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Emotional Support Animals, Service Dogs and Comfort Pets: The Definitive Thread

Emotional Support Animals, Service Dogs and Comfort Pets: The Definitive Thread

Old May 26, 2017, 8:39 am
  #466  
 
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Originally Posted by Bowgie
What does "CRO" stand for? A redcoat? So handle this like a "person of size" issue?
Most if not all Redcoats are CRO trained. CRO = Complaint Resolution Official.
The situation could be handled like a POS. Or, the person with the animal can be asked to move to a more accommodating seat(s). Can't encroach into another customer's foot space with out permission.
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Old May 26, 2017, 9:30 am
  #467  
 
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Originally Posted by Widgets
All that would be needed is for another passenger to complain/ask for a CRO and say that a service animal can't encroach on the leg room of other passengers. If it does, then the owner needs to purchase an extra seat. Airlines are not required to accommodate service animals that take up more than their assigned seat. I would've booted the owner, not the innocent couple. You can't have an oversized dog and not expect to pay for an extra seat.
THIS is great info. Thank you for posting it. I have not personally run into this - yet, but always thought that the passenger with the ESA got to stay.

I see this a lot in my business - tell a person they cannot move in with a certain dog/pet due to strict policy on size, breed, etc. The next day they come in with a note from a Dr.

It is awful for all the people that REALLY need a service animal.
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Old May 26, 2017, 9:37 am
  #468  
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Originally Posted by pvn
delta needs to stop doing that, then. The term "Service Animal" is defined in the ADA and specifically excludes ESAs.

https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
I don't care how this particular argument comes out, but that is not unusual in the law. Just because the ADA has that definition doesn't mean that it is the only possible definition. And the ADA doesn't even apply to airlines, as I understand it. There are MANY statutes which conflict with each other in terms of definitions.
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Old May 26, 2017, 9:41 am
  #469  
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Originally Posted by pvn
delta needs to stop doing that, then. The term "Service Animal" is defined in the ADA and specifically excludes ESAs.

https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
The ADA has zero to do with flying. Under DOT rules service animals include ESA. Thus the explosion in ESAs onboard.
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Old May 26, 2017, 9:47 am
  #470  
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Originally Posted by QDDawg
THIS is great info. Thank you for posting it. I have not personally run into this - yet, but always thought that the passenger with the ESA got to stay.

I see this a lot in my business - tell a person they cannot move in with a certain dog/pet due to strict policy on size, breed, etc. The next day they come in with a note from a Dr.

It is awful for all the people that REALLY need a service animal.
That sounds like lazy/bad company policy. ADA which iS what applies in your case doesn't count ESA as service animals.
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Old May 26, 2017, 9:57 am
  #471  
 
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You can buy these "certifications" for $50 or less online at a myriad of websites. Any doc in the box will write the script.

SERVICE animals vs. ESA are 2 very different things. So lets make sure we are talking about ESA here. I agree it must stop without the purchase of a seat.
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Old May 26, 2017, 12:04 pm
  #472  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
That sounds like lazy/bad company policy. ADA which iS what applies in your case doesn't count ESA as service animals.
Emotional support animals are permitted by law in some rental residential housing. Note the words "move in" from the poster you quoted.
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Old May 26, 2017, 1:11 pm
  #473  
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Emotional support animals are permitted by law in some rental residential housing. Note the words "move in" from the poster you quoted.
I saw move in thus why I said ADA. Without knowing exact location can only say in general terms. In general terms the ADA is what applies and thus ESA don't qualify. There could be state/local law, but don't have enough info t get into that.
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Old May 26, 2017, 1:13 pm
  #474  
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Originally Posted by DLATL777
You can buy these "certifications" for $50 or less online at a myriad of websites. Any doc in the box will write the script.

SERVICE animals vs. ESA are 2 very different things. So lets make sure we are talking about ESA here. I agree it must stop without the purchase of a seat.
The problem is the DOT has made ESA=service animals.
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Old May 26, 2017, 1:42 pm
  #475  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
I saw move in thus why I said ADA. Without knowing exact location can only say in general terms. In general terms the ADA is what applies and thus ESA don't qualify. There could be state/local law, but don't have enough info t get into that.
Ok..doesn't the ADA allow for the broadening of the definition of
"service animal" under the Air Carrier Accessibility Act?
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Old May 26, 2017, 2:26 pm
  #476  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
I saw move in thus why I said ADA. Without knowing exact location can only say in general terms. In general terms the ADA is what applies and thus ESA don't qualify. There could be state/local law, but don't have enough info t get into that.
The Fair Housing Act amendments are the relevant authority, not the ADA.

Originally Posted by OHDL1
Ok..doesn't the ADA allow for the broadening of the definition of
"service animal" under the Air Carrier Accessibility Act?
The ADA has no applicability on aircraft and is irrelevant in this discussion. The ACAA, as you point out, is the relevant statute when discussing animals on board aircraft.
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Old May 26, 2017, 5:03 pm
  #477  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
The problem is the DOT has made ESA=service animals.
I was unaware of that. Can someone send me a link to the official policy on that?
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Old May 26, 2017, 5:08 pm
  #478  
 
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I used "service animal" because airlines are not required to accommodate any type of "animal that provides a service" in a seat that wasn't paid for. Whether it's a "service animal" or an "emotional support animal," airlines can't be compelled to accept the animal if it doesn't fit within the bounds of the seat that the owner paid for.

Having a disability doesn't mean that you get more seats for free. When it comes to the size of the animal and encroaching on other people's space, airlines treat ESANs and SVANs the same.
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Old May 26, 2017, 5:12 pm
  #479  
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Originally Posted by DLATL777
I was unaware of that. Can someone send me a link to the official policy on that?
Here you go:

https://www.transportation.gov/sites...20030509_1.pdf
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Old May 26, 2017, 5:13 pm
  #480  
 
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Originally Posted by DLATL777
I was unaware of that. Can someone send me a link to the official policy on that?
I think the sentiment is that the DOT has mandated that airlines accept ESANs when the owner provides sufficient documentation. The only difference between ESANs and SVANs is that service animal owners only need to provide credible verbal assurance. Once the animal is accepted, almost all the same rules apply to both animals: they can't be unruly or dirty, they can be accommodated in bulkheads or C+ for free if needed, and they can't be displaced only because another passenger complains about their presence without any other reason.
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