> I'm with you on the overall abuse of the system. But given that the alternative is often putting the animal in the cargo hold

That is hardly the only alternative. There are other forms of travel and it is quite likely that your pet will be better off at home with a sitter or boarded while you're gone.

I personally tend to do inconvenient things instead of justifying the least worst expedient option, but it's wrong to pretend that everyone does. From what I've read about stowing your pet, it's basically inviting animal abuse (being left to sit on a hot tarmac, etc).

Yeah if we make it so the best legal and ethical way to move you and your pet is take the train....hell yeah.