Emotional Support Animals. Are you kidding me? A rant.
Jan 1, 2009, 7:58 am
#151
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Recovering from a terrible first long trip with my self appointed emotional support dog, I WAS ready to sue the airline last night..Ended the trip with the last leg by rental car after what I considered abusive treatment...I apologize now...So many good posts in reply to your post, some very poignant and some hysterical! ...(PS..she remained huddled in her carrier under the seat panting for 2 1/2 hrs, not a peep...I'm proud of her...and we had our adventure)
Jan 1, 2009, 7:14 pm
#152
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A person who needs an accommodation under the ACAA must request it of the airline in advance. If you request accommodation for a severe pet allergy at the time of booking the airline can ensure that you are booked on a flight on which there will not be an animal. If someone later tries to book a flight with an animal they will know that your flight is not available. Similarly, if the flight that you wanted already had an animal booked the airline would tell you and you could book an alternate flight option.
If you make your request for accommodation after the booking is already made you may find out that you're booked on a flight that already has an animal booked. Possibly accommodations in that situation would be ensuring that your assigned seat is located as far as practical from the animal. If that's not sufficient then the airline could allow you to change the flight without fee or penalty.
It all comes down to making the request for accommodation as an early enough date that a suitable accommodation can be arranged. If the request is made during boarding the options are limited.
Jan 1, 2009, 7:44 pm
#153
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Jan 1, 2009, 7:48 pm
#154
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Recovering from a terrible first long trip with my self appointed emotional support dog, I WAS ready to sue the airline last night..Ended the trip with the last leg by rental car after what I considered abusive treatment...I apologize now...So many good posts in reply to your post, some very poignant and some hysterical! I've been searching FAA regs, and googling "emotional support animals" and came upon this forum...What a wonderful New Years Eve, seriously...What clever travelers you are...I won't sue the airline now...Just because they refused my documents with a letter from Dr. X, "her" doctor, (the vet), as improper documentation..told me she was NOT a service animal, removed me and my 28 lb. beautifully mannered, brilliant, 12 year old four-legged significant other from the previously assigned bulkhead seat where we rested quietly and comfortably...We were first told to exit the plane..then to take a seat in row nine center..then to leave the plane again..then again seated, I mean thrown. And best yet, threatened with being greeted by the police at our destination if we made trouble. I apologize...I had never heard of an emotional support animal..I knew only because another airline agent ,when I mentioned I had a dog I never left and just couldn't put in cargo, asked if she was an emotional support dog..."Emotional support dog?" I asked.."Yes, an emotional support dog...Is she an emotional support dog?" "Oh, oh yes.
And so it began...I had health certificate, shot record, letter from "her doctor" as I had been told to have, and this was the third leg of my round trip!....But, I apologize...to all of you who responded to the original post...I love the one about the small horse, or the pig, or best yet "could my wife sit in my lap and fly free?"...Anyway, I have learned a lesson...and maybe someday they will have pet friendly flights for us canine-o-philes. I do agree that crying babies and diseased people are often more irritating, but I was breaking the rules..To those of you who do not like to fly with animal dander, I apologize...thank you for the New Years lectures and laughs...(PS..she remained huddled in her carrier under the seat panting for 2 1/2 hrs, not a peep...I'm proud of her...and we had our adventure)
And so it began...I had health certificate, shot record, letter from "her doctor" as I had been told to have, and this was the third leg of my round trip!....But, I apologize...to all of you who responded to the original post...I love the one about the small horse, or the pig, or best yet "could my wife sit in my lap and fly free?"...Anyway, I have learned a lesson...and maybe someday they will have pet friendly flights for us canine-o-philes. I do agree that crying babies and diseased people are often more irritating, but I was breaking the rules..To those of you who do not like to fly with animal dander, I apologize...thank you for the New Years lectures and laughs...(PS..she remained huddled in her carrier under the seat panting for 2 1/2 hrs, not a peep...I'm proud of her...and we had our adventure)
Appropriate handle... reflecting the time you will/should be around these parts.
mike
Jan 1, 2009, 8:36 pm
#155
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Recovering from a terrible first long trip with my self appointed emotional support dog, I WAS ready to sue the airline last night..Ended the trip with the last leg by rental car after what I considered abusive treatment...I apologize now...So many good posts in reply to your post, some very poignant and some hysterical! I've been searching FAA regs, and googling "emotional support animals" and came upon this forum...What a wonderful New Years Eve, seriously...What clever travelers you are...I won't sue the airline now...Just because they refused my documents with a letter from Dr. X, "her" doctor, (the vet), as improper documentation..)
Jan 1, 2009, 8:40 pm
#156
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Jan 1, 2009, 9:31 pm
#157
Join Date: Oct 2007
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No issue with service dogs -- one of our teachers had a dog that aided with balance. Both the dogs and the owners are very, very well trained, and we never had a problem even though little kids aren't always careful or predictable around animals.
People who need an "emotional support animal" ought to be required to obtain a license, and that license ought then disqualify the holder from owning a gun, flying a plane, driving a bus, or any other job where sanity and emotional control is expected. I suspect that would separate the wheat from the chaff and cut down on the frivolous claims being asserted.
People who need an "emotional support animal" ought to be required to obtain a license, and that license ought then disqualify the holder from owning a gun, flying a plane, driving a bus, or any other job where sanity and emotional control is expected. I suspect that would separate the wheat from the chaff and cut down on the frivolous claims being asserted.
Jan 1, 2009, 9:57 pm
#158
In memoriam
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Worked with this guy, met his dog, http://www.10news.com/news/744925/detail.html
Not impressed. He must be a bad example.
Not impressed. He must be a bad example.
Jan 1, 2009, 10:08 pm
#159
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Passengers traveling with emptional support animals are required to provide written documentation to the carrier from a licensed mental health professional, so if they have that documentation then the airline has little choice but to accept them and accomodate them.
"Emotional Support animals are service animals shown to have the innate ability to assist a person with a disability in flight requiring emotional support. "
I assume that a mental health professional provided the relevant paperwork in this case and the animlas were accomodated as such.
"Emotional Support animals are service animals shown to have the innate ability to assist a person with a disability in flight requiring emotional support. "
I assume that a mental health professional provided the relevant paperwork in this case and the animlas were accomodated as such.
Jan 2, 2009, 12:34 am
#160
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http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf
This is wonderful information for consumers and airline personnel. Next time I will be in possession of more documentation than anyone could need. And in the meantime I will probably be in touch in writing with the CRO about how I was "handled" by airplane personnel on that plane....(CRO is another term I wasn't aware of before now) Meanwhile, I suppose I should apologize most to my dog, who was not trained to be jerked around by strangers...I suppose I was an emotional support for her the rest of that flight, tho she rested comfortably after the fright in her carrier under the seat...panting a bit, but so was I !!!!....So Little Time...to learn a lot and live a lot..we all should...
Jan 2, 2009, 1:14 am
#161
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+1
Jan 2, 2009, 2:49 am
#162
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Worked with this guy, met his dog, http://www.10news.com/news/744925/detail.html
Not impressed. He must be a bad example.
Not impressed. He must be a bad example.
Yeah, for 1 1/2 million dollars. That is sure to get him support.
Jan 2, 2009, 2:51 am
#163
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They should require something. If more people knew about this, they would take advantage of it. Why pay $$$ for your pet to ride in the cargo hold when you can have them sit at your feet for free?
Jan 2, 2009, 3:15 am
#164
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You're right. many airlines require these things for cabin PETS but not for service animals...too bad they don't require the same for human passengers...Can you stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position while in your seat? Wouldn't it be nice...Perhaps if they zipped us into our seats...I would say agile stocky 28 pound dogs in a large soft-sided kennel are in much better shape if forced to fly this way than we would be!...But at best they are owed an apology!
Jan 2, 2009, 2:58 pm
#165
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There are many kinds of service animals, as described in the FARs linked to above; some have no specific training per se, but they are able to sense when a person is close to having a seizure or panic attack - and alert their owners so they can take measures to prevent the event, or at least take steps to assure better safety for themselves and others.
While some feel this subject is largely humorous and have responded with considerable tongue in cheek, service animals have allowed a number of people to extend their abilities to live in less restrictive environments, activities and lifestyles than they might be able to carry on without the animals.
A problem does occur when conditions clash - a person with allergies, asthma, etc. is boarded into a cabin of an aircraft with, say, service dogs or even allowed pet animals. The best thing for all concerned, if an imperfect solution, is to contact the airline in question (most have disability assistance units) and let them know your needs - in that way, if they are aware a service animal or mascot / pet is booked, the person sensitive to animal dander and hair can be accommodated on an alternate flight, or vice versa.
While some feel this subject is largely humorous and have responded with considerable tongue in cheek, service animals have allowed a number of people to extend their abilities to live in less restrictive environments, activities and lifestyles than they might be able to carry on without the animals.
A problem does occur when conditions clash - a person with allergies, asthma, etc. is boarded into a cabin of an aircraft with, say, service dogs or even allowed pet animals. The best thing for all concerned, if an imperfect solution, is to contact the airline in question (most have disability assistance units) and let them know your needs - in that way, if they are aware a service animal or mascot / pet is booked, the person sensitive to animal dander and hair can be accommodated on an alternate flight, or vice versa.