get your pet used to riding in a car,” Bucko said.

If your pet gets sick on the road, Bucko said its best to talk with your veterinarian before your next road trip.

“The best piece of advice that I have for you is to talk with your veterinarian about alternate travel suggestions and even medications to keep them comfortable.”

5. Consider pet-friendly destinations for your next vacation

No matter how you decide to get there, make sure your destination will welcome your furry friend.

Emily Kaufman, a travel expert, said she’s seen an uptick in hotels and resorts creating special offers so owners can bring their pets on vacation.

“We don’t want to leave pets behind as we start venturing out,” Kaufman said. “So, we’re seeing new pet owners with new experiences wanting to share those with their pets.”

Most hotels will accept cats and dogs for an extra fee. Kaufman said to look for chains that have dedicated pages for pets on their websites.

“Those places are super welcoming for pets,” Kaufman said. “They usually give you an amenity, kind of a welcome gift, like a guide to where dog parks are in good walking areas.”

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