Should you ever fly your pet dog or cat in cargo?

The answer is unequivocal. "We never recommend you fly your pet in the cargo section of an airplane," says Betsy Banks Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com. "It's never the best option – which is evident by the number of pets who die in cargo every year."

Over the past five years, 122 dogs have died while being transported as cargo on an airplane, reports the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in a report issued in July of this year. About half of those dog deaths belonged to "short-faced" breeds, such as the English bulldog, pug, French bulldog and American Staffordshire terrier.

The DOT doesn't track how many total number of dogs are transported each year by commercial airlines, so it is difficult to view the number of dog deaths in context. Still, the DOT believes that such deaths comprise "an extremely small percentage."

The cargo area can be a scary and disorienting place for a oet, says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "A plane's cargo hold often lacks adequate ventilation and climate control and can reach extreme temperatures quickly, especially when delays leave planes sitting on the tarmac," says Nachminovitch. "Sometimes carriers become damaged in transit, and cats and dogs escape and become lost inside airplanes or on runways."

"Unless you want to risk their lives, transport them by car or leave them with a trusted guardian if they are too big to fly with you in the cabin," says Nachminovitch.

Petfinder.com agrees. "Evaluate why you want your pet to travel with you," says Saul. "We are all pet lovers at Petfinder.com, and understand why people want to travel with their pets - we all do too! However, you need to be mindful that your decision is in the best interest for your pet."

If you absolutely must have your pet with you when you travel, consider driving, says Saul. And if you must fly, check out Petfinder.com's 2010 List of Most Pet-Friendly Airlines.