Originally Posted by
VegasGambler
There is no way this was a service animal. Service animals are well-trained and well-behaved. This was most likely a fake emotional support animal with a bad owner. There is no legal requirement that they be allowed on planes.
The ACAA currently applies to both trained service animals as well as emotional support animals, both of which are (currently) allowed by law on planes. While some folks may be finding ways to get their pets onto planes without a true need for an emotional support animal, so long as they meet the legal requirements and airline policies (primarily documentation from a mental health professional, and often sign-off from a vet), they are absolutely permitted on planes unless they are causing a safety issue or major disruption.
Without being the mental health professional treating that passenger, there's no way to know for sure what the basis of their needs might be to bring their animal on board the plane. Certainly it would be nice if everyone who did so (whether or not they truly have a need to) ensured their animals were well behaved, and not impacting other passengers, but it'd be nice if kids didn't scream/cry during flights or kick other passengers' seats, people didn't put their bare feet all over the place, or grab the backs of everyone's seats as they walked down the aisle, too. At the end of the day, I just am sick of the narrative that anyone with anyone traveling with an emotional support animal is just faking it, or that they should have to travel by other means because some find it annoying.