Americans Want A Shorter Leash On Emotional Support Animals On Planes

I think society should bend over backwards to take care of the disabled. These people with the fluffy untrained animals are self-centered rude little pigs that use disability laws as pretext to annoy everyone else with their pets. Many places now a sign posted saying no animals except legitimate service animals.

These attention whores with the dog wearing a vest with a counterfeit patch think they are entitled to blow past the signage and take their untrained, unwashed pet anywhere. Workers who should throw these people out seem not to care.

I saw three dubious dogs in Lowe's today, and management could care less. It really chaps my hide when people are feeding their pooch at the table in a restaurant with the utensils.

Due to my work situation, my wife and I have two homes across the country from one another. Our pet has traveled with us dozens of times with us paying the $250 (RT) each time. She is kenneled (as the rules require)and definitely better behaved than many of the "Emotional Support" dogs we have seen. I have often thought I should get an on-line doggie vest that has the right words on it and save the money. But, I know this isn't right and have been anxiously waiting for the airlines to crack down on this.

I know this is our choice to spend the money and we accept that. But, repeatedly watching people cheat the system is quite frustrating. I like the idea of the "half-million dollar bond". I would suggest this go a little further. Have them put a deposit (held on a credit card or large cash deposit). If anything happens, bill them for it.

I support the airlines getting serious on this and I hope our legal system backs them when they get the Non-substantiated lawsuits start coming in.

Emotional Support Animals are pretty bad... Now days get one for just about any reason.... I just do not buy it personally... We have a society full of wimps!

Nowadays I mostly see emotional support animals in retail and restaurants.

I can understand a service animal for the physically disabled, but "emotional support"???!!! Whenever I see that I read immature baby!

This has to stop before someone like that causes a major catastrophe and people die as a result!!!!

As a person who is truly disabled and has trained dogs for over 25 years, I find this to be an embarrassment. I can tell right off the get go when a dog is untrained. There needs to be documentation with the dog. A document stating the disability from a doctor and a document proving what kind of training a dog has received. If someone has a bona fide service dog, they would be more than happy to provide this information. Those that scam with their fake emotional support dog are making it hard for people with true health problems that need a dog to get around. A REAL trained service dog never bites. Some of the worst offenders are celebrities. I’ve called out many for their fake service dogs and they get agitated when I do.

Maybe I am being insensitive, but if you can't travel on an airplane without and Emotional Support whatever, perhaps you shouldn't be travelling in public by yourself.

Tell them to take the Greyhound, this issue is becoming a joke.

Have the passenger with an emotional support animal post a half-million dollar bond in case the animal causes any damages.

My dream is to fly with my emotional support python next to person with an emotional support dog or cat.

Support animals? A good slap (not to the animals) would cure this condition.

I'm still eagerly waiting the first time I read about somebody needing two seats on a flight for their emotional support imaginary friend.

good. its about time... had a dog take a crap on a flight the other day and a few people got sick and thru up.Nothing worse that smelling dog crap..

On a Delta flight last week a family brought two dogs on board, one in a carrier and one on leash. The leash was quickly removed and the dog escaped from its owner several times. They also passed the dog back and forth , to different family members seated in different rows, I guess they all needed support. At one point they let the other dog out of its carrier, apparently the first dog wasn’t providing enough support. The “best” part was when the dog jumped on my wife’s tray table knocking her drink into her lap. It was amazing that the flight attendants couldn’t have cared less and neither did Delta’s customer service. I’m going back to flying American. They may be having some labor issues with their mechanics, but at least they don’t come on board and slobber and spill drinks on you.

Require any animal serving as an "emotional support animal" when out in public to wear a muzzle.
That ought to work except that the owners would say that the animal with the muzzle would then have to have a support animal!
Most of the people traveling with emotional support animals are liars and cheaters who only want their pets to fly for free.

The whole "emotional support / service animal" fiasco only reinforces the old truth: No idea is so good that it cannot be carried to excess.

Per the Air Carrier Access Act:
https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/service-animals-including-emotional-support-animals

How do airlines determine whether an animal is a service animal?

Airlines can determine whether an animal is a service animal or pet by:
1. The credible verbal assurances of an individual with a disability using the animal;
2. Looking for physical indicators such as the presence of a harness or tags;
3. Requiring documentation for psychiatric support animals and emotional support animals; and
Observing the behavior of animals.
4. Emotional Support and Psychiatric Service Animals - Airlines can request specific documentation and/or 48-hours advanced notice for service animals that are emotional support animals and psychiatric service animals.

What kind of documentation can be required of persons travelling with emotional support animals and psychiatric service animals?

Airlines may require documentation that is not older than one year from the date of your scheduled initial flight that states:

1. You have a mental or emotional disability that is recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM);
2. You need your emotional support or psychiatric support animal as an accommodation for air travel and/or for activity at your destination;
3. The individual providing the assessment is a licensed mental health professional and the passenger is under his/her professional care; and
4. The licensed health care professional’s; Date and type of professional license; and Jurisdiction or state in which their license was issued.

Note: Airlines are never required to accept snakes, reptiles, ferrets, rodents, sugar gliders, and spiders.

All the airlines need to do is ENFORCE THE DAMNED LAW. It's astounding that they are either naive or ignorant in asking for something that is already granted to them BY LAW.

People did not require ESA until a recent past, and yet kept flying. I have mixed opinions on this subject and I suspect there's a lot of abuse from people who simply want to take their pets with them whenever they travel. (NOT considering the fact that flying puts huge stress on pets EVEN if they're ESAs)

People can think up any excuse to take their pets with them.

Excellent post. As a disabled person I expect some accommodation but not while putting others in danger or great discomfort.

Support dogs...the biggest fraud in travel.

First, the animal must be trained by some sort of agency. If the agency is a 503C corporation, that's a good start. Second, along with a dog blanket that says the dog is a service animal, the owner should be forced to produce an identity card from the training agency with a picture of the dog and human. This can be harder to forge than a dog blanket.

Any dog can provide support. A support animal that's allowed to fly in the close quarters of an airplane is a whole different matter. That animal requires a whole different level of training.

This seams like a hate chat room. I was in sales for many years and on planes every week and have "never" had an experience where a dog was not well behaved. I have seen owners insensitive to others on the plane that took their pet out without asking their seat mate. I've seen dogs flying from LA to Paris without hardly a peep. There are people who's pet is like their child and they travel with them. People make the assumption that dogs are therapy .however many of us pay a big fee to take pets with us and they travel under the seat. Keep your hats on and be sensitive to others. Stop assuming.

You only need to go online and look at the ads for no questions asked certificates of need and doggie vests to carry off your scam, all in one place. They even sell reasonably priced certified letters from a "Doctor" attesting to your "condition", with no need to even speak to him, you just do the easy check-offs on the interned form with the necessary lies and send off the money. You get your money back the first time you get the dog aboard for free. Win, win. You can drive a truck thru the ridiculous loopholes in the regulations on this, starting with no oversight and no official approval needed. All to get Fido aboard and in the cabin, with no ticket, and to be able to take him into any store or any restaurant. The sites point this out to you right up front, and say nothing about honesty or any penalties for committing fraud, which is the biggest issue with this thing, plus it hurts those with genuine need, who are now under siege because of the scammers, and problems with the conduct of their totally untrained animals.

Again: Animals = Cargo Hold

Make sure all of the animals (people too) have some sort of muzzles. Let them drink something. A full muzzle is not needed. On Tv shows, I've seen a strap on dog's muzzle. That would solve the bitting problem.
I hope the flight attendant got some sort of monetary justice. Depending on where the attendant got bit.
Also, try to remember to ask permission to touch the dog. AND do not approach the animal with a palm down. The animal may think you hitting him or she so approach the animal with the palm up-just like feeding a treat!

Emotional Support Animals??? REALLY??
If you can't just board, sit, fly, and get off, then take a train.
And if the dog BITES a flight attendant, then kill the dog and have it tested for rabies.
snowflakes....

Fine, but they should still pay the pet carrier fee.

Most "emotional support" animals are just over-indulged pet owners. I LOVE dogs and cats, but they should be kept in transport bags or on VERY SHORT leashes.

Most everyone knows including the passengers with these animals that it is mostly BS and anyone can get their Doctor friend to write a note for you needed your pet to fly with. What's next for these poor people that can't handle air travel?

I do not want "Support Animals" on Flights PERIOD... I was peed on my a Woman's "Support PIG" TWICE 2 years ago. And the Airline told me to just "Suck it up" or I would be BANNED. They told us that there is too much LEGAL ACTION that can be taken AGAINST the Airline, if they were to limit "Support Animals". The Airline Official, when she found out I was a Retired Pilot, spoke openly to us. She told me that they have had "People" try and claim GOLD FISH, Iguanas, Eagle and even a Baby Camel as being Support Animals. Has the WHOLE WORLD GONE CRAZY?

Wait a minute. Most likely if you're on an airplane, you're on vacation. What emotional support will you need? You should be having a good time.

The answer seems to be relatively simple: clear certification standards for support animals nation wide. Those standards should include training that insures that your animal will be able to behave him/herself on a flight. If you have a support animal that meets standards and have proof, you can bring it on board (although you might have to pay more). If not, no deal.

Still saying simplest answer is muzzle, no harm to animal, no harm to people. But they better damn well have plenty of poop bags or toilet train these animals!

Thank you 41 for force feeding us the ADA, well intended, but poorly implemented.

Yah I can see the boa constrictor known for loving hugs on flights.

Many(if not all) cities in Europe allow dogs on public transportation. They just have to wear a muzzle. It seems to work just fine. This is about people, along with their children and pets, being responsible for their actions. I am with Charlie Lange. I don't know too many dogs that are 29 inches wide. More room for me.

it is highly unfortunate,that just like other issues a small group of people who abuse a privilege, cause problems for others..i worked at a large airport,and the majority of those using assist or service animals,actually need them and do not make a mockery of it,and their animals are very quiet and docile....there are some exceptions I will admit, like the woman trying to get on a flight with her "service goose" (seriously)..I have no idea how she got through security with it,but she was in a wheel chair, and her daughter who was with her,said she had plastic surgery of all things,and needed the animal to be with her..the supervisor was called and he spoke with the office at headquarters that handled such requests, and after a lot of words back and forth between the daughter,the lady,the supervisor ,the flight attendants,the captain and the office on the phone,she was allowed to board..the flight attendants were not happy and the woman was seated away from other passengers..on eof the strangest requests I have seen, and hardly a Labrador retriever!!

While I wholeheartedly agree that people are abusing the system and that rules need to be enforced and when you do prepare to get sued in murica for doing so; all that said, I'd rather be on a planeload of dogs than most people on board. Jus' sayin'.

There were fleas on me after a AA flight about 7 months ago. I scratched for 3-4 days.. seriously 😳 imagine flying 1st class and getting fleas. Fleas don’t care about cabin location though, horrible bites I had

Emotional Support Animals ARE NOT SERVICE ANIMALS. Airlines is to blame for encouraging emotional support animals on board to pamper their passengers. They completely ignored the fact that other passengers who are uncomfortable seating next to this type of animals were kicked off the plane. Now that one of their own got taste of their own medicine, hopefully they would be sympathetic to other passengers who are very uncomfortable seating next to these dogs in close quarters. My wife is terrified of dogs. But, she is forced to seat next to this animals in cramped place for hours. What about her Anxiety attacks???? I hope more incidents like this will happen, so Airlines get sued for allowing service animals inside th passenger cabins and others are forced to seat next to them, even though they are not Service Animals.

What does Sully have to do with this????