Airlines Bend Rules So Pets Escaping Fires Can Fly With Their Owners

In the wake of the devastating Fort McMurray wildfires sweeping through parts of Canada in recent days, countless people and their pets have had no other choice but to flee - and for many, that means flying to someplace safe.

Thankfully, at least two airlines, West Jet and Canadian North, have been bending the rules to make travel much easier for everyone. They're allowing displaced pets to fly in main cabins along with their owners.

Animals traveling by air would normally need to be contained and kept in the plane's cargo hold. But with so many passengers unable to return home to grab their crates, it's been crucial for them to have the option to cozy up with their pets in coach.

"It's definitely unusual to carry pets in the cabin, but due to the unusual circumstances we were able to bend the rules to accommodate these animals," a spokesperson from Canadian North told Huffington Post Canada.

The airlines' decision has been met with some well-deserved praise across social media, where scenes of pets aboard the planes have gone viral.

And it's easy to see why.

While there's been no shortage of heartbreaking photos capturing the destruction from the wildfires, these images stand as proof that, with a little help, the bonds between people and their pets can endure through even the toughest of times.