songsc

Am I the only one who think we should put the owners of these animals on leash unless they can provide the appropriate paper work?

KenHamer

Probably because it would fight with my Comfort Cobra.

flyquiet

They should require licenses but the ADA and AODA do not require it. My understanding is under ADA (US) you are allowed to ask if it is a service dog and what service it provides. Only dogs and miniature horses under ADA, not other animals. Emotional support animals are not covered by ADA, just service dogs.
Under AODA (Ontario), the person must provide on request a letter from MD or nurse practitioner that the animal is required due to a disability, but this does not include a requirement to demonstrate that the animal is qualified in any way.
Service dog users would tell you a service dog is "four on the floor" when working and is not carried around.
In my opinion, any properly qualified service dog/horse has a certificate. I would like to believe that most who rely on them would be happy if the certificate was required to be displayed like a license plate, because unqualified service animals give legitimate ones a bad name. However, there are those that don't feel they should have to constantly prove themselves etc.

InTheAirGuy

BS. Such as the not-servicey dog which barked, whined and moaned much of a recent flight to YVR ..... in J. So I spend a few $K to get some work done and have some rest, and I have to listen to some animal whine and bark, fairly regularly?

I'm sorry, but someone needs to intervene on this crap behaviour.

eracerblue

Yeah, that's not a service dog. It may be a support dog. Either way not great. Why not have an ESA in a carrier while eating -- after all it is required for take off and landing.

Because it is a criminal offence in many jurisdictions.

Backing up here. In many states and provinces, to use a stated service dog (eg Service Dog vest) in public spaces it must be licensed. Such is the case in BC. In particular, while ALL facilities are required explicitly by law to allow service dogs (eg YVR concourse), they are probably not under quite the same obligation for support animals, especially without medical documentation. I see no harm in the esetablishment asking for documentation, especially for ESAs. MLL allows small pets in carriers tho too.

In particular all North American airlines require advance proof of authenticity for all service OR support animals prior to departures - I believe 24-48hrs in advance. Such tickets will likely have a MED code on boarding pass OR remarks on ticket file. So it's a pretty straight forward thing... if instead it says PET or PETC on the boarding pass, it is unlikely to be a service or support animal. Again, documentation in odd circumstances can clear that up.

Marlin240

Some drunken passengers can't help whining about the state of the MLLs. Others are just barking mad.

As for crap behaviour, well perhaps they just couldn't wait for the loo to be free.

Marlin240

Hmmm. Maybe another money-making opportunity for AC, taking bets as comfort animals fight it out in the pit.

trooper

I like snakes..... so I can say its OK to bring those into the lounge?

Transpacificflyer

I would expect that you are in a minority for those those of us who are not IT workers and not afraid of dogs, girls if male (or boys if female or fluidlike cisgender) and the dark.
Canadians are very backward when it comes to companion animals accompanying their humans. I look forward to the day when my dog can fly with me in the cabin. I should very much like to travel the world with my best friend and would much rather a dog than some of the horrid creatures who enter the MLL now or who are in the premium seats. I can assure you that no dog would ever hose down a lav the way some pax do, and no dog would kick my seat, and no dog would take out its dentures to adjust them, etc. I should much rather be given dog smoochies than to sit next to someone's child who is leaking from multiple orifices and sharing its contagions.

To be perfectly clear; Dogs are good and those who dislike dogs are not good. They are bad.

jc94

I love well behaved dogs.

But let's ignore behaviour for a moment, I have a friend and a relative who are really really allergic to dogs. Both fly (short haul mostly) and I wouldn't want them to be on the same plane as a dog, at least not in the general vicinity.

Do AC do dog exclusion zones like they do for nuts? I guess that's only in the air and not in the MLL.

quantumofforce

that's why I don't have a licence plate on my car.

KenHamer

Lounges are already filled with snakes.

RatherBeInYOW

This is me. I have a fairly severe dog allergy that triggers asthma, so it isn't just an inconvenience for me it is a heath risk for me and potentially an issue for the airline when we're in the air.

If you have a service animal I respect it and I'd move (in the lounge) or ask to be re-seated (on the plane) to try an minimize this, although I can say that in hundreds of flights I have not had this happen; I've only seen service animals in the airport but never in my flight or in the lounge.

I have less respect for your emotional support animal, not the least of which is because the system is so blatantly easy to abuse. I've encountered an ESA on the plane (I asked that myself or the other pax be moved, in that case the moved the other pax) but there is absolutely zero reason for an ESA to be wandering around in the lounge. If I saw a dog doing that I'd have a word with the owner followed by the lounge staff. Not acceptable.

kilarney

The day that dogs have unfettered access to an airplane cabin is the day that I stop flying.

djkyyc

LAX MLL just now. Pax brings a dog in and I hear her tell the front desk it is a support dog. She then proceeds to let it wander around the lounge including the food areas unfettered never seeming to care where it was.