Originally Posted by
Cynnamin
I sympathize with your GF, but I hope that she doesn't get a doctor's note saying that she needs to travel with an emotional support animal. A person who needs an emotional support dog should be able to qualify whatever emotional issue as a chronic disability, which in her case is not I assume. Needing a dog because a person is an anxious flyer and wanting to avoid cost associated with flying the 7 pound dog as a regular cabin animal should not be enough reasons to travel with an "emotional support dog".
Sorry if I come across as rude, but like I mentioned before I have friends who travel with guide dogs or diabetic detection dogs who encounter difficulty when traveling because more & more people are abusing this "emotional support dog" loophole.
I don't think the OP would have been as upset if the dog was a guide dog, but that is exactly the point. The poodles weren't guide dogs or other actual service animals, but pet dogs that were masquerading as a service dogs. Shame on the owners and shame on the FA for not handling the situation better.
I don't think you're at all rude. As long as the rule is there, she might as well take advantage of it. She has to live where she does and is consequently separated from extended (and very close) family--this dictates a fair amount of travel.
And just to be clear, she'd had panic attacks in flight and got the dog at the suggestion of a counselor--I think that qualifies.
You may disagree, and that's okay. As I said already, you won't know it's a therapy dog because she's very small and usually crated--not much inconvenience to anyone, really.
cheers!