unless it's a "service dog". This was a small dog, a Frenchie, and she did apparently pay a $200 fee to bring the dog based on a report I heard (so presumably not a full ticket). I got the impression the "cage" was a bit too big to put under the seat, and/or the flight attendant didn't realize there was even a dog in it when telling them to put it in the overhead.

I always thought dogs had to go under the plane, and I know that does happen fairly regularly (witness the other dog mistakenly sent to Japan by United in same days). I too always wondered how they did that given air temps at those heights, not a pressurized cabin, etc. but somehow they do because dogs are sent by, or taken with, plane all the time.

Add me also to the list of those that wouldn't think it was so "obvious" that the overheads wouldn't have air circulation and be death traps for dogs. Annoying/scary for the dog and likely to cause them to yap away vs. being around owner, but not something that would lead to death. But apparently United has already come out and said putting a dog in the overhead is an absolute no-no.