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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 Dec 24, 2015, 5:34 pm
  #46  
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The Health Dept. isn't going to "confiscate" any traveling animals that have been let out of a carrier, nor is a pet a bigger health threat than an "emotional support animal."
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 5:35 pm
  #47  
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Originally Posted by jsk1973
The Health Dept. isn't going to "confiscate" any traveling animals that have been let out of a carrier, nor is a pet a bigger health threat than an "emotional support animal."
It might not be a bigger health threat, but the law doesn't see it that way. The law says no animals, with some exceptions.
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 5:52 pm
  #48  
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If a person doesn't like having a pet out of its carrier, mention it politely to the person involved and/or to a manager. There's no need for passive-aggressive complaints to the Health Department, which might — if you're lucky — respond three weeks later, by which time the offending pet is likely to be thousands of miles away.
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 5:56 pm
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Originally Posted by fjord
I didn't. Stink eye given and acknowledged. I saw at least couple more stink eyes being thrown his way and the dog was removed about a minute later. Pup was relocated to his lap. Acceptable.
Happy to hear that both you and others actually took action. Too many sensitive little flowers these days.
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 6:25 pm
  #50  
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Originally Posted by jsk1973
If a person doesn't like having a pet out of its carrier, mention it politely to the person involved and/or to a manager. There's no need for passive-aggressive complaints to the Health Department, which might if you're lucky respond three weeks later, by which time the offending pet is likely to be thousands of miles away.

Ah but maybe they can put the pooch on the TSA's no fly list
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 6:31 pm
  #51  
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Monstrous! It's more people we need on the no-fly list!
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 7:44 pm
  #52  
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What is it with carrying pets around?

Maybe the legal barriers are too high in Europe or Asia but I never see dogs on aircraft outside of the US.
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 9:24 pm
  #53  
 
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Back in the Northwest days, I flew a couple of times with the late great Five cat because it was cheaper to take him on the plane than to pay for a catsitter. He only ever left the carrier when he had to at security; like a lot of cats, he felt safer in his box than he would have taken out of it when there were far too many strange people around him.

Save for a few meows when the air pressure changed, you'd have to see the carrier to know I had a cat with me, and I always tried to end up at the opposite end of the plane as anyone who said they had allergies. Alas, the people who don't follow the rules mess it up for those of us who try to do so.
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Old Dec 24, 2015, 10:02 pm
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Originally Posted by beachmouse
it was cheaper to take him on the plane than to pay for a catsitter.
What's even cheaper is not having pets!
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Old Dec 25, 2015, 1:03 am
  #55  
 
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Originally Posted by zitsky
IMHO, dog owners in general have a grossly exaggerated idea of what is appropriate. They think everyone just loves dogs and they don't understand why people have an issue with their saliva and germs (and poo). I like dogs, but they don't belong in a lounge unless in a carrier.

Yes, I'm a cat owner and you won't see my cats drooling over the food in the lounge. They'll be at home where they belong.
A lot of parents have this same syndrome when it comes to their kids....
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Old Dec 25, 2015, 5:37 am
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On a similar note, there was a woman with a dog not in a carrier on flight 2836 from BOS to ATL on Wednesday. She boarded, saw that the seat next to her was (temporarily) open, and let her dog jump up on it! She even said something like "Ooh, maybe you'll get your own seat!" A few minutes later, the owner of that seat boarded. She didn't say anything, but what if she had been allergic to dogs or something? Completely unacceptable to let a dog jump on a seat. This wasn't even a little wiener dog. It was a small-medium sized dog. Looked like a young labdradoodle, but I'm not sure.
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Old Dec 25, 2015, 8:23 am
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Originally Posted by BOSTransplant
On a similar note, there was a woman with a dog not in a carrier on flight 2836 from BOS to ATL on Wednesday. She boarded, saw that the seat next to her was (temporarily) open, and let her dog jump up on it! She even said something like "Ooh, maybe you'll get your own seat!" A few minutes later, the owner of that seat boarded. She didn't say anything, but what if she had been allergic to dogs or something? Completely unacceptable to let a dog jump on a seat. This wasn't even a little wiener dog. It was a small-medium sized dog. Looked like a young labdradoodle, but I'm not sure.
This whole "comfort" animal thing is out of control. If you don't have a legitimate physical limitation, your animal needs to stay in a carrier, or at your house.

Too bad the airlines are too cowardly to try to stop the practice. If I was allergic to dogs and saw one sitting in my seat, I'd demand that the dog and its owner be offloaded. Then again, people with "comfort" animals seem to have more passenger rights than the rest of us, so I'd probably be the one left at the gate.
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Old Dec 25, 2015, 9:18 am
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Originally Posted by WWads
This whole "comfort" animal thing is out of control. If you don't have a legitimate physical limitation, your animal needs to stay in a carrier, or at your house.

Too bad the airlines are too cowardly to try to stop the practice. If I was allergic to dogs and saw one sitting in my seat, I'd demand that the dog and its owner be offloaded. Then again, people with "comfort" animals seem to have more passenger rights than the rest of us, so I'd probably be the one left at the gate.
I think the only way this will change is if someone gets attacked by a passengers "comfort" animal. I would sure like to have a fluffy cat sit on my lap on the plane (like he is now), but the carrier is the better place.

We better get this back on topic before this thread gets locked, LOL.
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Old Dec 25, 2015, 6:38 pm
  #59  
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Originally Posted by WWads
This whole "comfort" animal thing is out of control. If you don't have a legitimate physical limitation, your animal needs to stay in a carrier, or at your house.

Too bad the airlines are too cowardly to try to stop the practice. If I was allergic to dogs and saw one sitting in my seat, I'd demand that the dog and its owner be offloaded. Then again, people with "comfort" animals seem to have more passenger rights than the rest of us, so I'd probably be the one left at the gate.
I would demand that the seat be disinfected, and the dog be kept confined somewhere far away from me.

Or I'd demand that the airline give me a written statement that it is ignoring my allergies (which I would then use any time they suggested that I avoid eating nuts of peanuts because of someone else's allergies).
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Old Dec 25, 2015, 6:40 pm
  #60  
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Originally Posted by jsk1973
If a person doesn't like having a pet out of its carrier, mention it politely to the person involved and/or to a manager. There's no need for passive-aggressive complaints to the Health Department, which might if you're lucky respond three weeks later, by which time the offending pet is likely to be thousands of miles away.
I would report it to a manager, and if action weren't taken sufficiently promptly, re-report it with an offer to forward photos to the Health Department.
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