Emotional Support Animal Policy
Oct 4, 2013, 1:48 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: AAdvantage, HHonors Diamond, WN RR A-list+
Posts: 584
The meditation room at SJC looks like a former storage closet.. Its nothing special
Guess I'm just not PC.
Oct 4, 2013, 2:00 pm
#32
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: GDL
Programs: DL-Plat, Plat Ambassador, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 935
Service dogs provide a real , invaluable service to disabled people. However, I fully believe in testing of service dogs and then licensing them. Then in order to fly, or access public places they should be required to display tags or certification issued by an official agency and all those people selling fake vests and "certifications" should be prosecuted. I doubt most truly disabled people would not object to this. They hate the fakers more than you do I assure you....
Oct 4, 2013, 2:35 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
ESAs are not Service Animals. Only dogs and miniature horses may be used as Service Animals, but I have yet to see a horse.
The Definition of a Service Animal under the Americans With Disabilities Act and Guidance documents from the U.S. Department of Justice have established two training requirements for a Service Animal. The first is that a service animal must be individually trained to perform tasks or work for the benefit of a disabled individual. The second is that a service animal must be trained to behave properly in places of public accommodation. Inappropriate behavior that disrupts the normal course of business or threatens the health or safety of others is automatic grounds for excluding the team from the premises.
Most animals, including but not limited to those labeled Companion Animals, Emotional Support Animals and Therapy Animals or pets are NOT service animals according to ADA’s Definition, as they have NOT been individually trained to perform disability mitigating tasks.
The Definition of a Service Animal under the Americans With Disabilities Act and Guidance documents from the U.S. Department of Justice have established two training requirements for a Service Animal. The first is that a service animal must be individually trained to perform tasks or work for the benefit of a disabled individual. The second is that a service animal must be trained to behave properly in places of public accommodation. Inappropriate behavior that disrupts the normal course of business or threatens the health or safety of others is automatic grounds for excluding the team from the premises.
Most animals, including but not limited to those labeled Companion Animals, Emotional Support Animals and Therapy Animals or pets are NOT service animals according to ADA’s Definition, as they have NOT been individually trained to perform disability mitigating tasks.
Oct 4, 2013, 3:01 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Florida
Programs: sw
Posts: 145
Im sure this will answer some questions. And it happens to be WN as well..
Flying Horse
Flying Horse
Oct 4, 2013, 3:08 pm
#35
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,625
Service dogs provide a real , invaluable service to disabled people. However, I fully believe in testing of service dogs and then licensing them. Then in order to fly, or access public places they should be required to display tags or certification issued by an official agency and all those people selling fake vests and "certifications" should be prosecuted. I doubt most truly disabled people would not object to this. They hate the fakers more than you do I assure you....
When a culture rewards dishonesty things begin to go badly.
Oct 4, 2013, 3:33 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
To say "unbelievable trends out west" when there are plenty of airports on the east coast or midwest that provide the same sort of facilities is ridiculous.
Oct 4, 2013, 4:21 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Those who favor the use of miniature horses point out that horses live much longer than dogs and can be trained to perform similar tasks. Some people are allergic to dogs specifically. Another plus is that some individuals, particularly from Muslim cultures, consider dogs unclean, but accept horses.
Oct 4, 2013, 4:34 pm
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
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The worse though was about four months ago myself and my girlfriend were flying on a WN flight, with her sitting next to someone who had an ESA. Halfway through the flight the ESA which was sitting on the floor proceeds to bite and thoroughly dig its teeth into my girlfriend's leg while she's sleeping. I and another passenger had to pry the dog's mouth apart with both hands to get it off of her leg. While I'm trying to patch up and stem her bleeding in the bathroom for the last 45mins of the flight, the FAs are busy arguing with the lady about how they should have never let the dog on in the first place. Apparently the dog snapped towards someone at the gate, and the GA made a decision to still let the dog on because the owner said "Someone was being hostile towards the dog, it isn't normally like that. I absolutely need the dog to fly" After I heard that, I told the FAs that I wanted both EMTs AND LEOs at the gate when we landed. I and my girlfriend left for the hospital immediately with the EMTs, but the lady went ballistic when she was met by law enforcement and animal control at the gate. The lady admitted the dog hadn't had vaccinations in over five years, so off to the hospital they went as well so everything, including rabies could be ruled out faster than doing the blood work at the animal shelter.
Did the airline follow up? What did they do?
BTW, I admire your restraint. If an ESA attacked my wife in the manner you describe I am not sure that I'd have settled for just prying its jaws apart.
Oct 4, 2013, 5:22 pm
#41
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,700
I popped my head in the room around SW gate 19? and it looked pretty decent to me. No throw pillows, altars, waterfalls or koi ponds but nice rows of chairs, clean and a bit quieter (and also empty).
Last edited by joshua362; Oct 4, 2013 at 5:29 pm
Oct 4, 2013, 5:28 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,700
Of course it nationwide. I even saw tornado shelters at the Kansas City airport!
All in fun
Oct 4, 2013, 5:43 pm
#43
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
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Oct 4, 2013, 11:49 pm
#44
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I'm not personally convinced people "need" emotional support animals (the subject of this thread) but I don't object to any animal on a plane, service, emotional, or for fun, as long as it's well behaved and has paid for its ticket.
Oct 5, 2013, 12:03 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
One of the primary motivations for people to abuse the ESA designation is to avoid the fees imposed on mere pets.