• by Tanya Gazdik , May 29, 2013

United Airlines has opened an on-airport kennel facility at its Chicago O'Hare International Airport hub.

The kennel provides accommodations and amenities for animals traveling via United's PetSafe service. It is located inside United's new cargo facility, has 28 individual enclosures and allows different species of animals traveling with the airline to be held comfortably in separate, ventilated and temperature-controlled areas.

The O'Hare facility also has a fleet of specially built, temperature-controlled PetSafe vans that the airline uses exclusively to transport pets to and from its Chicago flights as quickly and comfortably as possible.

United's Chicago kennel is the third facility of its type that supports the airline's PetSafe service. United operates similar pet kennel facilities at its Houston and Newark hubs.

The Spot Experience -- the same service partner that provides care at United's Newark kennel -- is operating the airline's Chicago facility. Its staff members ensure all the enclosures are kept clean and sanitized, walk and exercise pets and provide grooming and bathing on request.

"We have an industry-leading pet travel program and this new kennel facility allows us to further extend our best-in-class service to the animals traveling through Chicago," said United's Vice President of Cargo Robbie Anderson in a release. "The comfort and care provided by our dedicated PetSafe team offers our customers peace of mind whether they are shipping their pets or traveling with them."