Posted on 05/17/2018 10:12:49 AM PDT by servo1969
American Airlines is making it very clear: Insects, goats and hedgehogs cannot be brought on planes as emotional support animals. The airline revised its guidelines on Monday for comfort animals on flights.
Those who want to bring such an animal on board now have to file paperwork 48 hours before a flight, and there are new restrictions on which types of animals are permitted.
"We support the rights of customers, from veterans to people with disabilities, with legitimate needs for a trained service or support animal," American Airlines said in a press release. "Unfortunately, untrained animals can lead to safety issues for our team, our customers and working dogs onboard our aircraft."
Emotional support animals provide comfort to those suffering from emotional or psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression and panic attacks. They're typically allowed to fly on planes for free if they meet certain requirements.
The use of such animals on flights has ballooned in recent years. American Airlines (AAL) said that between 2016 and 2017, the number of customers transporting service or support animals aboard their planes rose by more than 40%.
Now, the airline is cracking down.
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This includes not only insects, goats and hedgehogs, but also ferrets, spiders, and non-household birds, like chickens and hawks. Unclean animals, or animals with an odor, are banned, too.
Miniature horses, meanwhile, remain okay, so long as they're properly trained as service animals.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
“Everything which is not forbidden is allowed”
“Everything which is not forbidden is compulsory.
I would gladly sit next to a tarantula.
Probably behaves much better than some humans I have sat next to...................for hours..................
Delta said that all passengers attempting to board with a service animal would have to show “proof,” 48 hours in advance, that the animal is in good health and has been vaccinated.
Both airlines started requiring those flying with emotional support animals to sign a form that their animal is well behaved, in addition to asking for a letter signed by a doctor or licensed mental health professional that certifies the passenger needs a comfort animal.
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How do I get my pet fruit fly vaccinated?
No kidding. I once saw a Honey Badger emotional support animal freak out at a TSA agent. The pizza-faced kid wanted it to go through the X-Ray see-your-boobs machine and so the honey badger bit the little perverted nerd in the ear. Three more Thousands Standing Around agents rushed over. The Honey Badger mauled the first, swiped at the second, and darted off to Cinnabon and ate maybe thirteen of those things which made the Honey Badger more energetic and agitated. Airport security had surrounded the area and one of the US agents whose job is to ignore foreigners entering and interrogate and detain US Citizens returning started screaming into his radio. People were screaming, two of those absurdly fast electric transport vehicles people who are not disabled use ran into each other and I saw a nice old lady in a wheelchair make a puddle of pee all over the floor but the Honey Badger really did not care.
Snakes??? Holy moly, reminds me of the movie, Snakes on a Plane.......
I have an emotional support gecko. Don’t even have to feed it. Just put it by the front door and turn on the light.
Damn, I really wanted to bring my emotional support tick.
I clicked the thread just to see if someone would post a pic of the hedgehog.
We need to stop accommodating these people that make up some sob story so they can carry their pets everywhere they go. What about people with legit allergies who have to share a seat with a cat because some lady pretends she cant function without her Fluffy nearby? Legitimate service animals, highly trained and serving a medical purpose (or support for the blind or handicapped) are the exception to the “no pets” rule, not the model to be used to overturn it.
We need to stop accommodating these people that make up some sob story so they can carry their pets everywhere they go. What about people with legit allergies who have to share a seat with a cat because some lady pretends she cant function without her Fluffy nearby? Legitimate service animals, highly trained and serving a medical purpose (or support for the blind or handicapped) are the exception to the “no pets” rule, not the model to be used to overturn it.
Now what will I do with my emotional support beehive?
Oh good, my possum is still good to go. I guess because he plays dead in crowds he is alright. 8>)
I used to make up stories like that, albeit with a bit more mayhem, for my kids when they were young.
Two that come to mind were Pablo and the baby biker gang and the time George Bush the elder’s runaway presidential train. (everyone on the train was knocked out when it went through a cloud of diaper gas after the track-side diaper laundry exploded)
She’s definitely not guilty, but the bug has to go...
I’m going to take my emotional support wolf on next flight, either that or my emotional support goose.
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