Emotional Support Animals, Service Dogs and Comfort Pets: The Definitive Thread
Jun 6, 2017, 7:52 pm
#646
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Jun 6, 2017, 9:30 pm
#647
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Every culture has its "secrets" that outsiders cannot fathom.
I prefer the variation: "Well bless your heart, sugah." Adds a bit of emphasis.
Jun 6, 2017, 9:45 pm
#648
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 702
[QUOTE=beachmiles;28412173]
What happens more often is the untrained, household pet which doubles as an ESA attacks a fully trained, credentialed service animal, in many cases undoing thousands of hours of training and rendering the service animal unfit to perform their duties for someone who relies on them every waking moment.
So yes, it's kind of a big deal.
You are aware, are you not, that this thread was revived when a thread about an ESA who attacked and mauled a passenger on Delta was moved over here? Or do you think that whatever percentage of ESA flyers have a legitimate need cancels out this kind of concern
Stuff happens,.... rarely.
Stuff happens,.... rarely.
So yes, it's kind of a big deal.
Jun 6, 2017, 10:10 pm
#649
Join Date: Apr 2009
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I think that the ESA situation has definitely gotten worse over the past 5-10 years. When my labradoodle was still with us, he would fly in cargo because we understood that that was the price of having our dog with us (mainly moving between HKG and the US).
Over the past 2 years I have seen a guy flip out because his ESA chinchilla was not being accepted for travel by LX as it did not have the correct paperwork to travel into the EU. He was loudly complaining that his chinchilla was an ESA and that it must fly with him. The GA indicated that was correct, but since the chinchilla did not have a vaccination certificate, it could not fly tonight.
Another experience was when I was flying back FLL-PVD on WN and there was a woman who claimed an ESA, even though the dog was adopted 3 days prior in the Bahamas. Midway through the flight, I felt something rub past my ankle, followed by a foul odor. The dog had decided that he was going to defecate right where my feet were (I was wearing sandals). The WN FAs were highly sympathetic, allowing me to sit in the jumpseat for the remainder of the flight. Upon landing in PVD, I was met by the station supervisor who had been radioed while we were in air who offered me $250 on the spot. The owner was also stopped in the jetway and had to explain how she was sitting in 27E and her dog ended up in 14F. It just so happened that another passenger was passing by when he relayed that he heard that the dog had come in from the Bahamas, and therefore was not an ESA. At the baggage claim another WN supervisor came over to me and told me that the woman admitted that she had played the ESA system and that she was banned for life from WN.
Also, how are ESAs handled in a rabies-free country such as Australia? Since all inbound pets are required to be in quarantine, how do ESAs get a free pass?
Over the past 2 years I have seen a guy flip out because his ESA chinchilla was not being accepted for travel by LX as it did not have the correct paperwork to travel into the EU. He was loudly complaining that his chinchilla was an ESA and that it must fly with him. The GA indicated that was correct, but since the chinchilla did not have a vaccination certificate, it could not fly tonight.
Another experience was when I was flying back FLL-PVD on WN and there was a woman who claimed an ESA, even though the dog was adopted 3 days prior in the Bahamas. Midway through the flight, I felt something rub past my ankle, followed by a foul odor. The dog had decided that he was going to defecate right where my feet were (I was wearing sandals). The WN FAs were highly sympathetic, allowing me to sit in the jumpseat for the remainder of the flight. Upon landing in PVD, I was met by the station supervisor who had been radioed while we were in air who offered me $250 on the spot. The owner was also stopped in the jetway and had to explain how she was sitting in 27E and her dog ended up in 14F. It just so happened that another passenger was passing by when he relayed that he heard that the dog had come in from the Bahamas, and therefore was not an ESA. At the baggage claim another WN supervisor came over to me and told me that the woman admitted that she had played the ESA system and that she was banned for life from WN.
Also, how are ESAs handled in a rabies-free country such as Australia? Since all inbound pets are required to be in quarantine, how do ESAs get a free pass?
Jun 7, 2017, 3:26 am
#651
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
LHR is a good example. Airlines that let improperly documented ESANs on LHR-bound flights can be fined and the ESAN could be put down. I think that applies to all live animals going to UK.
Jun 7, 2017, 8:34 am
#653
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I think that the ESA situation has definitely gotten worse over the past 5-10 years. When my labradoodle was still with us, he would fly in cargo because we understood that that was the price of having our dog with us (mainly moving between HKG and the US).
Over the past 2 years I have seen a guy flip out because his ESA chinchilla was not being accepted for travel by LX as it did not have the correct paperwork to travel into the EU. He was loudly complaining that his chinchilla was an ESA and that it must fly with him. The GA indicated that was correct, but since the chinchilla did not have a vaccination certificate, it could not fly tonight.
Another experience was when I was flying back FLL-PVD on WN and there was a woman who claimed an ESA, even though the dog was adopted 3 days prior in the Bahamas. Midway through the flight, I felt something rub past my ankle, followed by a foul odor. The dog had decided that he was going to defecate right where my feet were (I was wearing sandals). The WN FAs were highly sympathetic, allowing me to sit in the jumpseat for the remainder of the flight. Upon landing in PVD, I was met by the station supervisor who had been radioed while we were in air who offered me $250 on the spot. The owner was also stopped in the jetway and had to explain how she was sitting in 27E and her dog ended up in 14F. It just so happened that another passenger was passing by when he relayed that he heard that the dog had come in from the Bahamas, and therefore was not an ESA. At the baggage claim another WN supervisor came over to me and told me that the woman admitted that she had played the ESA system and that she was banned for life from WN.
Also, how are ESAs handled in a rabies-free country such as Australia? Since all inbound pets are required to be in quarantine, how do ESAs get a free pass?
Over the past 2 years I have seen a guy flip out because his ESA chinchilla was not being accepted for travel by LX as it did not have the correct paperwork to travel into the EU. He was loudly complaining that his chinchilla was an ESA and that it must fly with him. The GA indicated that was correct, but since the chinchilla did not have a vaccination certificate, it could not fly tonight.
Another experience was when I was flying back FLL-PVD on WN and there was a woman who claimed an ESA, even though the dog was adopted 3 days prior in the Bahamas. Midway through the flight, I felt something rub past my ankle, followed by a foul odor. The dog had decided that he was going to defecate right where my feet were (I was wearing sandals). The WN FAs were highly sympathetic, allowing me to sit in the jumpseat for the remainder of the flight. Upon landing in PVD, I was met by the station supervisor who had been radioed while we were in air who offered me $250 on the spot. The owner was also stopped in the jetway and had to explain how she was sitting in 27E and her dog ended up in 14F. It just so happened that another passenger was passing by when he relayed that he heard that the dog had come in from the Bahamas, and therefore was not an ESA. At the baggage claim another WN supervisor came over to me and told me that the woman admitted that she had played the ESA system and that she was banned for life from WN.
Also, how are ESAs handled in a rabies-free country such as Australia? Since all inbound pets are required to be in quarantine, how do ESAs get a free pass?
Jun 7, 2017, 8:57 am
#654
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Join Date: Mar 2004
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[QUOTE=Snowdevil;28412633]
What happens more often is the untrained, household pet which doubles as an ESA attacks a fully trained, credentialed service animal, in many cases undoing thousands of hours of training and rendering the service animal unfit to perform their duties for someone who relies on them every waking moment.
So yes, it's kind of a big deal.
Very good point. ^
Exactly. ^
Phobia is defined as an IRRATIONAL fear, and phobias are very real and quite common. If you don't have one, you're lucky.
And you've guessed wrong. That's why trained and licensed professionals treat phobias, and not lay people who know little or nothing about the subject.
What happens more often is the untrained, household pet which doubles as an ESA attacks a fully trained, credentialed service animal, in many cases undoing thousands of hours of training and rendering the service animal unfit to perform their duties for someone who relies on them every waking moment.
So yes, it's kind of a big deal.
And you've guessed wrong. That's why trained and licensed professionals treat phobias, and not lay people who know little or nothing about the subject.
Jun 7, 2017, 9:20 am
#655
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There are a lot of problems with drunk passengers but I don't see anyone advocating for airlines to stop serving alcohol on board.
Jun 7, 2017, 9:40 am
#656
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Dog walking up and down the aisle
I saw a small puppy walk up and down the aisle during landing last week on a night flight. When I saw this furry thing walk past me, I did a double take. What is that? I was shocked. I couldn't believe my eyes.
I looked around me, everyone was sleeping. There was no sign of who the owner was. I looked at the FA and she couldn't see what was going on because she was sitting at the jumper seat by the door. This goes on for 5 minutes as the dog kept pacing up and down the aisle. Finally the FA in the back saw this and came up and asked who the owner was and the owner didn't even know her dog had escaped out of the bag underneath the seat. The owner said her dog must have been anxious as it has been travelling all day and wanted to get out of the bag. Thankfully, the dog was well behaved and quickly scooted back into the bag.
It was a pretty empty flight so everyone was pretty mellow including the FA who implored the owner to keep an eye on her pet at all times, in a very calm manner. No one freaked out.
I looked around me, everyone was sleeping. There was no sign of who the owner was. I looked at the FA and she couldn't see what was going on because she was sitting at the jumper seat by the door. This goes on for 5 minutes as the dog kept pacing up and down the aisle. Finally the FA in the back saw this and came up and asked who the owner was and the owner didn't even know her dog had escaped out of the bag underneath the seat. The owner said her dog must have been anxious as it has been travelling all day and wanted to get out of the bag. Thankfully, the dog was well behaved and quickly scooted back into the bag.
It was a pretty empty flight so everyone was pretty mellow including the FA who implored the owner to keep an eye on her pet at all times, in a very calm manner. No one freaked out.
Jun 7, 2017, 9:46 am
#657
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Florida
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So I came across this headline:
http://airport.blog.ajc.com/2017/06/...&ICID=ref_fark
(And just realized this was discussed further up, although I haven't found the link yet. Sorry if I reposted. Don't see a way to delete my post.)
http://airport.blog.ajc.com/2017/06/...&ICID=ref_fark
(And just realized this was discussed further up, although I haven't found the link yet. Sorry if I reposted. Don't see a way to delete my post.)
Jun 7, 2017, 9:49 am
#658
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 61
A ridiculous comparison. For one, passengers suspect of being intoxicated may be refused boarding. Few here are suggesting all pets be banned from the cabin, there just needs to be better rules in place to protect the other passengers. ESA's are pets, not service animals, and should be subjected to the same rules and regulations as pets, including being kenneled or crated during the duration of the flight.
Jun 7, 2017, 9:55 am
#659
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Next, you seem to be suggesting that anything less than a mauling is acceptable. It is not. FT is rife with stories of ESAs being general nuisances, defecating, wandering, barking, etc. Service animals are specifically trained NOT to do these things. ESAs should be trained and certified in the same way.
If, however, you are advocating for the current system, i.e. people can bring their pets on board by paying a de minimus fee to a fake on-line shrink then, yes, I think all ESAs should be banned.
Jun 7, 2017, 9:58 am
#660
Join Date: Apr 2015
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A ridiculous comparison. For one, passengers suspect of being intoxicated may be refused boarding. Few here are suggesting all pets be banned from the cabin, there just needs to be better rules in place to protect the other passengers. ESA's are pets, not service animals, and should be subjected to the same rules and regulations as pets, including being kenneled or crated during the duration of the flight.
Ban ESA is like gun control, never ending debate.