Posted on 01/22/2020 4:00:48 PM PST by yesthatjallen
Travelers may be used to flying with their emotional support animals -- anything from a pet hamster to a baby crocodile -- but the rules are about to change, according to a new proposal from the Department of Transportation.
The proposal unveiled by DOT on Wednesday proposes to strictly limit the definition of a service animal to a dog, reversing a policy that permits a wide range of other animals to fly under that framework.
DOTs new rule also no longer requires airlines to recognize emotional support animals, with the agency citing a number of reasons for the change.
SNIP
"The increased availability of fraudulent ESA credentials has enabled people who are not truly in need of animal assistance to abuse the rules and evade airline policies regarding animals in the cabin," Airlines for America said in a statement. "This has led to an increase in incidents by untrained animals threatening the health and safety of passengers, crew and passengers with disabilities traveling with legitimate service animals."
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Lucky for me, I have not yet had to sit next to an "emotional support animal"
I had a German Shepherd that would eat dead roadkill on the farm, especially groundhogs that he would leave at my front door.
When he would pass gas it would clear several rooms. Imagine him in an airplane!
From the article:
There is a 60-day public comment period before the agency can move forward on next steps and implementation.
...
so don’t uncork that victory bottle just yet.
My emotional support animal is a Donkey.
You would think in a civilized society that people would not have to be told this.
These people dont even know what bathroom to use!
When will they let us good folks take our emotional support guns on board?
If you need an ‘emotional support animal’, then perhaps you shouldn’t be flying in the first place. Instead, give the money to whoever you were going to visit to have them come over instead.
...and, if you’re instead taking a vacation to ‘get away from it all’, then you don’t need that animal with you.
That simple.
Humans seem to enjoy that on planes as well. My last flight was filled with farters.
Not often that the girl outweighs the horse. Who had to pay extra?
Why should the rest of us cater to their goofy emotions?
Valium.
5 mg
1/2 in the airport
1/2 when boarding
and read a book
That might be something I could sink my teeth into.
I will be lobbying for the adoption of emotional support pecan pies. LOL
Agreed. If you are too emotional to fly, take a valium, or don’t fly. People who are allergic to animals can go into a full blown asthma attack or worse. Human health comes first. I a woman who was allergic to dogs who, when she saw a dog on plane near her when boarding, SHE had to get off plane and take a later flight.Another perfectly fine young woman bragged about how she got her doctor to give her a pass to bring her large dog on board. The world has gone insane!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.