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Kicking “support animals” off the plane

service dog, plane

A great dane “service dog” riding in first class on the Delta California shuttle between SFO & LAX (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Frequent travelers have no doubt seen some strange things in passenger cabins, including a surprising variety of so-called “emotional support animals” (ESAs) – critters that are allowed to fly with human companions who say they just can’t travel without their furry friends close at hand. But now some airlines want to kick the menagerie off the plane.

According to Aviation Daily, carriers including United, JetBlue and Delta are asking the Transportation Department to amend its rules to ban emotional support animals from passenger cabins. 

What kind of animals are we talking about? The most common, of course, are dogs – and there are plenty of stories about passengers falsely claiming their canines are support animals so that they can fly with them in the cabin instead of the cargo hold, or just to gain access to an up-front seat. Or they are simply trying to avoid the additional cost or burden of shipping the animal in the cargo hold?

support dog

Is this cute pup really necessary for emotional support? (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Why are they allowed in the first place? Aviation Daily notes that the laws aren’t in sync on the issue – The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes “service animals” like dogs trained to assist with the blind, but not “emotional support animals (ESAs).” The Air Carrier Access Act, however, does recognize ESAs and thus requires airlines to accommodate them, unless they are creepy things like snakes, rodents and spiders.

Check out United’s rules here, which distinguish between “service” and “support” animals. Service animals are allowed with few questions. However, “support” animals require a form/note from a doctor attesting to the patient’s need to travel with the animal. And an online cottage industry has sprung up to help pet owners do just that. Here’s a video that explains how:

According to pet behaviorist Cesar Millan’s website, Cesar’s Way, “Recently, some people have been abusing the system. They pass their dog off as a service dog even though they don’t have a disability and the dog hasn’t been trained for a specific task. Not only is this wrong and an abuse of the system, but it can also be disruptive and dangerous for legitimate service dogs.Some states are taking fake service dogs so seriously that they’ve enacted laws making it a crime. In California and Florida, it is a misdemeanor to fraudulently misrepresent a service animal. In California, the penalty can include both a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. Florida’s punishment is a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail plus 30 hours of community service, preferably for an organization serving people with disabilities.”

Nonetheless, there are all kinds of other creatures that are sharing the passenger cabin these days. Travel + Leisure magazine found instances of weird ESAs including turkeys, pigs, tortoises, miniature horses and kangaroos. If you think they’re kidding, just Google the term “service animal on plane” and click on “Images,” and you’ll find photos of these and more.

What do you think, readers? Is the system being abused? Should there be tighter rules around which animals are allowed onboard planes? Please leave your comments below. 

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Comments

  2. In your friend’s case, that little dog can be carried onto a plane and stowed under the seat in a soft pet carrier. This has been allowed for years. Your friend doesn’t have to lie about the dog being an emotional support dog. Your friend can carry.the dog on legally and properly in a carrier. To take it on the plane any other way is wrong and would be abuse of the system.

  3. I think you have a good idea about fining the fake service dog abusers to pay for a real service dog for someone who really needs one. I think maybe you should remove patches for emotional off the vest. Put only patches for the physical disability on the vest. People who are not disabled seem to understand the need for a service dog if you are blind or deaf. They don’t understand that mental or emotional illnesses are disabling, too. People think they can talk rude to you about emotional support dogs. Don’t let those rude people hurt you. Please think about keepping only deaf patches on your dog’s cape. That’s what I do. I keep the physical disability patch on the cape; not the PTSD or emotional patch. No one ever questions me about my dog. Everyone understands I need a service dog for the physical disability. Best of luck to you.

  5. IKR? I freaking HATE flying. I am a mess. My support animal is tequila. (jk – sorta). But seriously. I don’t need to bring my dog (ok, dogs) on the plane. Then I’d just be an emotional mess about me AND them. lol. More tequila.

  7. can’t ever own a gun, though. The medical necessity for emotional stability should x that out. My thoughts, anyway.

  9. My puppy – 8 weeks and collecting from the breeder in Florida – flew under my seat to SFO for 100 bucks on Virgin. Would not take her again, but, needed to get her from point a to b quickly. As a 3 pound puppy of course she’d perish in cargo. Lighten up, not all of us are assholes.

  12. Thanks for posting this Lisa.

    I’m also bipolar. Last year, I got a dog *specifically* to provide me with emotional support. I’m a suicide survivor and former addict. I adopted a small (10lbs) dog *specifically* so that she would be able to travel with me. She is perfectly behaved and does not bark (at all). Since adopting her (about 6 months ago), she keeps my mood stabilized, my anxiety decreased, and I went *completely* sober. I hadn’t gone more than a few days or a week without alcohol in 10 years. I also have to leave the house multiple times a day with her, whereas previously I could go a week without leaving during a depressive episode.

    I, however, do not have a hearing or any other impairment. I do not need a trained ADA service animal to perform a function that I cannot otherwise perform. ESA support animals, however… there’s a legitimate reason why support animals *exist*. A common proper use-case for having an ESA might be severe panic attacks.

    So… would it be alright if I got my dog prescribed as an emotional support animal?

    1. I have no intention of abusing the system
    2. I *specifically* got my dog for emotional support
    3. My dog successfully provides me with emotional support and keeps me out of harm and healthier
    4. I already fly with my dog, in the cabin, in a carrier that goes under the seat. Many times, the passenger next to me didn’t realize there was a dog until we landed and I picked up her carrier. I should note that I pay *** $250 *** to fly with her! That’s American Airlines’ fee to take a pet. I pay $250 to have her support, stay sober, and stabilize my moods.

    All of this … yet, I’ve been scared out of my mind about actually asking my doctor if she would consider prescribing my dog to me as an emotional support animal. Why? Because of all of this abuse! I don’t want to be seen as an abuser. Am I?

    Your comment gave me more confidence about my upcoming Doctor appointment to ask about an ESA prescription.

    I’m sorry to anyone who thinks that I’m abusing the system … but I just want to stay alive. If that’s alright with you? I may be addicted to my dog, but that’s better than the alternative. I sincerely apologize for anyone with allergies. ESA dogs should be in carriers. ADA dogs are and should be allowed EVERYWHERE because of their necessary function.

  13. Your feelings are irrelevant to whether a service animal is necessary or not. Your feelings are irrelevant to what the law allows. Sorry but that is the reality of life. Something you seem to be struggling with in your comment.

  15. I love animals but angryyoungman has a point. In any event there are other ways to alleviate anxiety besides having an ESA. It is a modern nonsense that the only way to handle or alleviate anxiety or panic attacks is via an ESA.

  16. ESAs do not belong on airplanes. There are many ways to deal with anxiety apart from an ESA.

    Actually they are currently revisiting the Airlines Access regs and laws in an attempt to rein in the abuse of alleged ESAs on flights.

    If my medical or mental health condition required special privileges and the possibility of inconveniening or placing others at risk then it should be assumed that the validity of my claims be proven at some point, either by direct questioning or a legitimate government certification.

  17. WTF does Hillary have to do with this? Can your stupid politics and focus on the issue at hand.

  19. You know that is just life. Of course someone else could take care of the dog in her absence. It may cost her more for the kennel or to pay a sitter but there it is. The reality of life. People who take care of infirmed parents who completely rely on them can’t take them with them either.

  20. Sorry you are having it so bad. What tasks does your dog do that enable you to function?

  21. It isn’t just about how the dog is transported. The airline exposes itself to liability and other expenses when allowing your dog to fly in the cabin. Similarly live animal transport even in cargo has its costs.

  22. Having lobbied for the disability community and a disability organization in the 1980s I can tell you that they were able to get all kinds of broad reaching legislation passed. No one in the congress or the senate wanted to look like bad guys insensitive on the disability issue. The end result was legislation and regs that were too broadly written and primed for abuse. It’s time to tighten the regs and insist that service dogs be properly trained, certified, that papers be issued and that requests for proof of the animal’s status be allowed.

    The housing and air transport laws and regs also need to be similarly tightened.

    Scam services also need to be dealt with.

    The real problem is funding for those in need of service animals. But then it’s cheap and easy to pass laws (even those badly needed) but refuse to actually provide funding that can make a difference.

  24. So now it’s the airlines’ fault. Animals can create extra work and liability for a company accommodating them. Next you’ll be complaining the rabbit didn’t get frequent flyer miles or its own headset.

  26. Why would you even get a Great Dane as a service dog in the first place? Surely you must have anticipated the problems with such a large dog especially on a plane with cramped space.

  27. Really – aren’t all dogs emotional support animals?? That’s what pets are for right?? These people are jerks. They want to take their dogs everywhere. It’s got to stop.

  28. Ah, so YOU get to set prices for a company you don’t own and if you don’t like them, you get to lie and abuse the system and the other passengers? I think I get it. NOT.

  29. I have flown for many decades and don’t ever remember a legit service animal on any flight- which shows you how rare the “real thing” is. Lately every flight has multiple dogs of all sizes on it – all flying free because of a fake vest.

  30. Ah, they are fighting back….by theft of service and by abusing every other passenger on the plane? Strange….I would think the best way to fight would be to boycott the airline, not abuse the other 150 travelers.

  31. This has truly become unbelievable – every flight I get on now has “free” dogs. I’ve talked to their owners and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them! Heck, everyone needs emotional support. These people have the nerve to also demand pre-board and front seating.
    Horrible. This should have been nipped in the bud long ago.

  34. We may be at the point where it’s necessary. Service animals go through extensive training. Do they get a diploma? I’m not being facetious, but I think the time has come.

  36. That “Certapet” business, and others of its ilk, is truly revolting. I haven’t visited the site, but from that advertising clip it’s fairly obvious that, for a slight fee, anyone can have Fluffy or Porky certified to scam the system.

  37. With no substance to contribute, you attack my name, which is a reference to a post-WWII British concept. Sad. Small wonder you can only relate to lesser animals.

  38. It is not about doing without the dog for a few hours while flying. It’s about having your support dog at your destination with you. If I am flying from California to Florida and plan to be there for a month, I need my dog with me. And the reasons are simply none of your business. If I have a legitimate letter signed by a mental health professional and that should meet the requirements. Don’t make a legitimate people suffer for the abusers. Work on enforcing the requirements and weeding out the abusers.

  41. It’s not about needing a pet to travel but needing the pet to travel with you to your destination so you can have them there to help you.

  42. CESAR MILAN IS NOT A BEHAVIORIST. To be a veterinary or “pet” behaviorist, you must be a doctor of veterinary medicine. His methods are dangerous and only foster mistrust between humans and dogs.

  43. I feel many people dislike the idea of their dogs riding in the cargo hold of the plane, so fraudulently claim “service dog”. Also, a fair number of airlines have become prohibitively expensive for flying dogs in the cargo hold ($450+ as cargo vs ~$125 as excess baggage). So, a “service dog” is born.

  45. be courteous to your fellow flyers and keep your miserable mutts at home. nobody likes them but you.

  46. Believe me, you can immediately tell a service dog from an ESA. Service dogs are incredibly well behaved. My dog even during training was incredibly calm. Why do people have to take advantage of this? Pets naturally calm people down but do not undergo the rigorous training that service dog team does.

  47. The problem here is some places are starting to require certification. I tell them my service dog doesn’t come with all that per ADA law. Doesn’t matter to them; no certification no service dog allowed. This is against the law. However, this will not matter at the moment. You may be right and you may know the ADA better then the moron asking for certification; but, you still are going to be discriminated against. I have purchased “certification” for my very legit, very trained, very needed SERVICE dog.

  48. Exactly! I had a dog, a so called service dog, jump my service dog in the Denver VA Hospital a few years back. Scared me to death! The good that came from it, they started banning any animal that so much as looked at someone wrong after that! That made all of us with legit service animals (all dogs) very happy. Now I live in Las Vegas and I need to get that VA hospital to learn the difference.

  49. I believe there already is a system in place at least for the part about getting a service animal. I was chatting with a disabled relative last week and she mentioned that said she needed to get a letter from a doctor to qualify for a service animal. I did not pursue that further as we chatted and it’s possible the letter is needed to get a free animal that’s certified, etc.

  50. Well, that’s all well and good, but there really aren’t a whole lot of reasons behind that except “i like my dog”. I have a dachshund myself that I’ll defend to the end, but I think the children have the upper hand here. When we stack all the arguments for prioritizing humans over animals, there’s not a lot on the animals side. We have: continuation of the species, importance of raising adults in real environments to prevent future maladaption and crime, future economic actor vs. cuddly pet, longer lifespan to consider, the economic impact of limiting families from air travel, the cultural impact of not training youth to travel early… Dogs might trump children to some people, but it’s a purely subjective, personal and selfish position versus the objective position that crying children on planes yields benefits not only to the family, but also to the other passengers on the plane as they benefit from a child learning to travel. We’re not far here from “what’s more important to tolerate: dogs or children” and that’s the knot at the center of all these discussions.

  51. Yes, the service animal system is being abused! I have a legit service dog. He is well trained in his JOB. When he is moving about and working, he is doing his JOB and is focused on me and nothing else. He has been attacked by so called “service dogs”! One such dog, lept out from under a table barking, growling and snapping at my service dog! That is NOT appropriate behavior of a trained service animal. A trained service animal will ignore all other animals and people around them while working and doing their job. They will NEVER growl, bark, snap or bite at someone or something. That is grounds for immediate de-certification! I encounter these crazy so called “service/support dogs” each and every time I go to the Las Vegas Veteran’s Hospital. I don’t know if they are not aware of the laws there or if they are being lenient for the veterans. All I know is it is very aggravating for myself, fellow veteran, with a well trained, certified service dog, who moved to that area from the Denver area a couple of years ago. At the Denver VA Hospital, they did not tolerate any misbehaving service animals. They did allow owner trained service animals as long as they met all the rules of a true service animal; i.e., no unwanted interactions with other animals while performing their JOB. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was left rather open to allow all disabled to afford a service animal; however, it has led to the abuse we see today which is a shame for those of us who truly need a service animal. My dog has reached retirement; his hearing is almost gone and he has some arthritis. He is almost 13 years old. It’s time for me to let him enjoy a life of leisure in my home and get a new service dog. I can’t afford a fully trained one as a disabled veteran on a fixed income so I do the owner trained route with a therapist overseeing it and then I get the dog certified even though that is not required. That right there is the loophole! The ADA does not require a service animal to be a dog. The ADA does not require the service animal to be certified. The ADA does not require the disabled person to “prove” what the service animal is trained to be used for. The ADA protects the disabled person’s right to privacy. We do NOT have to tell anyone why we have a service animal, what the service animal’s job is, what our disability is, we do not need paperwork proving the service animal is indeed a service animal. There are only a few places that a service animal is NOT allowed to go; e.g., operating rooms, some x-ray. Unless the ADA has been amended since I retired and stopped teaching it to employers, this abuse will only get worse and get more bizarre. I saw an article recently of a lady with a turkey as her “service animal”. I truly wonder what exactly her disability is… maybe something to do with common sense perhaps? ?

  52. As a retired airline pilot, I am currently amazed by what I see boarding the aircraft; dogs in arms, with no pet carrier or appropriate soft kennel in sight. The rules have been relaxed to the point that there are no more rules nowadays. Used to be, you would be allowed to have your pet with you in the passenger cabin as long as you paid a fee and kept the pet in a carrier of some sort, whether a special bag with a compartment or a hard-sided kennel. Now it seems that anyone can board with a dog or cat being held. Unless something changes, soon we will see roosters, hens, and pigs being boarded like a local bus in a third-world country. There are rules to be followed on metropolitan transit systems, but airlines seem now to be exempt from certain standards.

  55. I fly all the time and never had a dog in the cabin behave badly or bother anyone. The airlines charge as much for a pet stuffed under the seat as you pay for a full priced ticket! If boarding an animal was free or even half the full price maybe people wouldn’t be so tempted to fly their friend as a support dog. If I pay for a full priced ticket for my 8 pound therapy dog, then she should at least get the comfort of a seat? Think so? The problem is with the airlines’ greed, not the people with compassion for their animal partner.

  56. Of course they are gaming the system. I have no quarrel with legitimate service animals. but emotional support animals is going too far.

  57. What a boorish jerk you are! IMHO, dogs make better companions than most humans, particularly you!

    Many, MANY people feel about their furry companions the way they would feel about their two legged ones and many, MANY of those folks consider their furbabies children. Your opinion is your own, I suggest you remember that!

  58. It is too easy to fake an emotional support animal. There are people out there at claim they can qualify your pet by training them and then giving you papers to travel with. I think the person should be qualified by a doctor and then the pet should be qualified. Some breeds (IMHO) should not qualify as emotional support dogs. Again, this is my opinion. Being in a tight area, like an airplane, could cause a person to react very frightened and then the dog could go off – you never can tell. Then what can you do? It’s not like you can take the dog home.

  59. Agreed. ADA does not require ID or certification. My point was that the organizations that have their handlers use-present those items are adding to the confusion. I’m referring to professional SD training organizations. You’ve seen them with vests, ID tagged, etc identifying them as being with that organization. Many of them present the ID & the certification papers the group gives as proof they’re legitimate & I’ve had some handlers even state to businesses, other people that without the same others aren’t. So the fakers are in essence doing what some legitimate teams are doing. It makes for a confusing mess for many.

  61. Don’t forget that many organizations have their handlers use papers or IDs. That’s why the fakers get them because of groups who use them.

  62. I board early with my SD so we can get onboard, settled, & be out of the way of everyone else. I have to store any carry-on, take my seat, & I place my SD as out of the way as the limited space permits. Plus, I’m just pokier than most due to my disability. Please don’t assume or judge. Not all disabilities are visible, physical or mental.

  64. I flew Delta with my service dog who’s a Dane 4 years ago on Delta. Had a huge issue at first too. Delta rep shouting at me from several people away in a large line that I couldn’t fly with him. Before finding out if he was flying at all. Plus I’d called when I booked the flight to verify going not only with my SD, but that he was a Dane. I even called every few hours leading up to the flight, again verifying it’s OK. Everytime told yes. Only to be greeted by that. Further told that my trip was cancelled, would be refunded, & I had to figure out how I’d get to my destination. No voucher, no help offered. Just 4am & stunned, humiliated. Thankfully my SD was there as was my Dad who asked for a manager til I could gather myself. Ultimately, they did get me on a flight hours later & arriving at a different airport. I chalk it up to that 1 person. That is what happens. I was told a SD is a lab, retriever, or the like that could fit under the seat. That’s funny, it’s small dog carriers that fit & a large dog is going to fit per her? People need education .

  65. Per the ADA cats are not Service Animals, but they can be Emotional Support Animals. The Air Carrier Act covers the airlines with a nod to the ADA for definition of Service or Emotional supporting Animals.

    Any size or breed of dog can be a service dog. It’s not the handlers fault that there’s so little room or that some airlines don’t accommodate with the bulkhead for larger Service Animal. Yes, speaking from experience.

  66. Your friend can have the dog fly as a pet. Service animals are considered to be medical equipment. An ESA is there to comfort/support. If you’re friend has to be the comfort to the dog that dog can do neither job.

  67. Sitting “in the back of the plane” away from a “support” animal does nothing to help those who are allergic when the same air recirculates through the plane.

  68. What you may not understand is that these animals misbehave and then those of us with legitimate service animals take the brunt of the frustration. I love animals too but untrained animals pose a risk to us. I was in a mall with my service dog and an untrained “comfort” dog went after my service partner. Service animals have no aggression so I had to wheel in the untrained dogs path to protect my service partner. Fragile animals should be transported using another method.

  69. Troll, hell. I believe in a firm distinction between humans and other animals.

    Yes, some people can only bond with snimals — because they are too looney to be able to bond with a human. Your little precious snowflake is a PET, not a human. Leave if hone or ship it in a crate. If you’re too fragile to fly without your pet, you’re too fragile to fly. If there’s an evacuation, I sure as heck don’t want your animal to delay it. GROW UP AND ACT LIKE A HUMAN BEING, not an alpha dog in your own kennel.

  71. Miniature horses have been used as genuine service animals for visually impaired people for decades. The practice started because the average dog only lives 11 or 12 years and has a practical service life of only 6-8 years. Miniature horses can live for 30 years and have a service life of over 25. News program “20/20” with Barbara Walters did a show on it back in the 80’s. Learn something before you type, troll.

  73. Sometimes the animal is the one that needs the care and is too damaged through abuse or neglect or health to fly in the unheated cargo area. Please think about the welfare of the animal, not that the evil human is gaming something. It’s not always the case, and I’d hate for an abused animal to be more traumatized because folks want to get up in arms about something. I fly every week. I’ve yet to be bothered by someone’s dog or cat, but am often subjected to someone’s ill-behaved child kicking the back of my seat or shrieking or having temper tantrums that have sometimes included the throwing of an item (once it was their chocolate milk that sprayed all over the 3 people in my row). If we’re banning the well-behaved animals, I want the little monsters off the plane too.

  74. I’ve got a friend who rescues “unadoptable” animals: dogs and cats that have special needs, are missing an eye (or both), one cat is missing part of her jaw from an untreated abscess when she was abandoned, and some even more awful abuses. At present, she cares for 11 cats and one very tiny chihuahua-mix dog that was used in medical experiments and has a metal plate grafted over the hole cut into the top of her skull. The dog has been with my friend for 10 years, is 12 years old and totally dependent on my pal to care for her. The dog cannot be left alone or in the care of some random person, and so travels with my friend (who takes meds for clinical depression and anxiety) whenever she goes away for more than a workday. She has very elderly parents a few states away and flies out to see them as often as she can. So you dbags having fits about the “fake” support animals traveling with people on the planes (the dog easily fits into a carrier smaller than the average purse and is quiet and sweet and causes no problems) can suck it. Getting stowed in cargo would kill this dog, and she’s been through enough. A$$hats.

  76. I am a puppy raiser for a service dog organization. It makes my blood boil when people play the system. I am also very active in dog sports and it is totally amazing how many dogs are flying in cabin (EMS) when there is a major competition at the destination city. I get it, it is scary to fly your agility partner in cargo. I have to stay home.

  80. I have a genuine service dog and ESAs endanger us. They need to go. It is as if able bodied people can’t allow the disabled to have this one benefit without their feeling entitled to it without actually earning the right.

    There is a quick way to determine if someone has a fake service dog. Ask them if they have a certification. If they produce one, it is fake. The fake service dog sites sell these certifications but in real life, there is no certification for service animals.

  81. Alright, pets are lesser animals. You want to behave and be treated as a lesser animal, your choice. Pets are owned and can be put down by their owner. We eat animals, including chickens, turkeys, pigs, lambs, and cows — regardless of the fact that some people treat them as pets.

    If you only feel comfortable with lesser animals, you should seek counseling. Life is much fuller when you interact with equals instead of animals who love you because you feed them.

  82. Well if you want to make your pet into a service animal just go to craigslist and for $5 buy a phony service animal credential to flash at people…

  83. YES, they are equal, literally, because humans are animals too. Of course you obviously don’t know that, but now you do. Though I’d much rather travel with a plane full of canines than most humans.

  84. You say, “No one likes having to share intimate space in a flying aluminum tube with a stranger, child, or pet, but it is a necessary reality.”

    NO! A pet is not the equal of a stranger or a child. A pet is an ANIMAL, not a human, no matter how screwed up your personal priorities.

  86. u must be flng tothe wrong places…average 2-3 dogs on every plane i’m on out of atlanta!!and theyhave to BOARD EARLY!!!

  88. there are just too ,any an epidemic of these so called aimals even CATS now// and i am allergeric to cats and big dogs that want to sit under my Feet not their owners!!!!!

  91. there are just tooo many so called support dogs and it seems worse on these dogs to travel they shake and are scared and bark ..they are upset so the their owner can travel NUTS!!! and they are big and some people need more than ONE>>>rally NUTS.. and they have to go to the lounge and sit on the seats!!!!not nice at all….if cloth seats and THEY shed

  94. Point well taken. But it is the people abusing the system who are causing this brouhaha. Folks like you with legitimate needs, and folks with dog allergies, pay the price.

  95. You’ve really got a bee in your bonnet don’t ya? All these outraged people on this message board sure must know a ton….or us it they like to make stuff up just by observation. I’m not sure what your point is, but whatever….the law you posted says:
    “382.27
    Carriers must accommodate a passenger accompanied by an emotional support or psychiatric service animal who has not provided 48 hours’ advance notice if the carrier can do so by making reasonable efforts, without delaying a flight. The carrier, at its discretion, may waive its 48 hours’ advance notice requirement in order to expedite the short-notice air travel of a passenger accompanied by an emotional support or psychiatric service animal.
    DOCUMENTATION
    Any licensed mental health professional (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker) including a medical doctor who is specifically treating a passenger’s mental or emotional disability is a practitioner qualified to provide documentation stating the passenger’s need for an emotional support or psychiatric service animal. A qualified practitioner would include a general practitioner who is treating the passenger’s mental or emotional disability”

  96. Ok here it is:

    In the U.S., federal protection against housing discrimination is afforded to mentally disabled persons under two federal statutes: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA) of 1988.These statutes, and the corresponding case law, create the general rule that a landlord cannot discriminate against disabled persons in housing, and if a reasonable accommodation will enable a disabled person to equally enjoy and use the rental unit, the landlord must provide the accommodation. Persons with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a waiver of a “no pets policy,” for any assistance animal, including an emotional support animal, under both the FHAA and Section 504.

    The Air Carrier Access Act establishes a procedure for modifying pet policies on aircraft to permit a person with a disability to travel with a prescribed emotional support animal, so long as they have appropriate documentation and the animal is not a danger to others and does not interfere with others (through unwanted attention, barking, inappropriate toileting, etc.).

    In regards to airline policies affecting persons flying with animals, most airlines charge fees and require the animal to be in a cage that can fit under the seat; if a caged animal cannot be placed under the seat, the animal flies with the luggage.

    With emotional assistance animals, on the other hand, they are not required to be caged, nor are people charged for flying with an emotional support animal.

    With the exceptions provided to emotional support animals, many people who do not have a mental disability have tried to bring their animals on a plane and pass them off as emotional support animals.

    Airlines, like Southwest and JetBlue, however, typically have policies that passengers flying with emotional support animals must follow.While an airline is allowed to require a passenger traveling with an emotional support animal provide written documentation that the animal is an emotional support animal, the same is not true for a service animal.

    382.27
    Carriers must accommodate a passenger accompanied by an emotional support or psychiatric service animal who has not provided 48 hours’ advance notice if the carrier can do so by making reasonable efforts, without delaying a flight. The carrier, at its discretion, may waive its 48 hours’ advance notice requirement in order to expedite the short-notice air travel of a passenger accompanied by an emotional support or psychiatric service animal.

    DOCUMENTATION
    Any licensed mental health professional (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker) including a medical doctor who is specifically treating a passenger’s mental or emotional disability is a practitioner qualified to provide documentation stating the passenger’s need for an emotional support or psychiatric service animal. A qualified practitioner would include a general practitioner who is treating the passenger’s mental or emotional disability

  97. “you must be a real jerk” did you learn that like from Trump? Attack the person instead of the words?

  98. Mike it is the law and it is the people who are making these FALSE claims that they are ESA. Congress has NOTHING to do with it , it is an FAA issue.

  99. Bob there is not just a little abuse there is a LOT of abuse. If there was not then there would not be a problem with it.

  100. I know because I FLY more than you do! I see these people getting special boarding because they have “ESA” when in fact they are pets. I sat next to one “these individuals” today. She was so fat that the dog had little room to sit on her lab and she fell asleep before we took off while the dog stood there in discomfort because his ears were popping. so I do not think she got any “support” from this animals while she took an hour nap.

  101. We have witnessed such faking of service dog aboard. The host claimed the dog was in training since she was clearly not handicapped. As she left the plane, she quickly whipped off the service vest. I think the airlines and the TSA need to look for papers of proof before allowing such on board. It’s getting out of hand!

  103. There is such a service for accommodating fragile dogs and other special circumstances. It’s called “charter aircraft”.

  104. Absolutely disgusted that you think a person with an allergy shouldn’t fly, but some primna donna claiming to be so mentally fragile they need “emotional support” should. With that attitude, I doubt you’re really a medical professional. If you are, you shouldn’t be.

    The frauds and nut cases should stay home.

  105. If you’re so fragile that you may freak out, I don’twant you on my plane, much less your little snowflakes pet.

  106. For all of you who assume an emotional support animal is just there on the plane so they don’t have to ride in the cargo hold you are mistaken. It’s none of your business what a person’s medical history is and why they need one. I personally have anxiety, especially when flying, take medicine e for it and have a letter from my medical doctor for my dog to fly with me. He is a comfort and helps to keep me calm. Don’t pretend to know the laws and the rules. If you don’t like it then ask to be changed to a different seat. No one asks you about your medical conditions so please don’t assume you know others.

  107. It one of the few rights of a support animal is to ride on the lap or at feet of the disabled. The other right is the animal can live with the disabled. That’s it. It’s not about being on the plane it’s having the animal with them where there are going. …and it’s not a pet. Its not treated as one either.

  108. I also have animal allergies, and I absolutely agree that service animals should never be challenged. “Support” animals and pets, though, are another story. Just yesterday I was on a JFK-SFO flight (Virgin America) and the couple in front of me had two dogs. Virgin doesn’t allow animals to fly in the cargo hold, which seems like a humane rule to me. On the other hand, they also have a rule that dogs and cats have to be kept in carriers. This was ignored; the dogs were on the owners laps from doors closed to doors open – during take-off, landing, and the entire time in between. This really disturbs me. If the animal is in an enclosed case on the floor, those of us who are sensitive to dander are far less likely to have problems than if the animal is on someone’s lap.

    Last year I had a window seat, and the woman in the center seat was traveling with her cat in a carrier. The carrier was too big to fit under the seat, so it was half under the seat and half in our (coach) row aisle. There was no way I could get in or out safely; stepping over the carrier would have caused me to fall on the person in the aisle seat. In fact, I did so on my way to speak to the flight attendant about the safety hazard this woman was creating. Happily, the flight attendant reseated the passenger and her cat, but I honestly cannot imagine any scenario in which that passenger would think what they were doing was OK.

  109. What a kow-it-all. How do YOU know what these individuals ‘ situations are. As someone with an invisible disability (mine happens to be physical, not mental), I can tell you the judgment from a-holes like you is one of the hardest, and most constant, challenges I face. Get a clue and maybe a little compassion.

  110. Wow, so you don’t believe there are ANY people who legitimately NEED a support animal? ! Just because it’s abused doesn’t mean there aren’t real instances of need. You must be a real jerk.

  111. I think you guys have misunderstood me. First, I’ve never taken my dog on a plane. Not in the cabin and not in the cargo hold. I’ve driven with him across the country 3 times. Sure, I’d love to be able to fly with him in the cabin but I can’t lie and say that he’s a service or emotional support animal.

    I was just saying that there are a lot of people like me who want to fly with their dogs, so wouldn’t it be nice if the airlines developed a service for this market? I’m not suggesting people bring their dogs into the cabin with folks who don’t want them there. But why not offer flights that are specifically for dog owners? You should be happy if something like that happens because then, in theory, people won’t be trying to sneak dogs into regular flights anymore.

  113. You have a special needs dog and your dog therefore deserves special treatment on an airplane? And you are blaming the airline because you choose to transport your special needs dog on an airplane?
    ARE YOU KIDDING?
    Please explain how I am misreading your comment.
    Never mind, I believe you are being sarcastic.

  114. Perhaps you should research the law. You probably won’t. So glad you aren’t a decision maker. I know for sure you don’t work in medicine. This isn’t an ADA issue. Contact your congressman.

  115. KMpls was on the plane for business purposes. Of course he was concerned about his pants. He was working!
    He had no reason nor right to intrude on that person’s medical history. If the Service animal was there because the person was disabled under the ADA rules then there are guidelines to follow. I personally do not care what the disability is but once I hear Emotional support it is at the same level as Ponzi, chain letters and Tupperware parties.

  116. While at SFO in june we met a couple who has THREE ESA dogs with her I tired to take a picture but was not able to. I mean it was her and the husband and the 3 dogs. In my state if a house has 3 more dogs you must register your home as a kennel. United Air would have to register!
    I been on flights to Florida with dogs walking around the cabin because they do not like to stay in their carriers!

  118. the dog issue is nuts so many regular dogs not in boxes walking around and some people have more than one!! and they take them into the lounges and lounge allover the seats and chairs

  119. Scott, I appreciate your situation but it is your situation. it Is your ESA, which is legally considered property in all 50 states and nothing more, it is not a child no matter what you call it. Do not compare them they are not the same.
    While you may have an ESA that animal may or may not be with you 7/24 where as a blind person they do bring their Service animal to work because they will NEVER be able to function with out that animal. The ADA provided certain rights to those with disabilities and as such every employer, housing and business must allowances for those with disabilities.
    If you do not like the rules then change the Law! It took those that were disabled to get the ADA passed to begin with!
    Do not blame the airlines they are not the police! Some have had to established rules which are hard to enforce. ADA rules do not permit the requirement that the service animal be marked, that the person must disclose why he is disable nor that he show any paperwork. ADA only allows the airline to ask what disability does the animal provide compensation for.

  120. Emotional support animals are allowed in the cabin … It’s the law. If you don’t like it you can call your congressman…or assume everyone that has an animal in a cabin is a filthy con and tell them. I have 4.5 million miles on Delta…I rarely see this. But what I’m seeing with attacks on message boards is disturbing. Wow. Just wow. Guilty until proven innocent seems to be the media’s favorite pastime.

  121. This isn’t the ADA. PLEASE research the law. You are correct on locations that aren’t travel or housing. But, WOW, the number of know it alls without legal or medical knowledge that are willing to assume this is rampant abuse …. Because you just know and one flight had a Great Dane. Nice. Really scary.

  122. They are”support” animals not “Service” animals and have no right o fly in the cabin. Leave them at home. This is out of control. You can do with out your dog for a few hours.

  124. It has nothing to do with mental health issues. It has to do with prissy dog owners who thing they can bend the rules.
    1. Those with animals should be in the back of the plane.
    2. Those with allergies can then be in the front of the plane
    3. It is all about the $$$ because it is dog owners who do not want to pay to transport their animals from the Northeast to Florida each year.
    As for dogs in planes, they are there and everywhere. They are at the mall, the restaurants, the post office, you name it everyone feels they need to bring their frigging dog with their!. As a former dog owner I never brought my dog to Macy’s to shop or to the supermarket to pick up food. .
    ADA allows service animals to access the same places that the owner can, it does not permit ESA to do the same. IF you do not like that the ADA does not equate them the same then get the law changed. Until then stop driving 100 in a 55 mph zone

  126. I would rather have the dogs, than the self entitled, selfish owners. Its not the dog’s fault, it the self absorbed owner. Welcome to the new world order. Greed, selfishness and self entitlement.

  127. Totally bogus. Passengers, confront these phony people in the line at airports. With their false support animal placards and signs.

  133. I think this is a platform for the ignorant who take a few bad apples and want to attack the weak. Here’s a suggestion…get a private plane.

  135. I think it’s a scam for many pet owners that can’t handle their animals riding in the cargo hold. I recently shared my 1B seat area with a 100lb yellow lab. Not a trained service animal, he sniffed my dinner tray and shed all over my pants before a business meeting. Delta got an earful and credited me lots of miles. I also witnessed a dog growl viciously for no reason at a fight attendant passing by his bulkhead floor area. Keep all animals off the plane! Passengers are hard enough to deal with.

  136. I’m outraged at this selfish attitude toward mental health issues just because the system needs improvement. Improve it….allergies? Then don’t travel in public. Animals are everywhere. Can we get any more selfish?

  137. Oh man! My goodwill for humankind would have tanked, too. If I’m in a similar situation in the future, I’ll ask “Is it a real service dog, or an emotional support dog?”

  138. I was once asked by the flight crew to give up coveted seat 7D (bulkhead aisle) for 22B because someone had a “service dog”. Not seeing the person nor the animal, I gladly gave up the best coach seat on the plane for a horrible middle seat (on a 4 hour flight). Then I saw the yenta with her not-a-service dog board and sit down in my old seat. Man, my goodwill for humankind was totally abused by someone who “just can’t live” without their dog for 4 hours. The dog’s emotional support was even doubtful; she didn’t acknowledge the poor beast until landing.

    Yeah, bitter.

  139. As someone who is allergic to most furry animals, I’m glad they’re cracking down on this. I’m still waiting for the day someone more allergic than I am sues an airline over this so I can be assured I won’t have to spend 6 hours with my eyes itching and my nose running ever again.

  142. Leaves the dogs home. As an asthmatic, I support the human surviving first; leave the dog home or in the cargo hold. If you can’t travel otherwise, stay home or take a bus. This sort of thing didn’t exist years ago – “emotional support dogs” – give me a break…..

  143. As always, it’s the egomaniacal idiots who make this an issue falsely claiming their pet is a service or support dog. I am not a person who willingly cries for more regulations, but it seems this issue now needs to have some type of national certification – not an online printout. Just like the fools who put healthy people in wheelchairs at Disney to get to the front of the line, it’s the selfishness and greed of people that are the problem.

  144. I decided after reading the new yorker article that I need an Alpaca diabetic assistance animal or emotional support animal. I can use my new support animal to help fuel my other addiction….knitting with alpaca yarn. Lol

  145. This is a complicated issue. As the owner of a special needs dog who was rescued from an abusive situation, there is no way I’m putting him in the cargo hold. Would a patent feel comfortable putting their child in the cargo hold? That’s what it would feel like for many let owners.

    At the same time, I also see people abusing the system and I’m aware that some passengers don’t feel comfortable having a dog or some other animal next to them in the close quarters if an airplane. I feel for those people and don’t want to encroach on their comfort with my dog. And as an aside, I’m often disturbed by children on a plane — I’ve never heard a dog crying or having a temper tantrum on a plane, nor has a dog kicked my seat or thrown Cheerios in my hair!

    At the end of the day, I think I blame airlines for this problem. So many people are abusing the system because they have no choice. Why don’t the airlines (and hotels) embrace the needs that their customers are expressing and provide a suitable service to address them? Maybe force pet owners to purchase a first class seat for their pet. Or operate the occasional pet friendly flight where they are allowed in the cabin? Or something else… The airlines should innovate here and figure out a solution and charge appropriately for it. Then, if airlines offer a realistic way for people to fly with their pets, then they should also crack down on people who are abusing the current rules.

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