Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Air Canada | Aeroplan
Reload this Page >

Fake service dogs on board AC flight?

Old Jan 16, 2018, 8:46 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: eracerblue
In all likelihood, airlines may be nervous about dealing with this issue firsthand. In lieu of this, perhaps we can formulate a step by step guide for pax significantly bothered by a dog, similar to how people choose to confront pax not using headphones, etc. THIS IS A DRAFT, OPEN FOR ALTERATION (NOT SUGGESTED FOR USE AT THIS TIME).

Pax procedure:
1. Sees an unruly dog, suspecting it is not a real ESA or service animal
2. "Hi, cute dog you have there, is he a service animal?"
3a. "Cool an ESA - just so you know, ESA's really aren't permitted off leash or out of kennel unless beside you or on your lap, as it defeats the purpose. Even service dogs don't get to wander. I know you're legit, but I have a friend with an ESA and they say how people overstepping their rights make everyone look bad." Ask to see their BP if you're ballsy, which would generally say MEDA, not PETC.
3b. "Cool - service animals are expected to remain 'on duty', and it seems he may not be"
4. "I understand, but the only reason a service animal should be off leash and away from handler is because you are having an episode and he's going for help. You probably don't want someone calling emergency services unnecessarily." FYI This BP may say MEDA, maybe nothing.
5. Politely remove yourself.
6. If situation persists, inform MLL staff.
7. If you feel confident the dog is being masqueraded as a service dog, and you feel empowered for someone to have a very bad day, find the airport's non-emergency police line...
.
.
ALTERNATIVE PAX PROCEDURE:
1. "Hi, are you okay???!!"
2. "I was really worried and I have called emergency services. In <insert your state/province> the only reason a service animal of any type would be away from their owner is if they were trying to call for help. Are you sure you're ok?"


There's likely poor training for staff on this issue. A staff process should be something like:

1. Dog comes in off leash, or pax not holding harness
a. Is your dog required because of a disability? If yes, What work is it trained to perform?
b. Given satisfactory answers, but unsatisfactory appearance (no vest/harness) or behaviour of dog, lightly inform pax that authorities have been called in prior instances if the animal acts in untrained manner (eg wandering around the lounge). It is a public area, and the dog must remain "on duty".
c. In addition a service animal would have been registered ahead of time and would be indicated on the BP/ticket remarks. If it's not, then it's not a service animal and should never be off leash or harness.

2. Dog comes in on leash/harness
Same as above, though obviously can add the: should remain on leash bit.

3. Dog comes in in carry-on kennel
a. "That's a cute pet you have! Just so you know, our policy is X" (which requires your pet to stay in its kennel while in the food area, whatever)
b. Pax says it's an emotional support dog. "In that case, while outside of the cafeteria area, you can have it on leash or on your lap. But if it's wandering around you may be asked to leave.

And in the cases where there's an issue with a claimed service animal:
a. Check BP/ticket remarks
b. Remind pax that dog must remain on duty/in carrier etc as appropriate
c. Inform/remind pax that it is an offence to pass as a service dog
d. Call authorities

Or something like that. Pretty basic stuff.... although maybemployees thought they'd only be interacting with the well behaved pax?
Print Wikipost

Fake service dogs on board AC flight?

Old Aug 28, 2017, 4:06 pm
  #46  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Originally Posted by smallmj
I saw an article earlier today saying that fake service dogs are becoming a real problem.
Today?

This nuisance has been going on for quite some time and not long ago, you missed a rant of a thread on the AA forum.

Pet people have figured out how to bypass the rules by getting letters from doctors and fake vests and certificates and flying on U.S. airlines is a giant pig pen. IMHO

But due to the U.S. Disability Act, no one can seem to do anything about it even if the authorities acknowledge they know about it.

This idiocy has made things more challenging for people who use seeing-eye dogs and similar. A real service dog is properly trained and certified and barking is not something they do.

Until such time as one of these fake dogs bites another pax, nothing will be done.
24left is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 4:08 pm
  #47  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: DSM
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Pres. Circle
Posts: 235
Originally Posted by smallmj
I saw an article earlier today saying that fake service dogs are becoming a real problem.
Want to make Duke a "service" dog?
About $100 will do it. You get a letter of registration and everything.



https://usaservicedogregistration.com/
cornfedcowboy is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 4:13 pm
  #48  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: DSM
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Pres. Circle
Posts: 235
Just found this too. Had no idea.
"Legally speaking, only dogs and miniature horses may be considered service animals."
cornfedcowboy is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 4:19 pm
  #49  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: AC Altitude SE100K, HH Diamond
Posts: 254
Last week I saw a woman walking through the airport (post security) with a St. Bernard like dog with a vest on it. It stank. While I have no way of knowing whether the two were actually boarding an aircraft, I cannot imagine how this animal would have fit between the seats - and I cannot imagine what it would be like for the seat mate. Are there any restrictions in place for service animals related to size? Cleanliness?
AleEat is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 4:35 pm
  #50  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,417
Exclamation

Folks please note that as there was a recent thread on the same topic (started by the same poster BTW) the two threads have been merged. Let's please try and keep this thread from slipping its leash and running too far afield well beyond AC related matters.

tcook052
AC forum Mod.
tcook052 is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 4:59 pm
  #51  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Titanium & LTP, NEXUS
Posts: 613
Originally Posted by cornfedcowboy
Just found this too. Had no idea.
"Legally speaking, only dogs and miniature horses may be considered service animals."
I believe that applies within Canada. For the US, it's more flexible. i.e. they recommend that the animal be harnessed, but can't enforce it.

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...ce-animal.html

My wife & I occasionally train service animals (for PADS in Vancouver) and flew with our service dog a couple of times on AC. Throughout the training we often ran into fake service animals which makes life more difficult for almost everyone.
JordanYVR is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 5:09 pm
  #52  
Carlson Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: YTZ
Programs: Hertz & Avis PC; National EE; SPG & Hilton Gold; AC 35K (yawn)
Posts: 5,921
Fake / barking service animal? Decend to 10,000 feet, open door, eject offender.


Of course I mean the ownerIm not cruel after all
smallmj likes this.
briantoronto is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 5:34 pm
  #53  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,817
Originally Posted by 24left
...Until such time as one of these fake dogs bites another pax, nothing will be done.
You mean like this?
Passenger Attacked by Emotional Support Dog on Delta Flight
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...passenger.html
Finkface is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2017, 5:48 pm
  #54  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Yes.
So I guess the fraud continues for those who can get away with it.

I knew from earlier articles that DOT was looking into rewriting the rules

Quotes:

"DOT said the rules would “address the concerns that have been raised with the department regarding the definition of a service animal” under federal law, and “instances of passengers falsely representing that their pets are service animals in order to avoid pet fees that airlines may charge for pets to travel in the aircraft cabin.”

"DOT said U.S. carriers are required under the Air Carrier Access Act to transport all service and emotional support animals with a few exceptions, such as snakes, ferrets, rodents and spiders. Airlines must evaluate unusual animals such as the miniature horses, pigs and monkeys on a case-by-case basis. A single passenger can have two or more service animals."

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...upport-animal/

Is Air Canada under DOT rules when it flies into the U.S.?

Last edited by 24left; Aug 28, 2017 at 5:53 pm
24left is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2017, 5:10 pm
  #55  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 2
You don't need any paperwork for a physical service dog (like blind people). A credible verbal assurance is enough.

Psychiatric service dogs and emotional support animals require paperwork from a doctor. There is no such thing as a registry.
Therapy Pals is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 8:23 am
  #56  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Emotional Support Animals on AC

Two large dogs on AC780 today. Im tempted to take a photo but am afraid Ill be Mark Halperin-ed.

What are your thoughts on emotional support animals?

I think the quotation marks make my opinion clear.
capedreamer is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 8:58 am
  #57  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,220
Probably no worse than my support honey badger.
KenHamer is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 9:21 am
  #58  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson
Posts: 35,232
Originally Posted by KenHamer
Probably no worse than my support honey badger.
Support honey badgers don't care.
yyznomad is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 10:58 am
  #59  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: Only J via Peasant Points, 777HDPeasant or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance and Narcissism.
Posts: 5,944
Originally Posted by yyznomad
Support honey badgers don't care.
#Woke
#StayWoke2014
Jumper Jack is offline  
Old Dec 16, 2017, 12:55 pm
  #60  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,183
Originally Posted by capedreamer
Two large dogs on AC780 today. Im tempted to take a photo but am afraid Ill be Mark Halperin-ed.

What are your thoughts on emotional support animals?

I think the quotation marks make my opinion clear.
Dealing with AC-induced stress

The law made it too easy to abuse. Airlines in the US have to treat ESAs the same as service animals, but unlike service animals, it is not illegal to claim a pet is an ESA. Therefore you have to deal with this crap.

And the whiny teenagers who think they deserve to board ahead of zone 1 because they have an ESA.
capedreamer and Diabeetus like this.
canadiancow is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.