Emotional Support animal on Flights

[V Singh]

Had interesting experience flying AA from FAT to LAX recently. The seat next to me had a passenger with a cuddly Poodle tucked on the lap. Got chatting and was told that emotional support animal could travel free of charge and there was no airline requirement for the owner to carry a support certificate, animal vaccination certificate from a veterinarian or animal temperament certificate from registered animal trainers, some which I believe is a requirement for service dogs. Fortunately am not allergic to cats or dogs so it worked out fine for me.
I understand some airlines now require veterinary health and animal trainer certificate to be provided prior to boarding flights but is silent on emotional support animals .

Would appreciate feed back and comments from fellow AFF on this subject.

 

[Pushka]

Had interesting experience flying AA from FAT to LAX recently. The seat next to me had a passenger with a cuddly Poodle tucked on the lap. Got chatting and was told that emotional support animal could travel free of charge and there was no airline requirement for the owner to carry a support certificate, animal vaccination certificate from a veterinarian or animal temperament certificate from registered animal trainers, some which I believe is a requirement for service dogs. Fortunately am not allergic to cats or dogs so it worked out fine for me.
I understand some airlines now require veterinary health and animal trainer certificate to be provided prior to boarding flights but is silent on emotional support animals .

Would appreciate feed back and comments from fellow AFF on this subject.

It would be an issue for my husband who would have an asthma attack if seated next to a dog although I think that poodles don’t have the same fur issue as other dogs. We went to our nieces house for Christmas dinner last year and she has a Labrador. I thought he would be ok as he didn’t really go near it but he later told me he’d had a teldane tablet and still needed ventolin during the afternoon. He wouldn’t think of putting ventolin in a travel on bag though.

 

[DC3]

What? No pony, turkey or pig?

Dog is not unusual in the USA. Many seem to get away with it. Saves cargo/pet transport. Poodle (should) not pose a (shedding) issue.

Edit: There are some existing threads on birds/animals that pax bring into USA domestic flights

 

[jase05]

Yeah, not a fan at all of it unless it’s a vision impaired dog or such. No way on earth I’d sit next to a person with an animal and I’d hope the person/s seated next to them are made aware of an animal at check in so they can be relocated if they desire

 

[Quickstatus]

I believe pets should be able to travel in the human cargo compartment subject to certain conditions which may include:

1)Weight
2)Has to fit in a soft pet carrier which has to fit under seat in front.
3)Above considered part of carry on luggage allowance
4)cannot sit in exit/emergency row exit
5)recency of vaccination certificates
6)J and F would preclude pets because of (2) unless the carrier can be secured

 

[Bell21]

Well at least it wasn't a mini horse _ you should Google that... I believe they have restricted support animals to cats, dogs and mini horses in the Us after years of this 'policy' (or lack of) running rampant --- I also believe there is a concerted joint effort in the Us to try and restrict support animal use further --- it's quite hard to fathom from Australia just how poorly thought through the us airlines approach to this topic has been for many years re unintended consequences --- if you Google this topic, some of the stories make for interesting reading

 

[DC3]

-- if you Google this topic, some of the stories make for interesting reading

... and all of the AFF posts on this topic.

 

[juddles]

I have suffered quite a number of flights where animals severely reduced my comfort and enjoyment of the flight. But so far all these animals only had two legs....

 

[Stealthflyer]

The requirements for support animals are a lot more lax in the USA than Australia. In Australia, you need ticks of approval from doctors and trainers, but the USA is less rigorous. That’s why you can be jumped on by an untrained brindle staffie x wearing a support animal vest in a Brooklyn pub (true story. I was not impressed, particularly when his owner said “oh so cute, he loves you”, as I attempted to absorb the pint of APA that had spilled on my shirt with a wad of napkins. I have dogs of my own and I know that it wasn’t a gesture of “love”).

I have an American friend who is blind and has a guide dog. He says that the lax requirements have made his life more difficult because he’s encountered many a restaurant owner or a cabbie who have had a negative experience with a support dog not trained to the same level as should be necessary. As a consequence, they are wary of his institutionally trained guide dog and he often has to remind people of their legal obligations.

 

[V Singh]

It would be an issue for my husband who would have an asthma attack if seated next to a dog although I think that poodles don’t have the same fur issue as other dogs. We went to our nieces house for Christmas dinner last year and she has a Labrador. I thought he would be ok as he didn’t really go near it but he later told me he’d had a teldane tablet and still needed ventolin during the afternoon. He wouldn’t think of putting ventolin in a travel on bag though.

Thank you Pushka for your contribution

What? No pony, turkey or pig?

Dog is not unusual in the USA. Many seem to get away with it. Saves cargo/pet transport. Poodle (should) not pose a (shedding) issue.

Edit: There are some existing threads on birds/animals that pax bring into USA domestic flights

Thank you DC3 for your contribution

Yeah, not a fan at all of it unless it’s a vision impaired dog or such. No way on earth I’d sit next to a person with an animal and I’d hope the person/s seated next to them are made aware of an animal at check in so they can be relocated if they desire

Thank you jase05 for your contribution

I believe pets should be able to travel in the human cargo compartment subject to certain conditions which may include:

1)Weight
2)Has to fit in a soft pet carrier which has to fit under seat in front.
3)Above considered part of carry on luggage allowance
4)cannot sit in exit/emergency row exit
5)recency of vaccination certificates
6)J and F would preclude pets because of (2) unless the carrier can be secured

Thank you Quickstatus for your contribution

Well at least it wasn't a mini horse _ you should Google that... I believe they have restricted support animals to cats, dogs and mini horses in the Us after years of this 'policy' (or lack of) running rampant --- I also believe there is a concerted joint effort in the Us to try and restrict support animal use further --- it's quite hard to fathom from Australia just how poorly thought through the us airlines approach to this topic has been for many years re unintended consequences --- if you Google this topic, some of the stories make for interesting reading

Thank you Bell21 for your contribution

I have suffered quite a number of flights where animals severely reduced my comfort and enjoyment of the flight. But so far all these animals only had two legs....

Thank you juddles for your contribution

The requirements for support animals are a lot more lax in the USA than Australia. In Australia, you need ticks of approval from doctors and trainers, but the USA is less rigorous. That’s why you can be jumped on by an untrained brindle staffie x wearing a support animal vest in a Brooklyn pub (true story. I was not impressed, particularly when his owner said “oh so cute, he loves you”, as I attempted to absorb the pint of APA that had spilled on my shirt with a wad of napkins. I have dogs of my own and I know that it wasn’t a gesture of “love”).

I have an American friend who is blind and has a guide dog. He says that the lax requirements have made his life more difficult because he’s encountered many a restaurant owner or a cabbie who have had a negative experience with a support dog not trained to the same level as should be necessary. As a consequence, they are wary of his institutionally trained guide dog and he often has to remind people of their legal obligations.

Thank you Stealthflyer for your contribution

 

[Bell21]

The requirements for support animals are a lot more lax in the USA than Australia. In Australia, you need ticks of approval from doctors and trainers, but the USA is less rigorous. That’s why you can be jumped on by an untrained brindle staffie x wearing a support animal vest in a Brooklyn pub (true story. I was not impressed, particularly when his owner said “oh so cute, he loves you”, as I attempted to absorb the pint of APA that had spilled on my shirt with a wad of napkins. I have dogs of my own and I know that it wasn’t a gesture of “love”).

I have an American friend who is blind and has a guide dog. He says that the lax requirements have made his life more difficult because he’s encountered many a restaurant owner or a cabbie who have had a negative experience with a support dog not trained to the same level as should be necessary. As a consequence, they are wary of his institutionally trained guide dog and he often has to remind people of their legal obligations.

Yeh, there's no doubt it's a mess - and it's a shame that service animals and support animals might be lumped into the same category, since the former has what I understand to be much clearer guidelines

 

[Quickstatus]

6)J and F would preclude pets because of (2) unless the carrier can be secured

The J/F seats with the leg alcove might also be suitable.

 

[Beano]

The requirements for support animals are a lot more lax in the USA than Australia. In Australia, you need ticks of approval from doctors and trainers, but the USA is less rigorous. That’s why you can be jumped on by an untrained brindle staffie x wearing a support animal vest in a Brooklyn pub (true story. I was not impressed, particularly when his owner said “oh so cute, he loves you”, as I attempted to absorb the pint of APA that had spilled on my shirt with a wad of napkins. I have dogs of my own and I know that it wasn’t a gesture of “love”).

I have an American friend who is blind and has a guide dog. He says that the lax requirements have made his life more difficult because he’s encountered many a restaurant owner or a cabbie who have had a negative experience with a support dog not trained to the same level as should be necessary. As a consequence, they are wary of his institutionally trained guide dog and he often has to remind people of their legal obligations.

Interesting point about untrained support animals reducing the experience of trained animals.

 

[Beano]

That's a telling comment and a shame on those who believe that that they need emotional support from a companion animal. It reduces the work of the fully trained.

 

[serfty]

Hers is AA's official policy:

Service animals − Travel information − American Airlines

www.aa.com

 

[jase05]

Hers is AA's official policy:

Service animals − Travel information − American Airlines

www.aa.com

Australia seems to be absent on that list.
NZ for instance only allows dogs

 

[clementine6]

Traveling on the now defunct WOW a couple of years ago cabin staff seated an elderly blind, disabled and hearing impaired woman with a large service dog (lab) in the EXIT row. I (quietly) objected, on safety grounds, but I also didn't want to sit near a dog. Service dogs I'm ok with (as long as not near me), but if you need an emotional support animal to be able to get on a plane, then don't fly. Asthma and allergies are common and I don't approve of putting other peoples' health at risk esp. without their knowledge or consent

 

[drron]

Well wrong to put that person in an exit row but that said that dog had every right to be on the plane.I have normally seen them in bulkhead seats though that is a bit sqeezy for a lab.

 

[clementine6]

What about the rights of people with allergies and asthma?

 

[Bellthorpe]

... that dog had every right to be on the plane.

What? Whence came such a right?