A couple months ago there was a disturbing incident aboard a Delta aircraft at Hartsfield-Jackson airport. A man was mauled by the “emotional support dog” accompanying the passenger next to him. The situation was bad enough that he had to be removed from the flight and taken to receive medical care.
The offending dog in the incident was a “lab mix” of roughly 50 pounds. The animal was reportedly sitting on its owners lap. Read that again and let the visual sink in. This is a 50-pound dog sitting on someone’s lap. In an economy seat. On a plane.
Putting myself in the situation
Imagine for a moment that you’re the man at the window. There is a passenger next to you in the middle seat. You are already in the crowded space that is economy seating, but now you are next to a person with a rather large animal on his lap. Sound fun?
Not in the slightest. In fact, I’d do everything in my power to get out of that situation, including insisting that either I or the other passenger be re-seated, or one of us moved to a new flight. The article dredged up many of the issues I have with emotional support animals. Here are three reasons why I think airlines should be more restrictive when it comes to allowing ESAs on airplanes:
Discomfort to other passengers
An emotional support animal (ESA) is obviously there for its owner’s comfort. However, the animal could easily cause discomfort to other passengers. What about people who are allergic to the animal? Or unnerved by it? My travel plans have never included sitting next to a dog on a flight, and never will.
It’s one thing for someone to be transporting a chihuahua in a pet carrier, especially if you can fit it under your seat. It’s an entirely different situation for someone to have a 50 pound dog on your lap. I’m totally cool with the former. The latter, however, would make me extremely uncomfortable.
There obviously needs to be a balance here. An emotional support animal may be needed by a passenger to help them cope with flying, yet it may end up causing other passengers quite a bit of discomfort. Where does the airline draw the line? This leads me to my second point…
Rules are awkward for airlines
If you can have a 50 pound emotional support animal on your lap, why couldn’t I have my 50 pound child ride on my lap. Okay, okay…obvious safety issue here. But what about holding a compact 50-pound luggage on my lap? Maybe emotional support luggage is a way to bypass those nasty basic economy fees…
The best I can find, airlines don’t have very clear cut policies for dealing with ESAs, besides requiring proof of need for the animal by a physician and notifying the airline by phone by phone before you travel with your ESA.
It seems airlines will even do their best to accommodate someone traveling with an ESA, potentially going as far as to seat them in a bulkhead row. They might also remove a passenger who is made uncomfortable by an ESA. Or they might remove you and your ESA if it starts pooping all over.
ESAs do *not* require certification or training
Here’s the real rub: emotional support animals are not trained and do not have any sort of certification requirements like real service animals. I understand that emotional support animals help many people cope with anxiety, depression, and other emotional issues. But the primary difficulty I have with ESAs is that they do not require either certification or training. There is no licensure for the animal. Zero.
Because emotional support dogs do not receive anything like the intense training that goes into other service dogs, I think they should be treated very differently than other service animals. Especially when it comes to being transported in close proximity to other people in an enclosed metal tube 30,000 feet in the sky.
Plus, the lack of certification and training combined with the ability to fairly easily obtain a doctor’s note creates a system ripe for abuse. There is even an entire industry that caters to certifying your pet as an ESA.
Conclusion
Bringing things back to the man who was mauled, this situation could have been prevented by imposing a maximum size or weight for ESAs (hopefully something under 50 pounds), or requiring that the dog sit at the person’s feet at all times and not on their lap. The teeth would no longer be at face height. I’d rather have my leg mauled than my chin.
I can put up with an awful lot while flying. But sitting in a 17-inch seat next to both another person and a 50 pound dog for four and a half hours(!) in a cramped space might be the most utterly unpleasant travel experience I’ve ever imagined.
What do you think? Should there be greater restrictions on emotional support animals when it comes to air travel?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
ESA’s are 100% a scam. A pure scam. If you can’t get through life without having a freaking animal by your side 24/7 then you should probably never go outside.
I like how I have to make grown up decisions everyday but am expected to accommodate everyone else’s BS.
Do you realize how cruel you sound? Some depressed people would not come out of their homes at all if they did not need to walk their dog. Believe me, you would not want to be in their shoes.
This is not only about them.
They place service dog teams in jeopardy because they are not trained. The person can take a tranquilizer to get through the ride. There are other ways they can negotiate a plane ride without putting others at risk.
Agreed! And as far as major training, they have the unconditional love their human needs. They do not need years of training, and certificates etc. in order to be obedient, respectful of others and love their human.
Yes
How much educational training does a dog need to give unconditional love to it human? Yes obedience and public safty education but really ESP dogs offer love/ emotional support. My 13 year old son tried to hang himself Sunday night. He’s diagnosed with ASD, BP II, ADHD, MATH LD, TOURETTES SYNDROME. He has fought suicide since he was a little boy. To think that a dog could have made all the difference in how he felt in this world… some people deeply benefit from unconditional love.
Daddy, what about service animals? Having them with you 24/7. Is that BS? Should that person with service dog never go outside? Do those with service dogs not make grown up decision every day? Or is your beef just with ESAs & your sense of people exploiting the system? Just wondering & asking for clarification. This comment is not meant to challenge your thoughts. Just wondering where you stand on service dogs.
Yes you are a sad person be prepared for your lonely life.
I have an ESA CHIHUAHUA/MINI DOBERMAN mixed. Alonzo is the smartest loving in tuned to my voice volume, he knows when I’m happy, sad, scared worried. He knows when I’m playing or serious and is better behaved than most children.
I don’t agree that any animal that heavy should be allowed to have sat on anyone’s lap. The incident proved the out come.
Try to remember you to may meet with some issue and you may have a 50 pound rabbits or bird that comforts your needs.
Agreed!
As a person who owns and uses an ESA dog I would like to comment by Daddy. 1st of all, there is certification and training for these animals. I sought it out because it was a concern of mine regarding other passengers when I utilize the dog. I also have a non allergenic dog as I am allergic to pet dander also. These are genuine health and safety concerns. Prior to take off and while being seated I advise the crew of the dog and prior to anyone being seated next to me, I also advise the passenger in case they would prefer to sit elsewhere. That is a courtesy I always extend. Most times the person/s sitting next to me are unaware the pet is even there. Of course my dog is only 10 lbs. and I agree there should be restrictions and guidelines. I also am a retired Homicide Detective from Chicago with an additional 10 years of service to this country as a combat Marine Corps veteran. I am not depressed or emotionally unstable, I suffer from PTSD which is now classified as a Traumatic Injury. Not everyone who utilizes these pets are scamming, there is a need. The airlines understand that and accommodate them just like any bonafide illness. Regardless of anyones position on this matter, there are 2 sides to every issue. Unfortunately Daddy’s is one of ignorance.
Rich,
Congratulations, you are a shining example of the kind of stories I wish we’d hear of more regularly (and I mean that sincerely). It’s really unfortunate that we almost exclusively hear about bad owners (and kids, and breeds, and everything else under the sun) and both sides too often descend to “You’re stupid and codependant!” “No, you’re stupid and ignorant!” but such is life (I mentioned the kids-free-flight post a little earlier; my god, that turned into a blood bath). I can’t see any problem with your actions – you got training, and advise the crew and passengers as soon as you can. That’s the sort of thing that will make people see ESAs (be they a dog, monkey, or pig) as necessary for heath solution as seeing-eye dogs. It doesn’t even matter what size those are, because they’re so well trained you don’t even notice them after the initial ‘huh, a dog’.
I do think that the airlines have some obligation to adjust to both passengers problems, if the person is allergic or terrified of the animal in question (for example, I would gladly take a later flight to avoid even being on a plane w/a snake ESA, Im terrified of them to the point of hysteria). But that’s something the airlines are going to have to decide, and make policy for. This piecemeal refusal to acknowledge a legitimate simply makes us all upset with each other instead of putting the blame where it belongs.
I totally agree with you! I have a certified ESA Chihuahua/collie mix about 15 lbs. I suffer from Anxiety and Depression due to Chronic Pain. Just being able to hold her and cuddle her makes a HUGE difference in my moods. Petting her is soothing which helps ease my fears and pain and helps me regain my ability to concentrate due to Fibromyalgia with neuropathy, RA, migraines and cervical degenerative disc ddisease.
Our canines ARE Our Friends- They ARE STILL
There With You When
Everyone has Left the
Funeral Home or the
Visit 2 years LATER.
100% agree. As someone who has a horrible allergic condition, I can tell you that if I was next to someone with a shedding 50 pound dog essentially on my lap as well, it would not be a good flight. Maybe if It caused me to go into anaphylaxis, I could just vomit all over Mr. Inconsiderate and his 50 pound “lap dog” that he paid $30 for an online certificate for.
If you truly need the company of your animal to be able to fly, then you are a safety hazard. How is such an emotionally fragile person going to act in a real emergency? End this ridiculous farce now. I love my dog enough to leave him in caring hands when I travel.
I have an ESA and I don’t need him because I am afraid to fly, I need him at my destination. ( If I will be gone less than a week, I leave him at home). I have pretty severe depression and anxiety and my dog is sometimes the only thing that can bring me joy.
That being said, I do agree the ESA thing has gotten out of hand and more rules in place would be a good idea.
You obviously don’t have any medical conditions they cause anxiety and depression.
You, like many, do not realize how much suffering one has regardless of the illness(es) that have caused it. People like you need to be educated on things like this. You probably don’t believe in”Invisible Illnesses” either.
Those people are selfish and I think they are mentally ill. Do they really need dogs 24/7 around them? Really? If so, they are losers. They don’t understand how to let go. They are so attached to this little animal that they never realize “detachment” is the only way to set the mind free.
Of course they are mentally ill, that’s why people get ESAs in the first place! You are so ignorant, I won’t even bother addressing the rest of your comment.
As a disabled veteran with a service dog (not an ESA), I find your comment totally insensitive. I have my dog with me 24/7. I’m far from mentally ill & have no attachment/detachment issues. I was injured serving my country, serving you. Please in the future don’t assume those who need dogs 24/7 are mentally ill. Now, that being said, there is a BIG difference btwn service dogs & ESA dogs. Yes, ESA animals have gotten out of hand & it’s being abused. That is wrong but don’t confuse the 2 different types of dogs & the purposes they serve.
Appropriately Said! And,
Thank You for your
S E R V I C E &
PROTECION !!!
do not judge only God can judge. On judgement day. Beware what you say! If was the other way around and you were in the shoes of that person how would u feel?
Thank you for your support for us who need our support/service animals. I agree people abuse it and there needs to be a better way.
Are you kidding me? I have a pit bull ESA and he is the most well behaved dog. And yes people are sometimes mentally ill and need something to comfort them. Like me for example I have severe obsessive compulsive disorder, which is a mental illness if you have it in a certain case like me. I also have anxiety. My dog is the only one that comforts me when I have my moments and it’s something you would never understand because you don’t have to deal with it.
Thank you for writing about, and standing up for, this sensitive topic!
After reading about how people w/out ESAs get treated inhumanely (like being booted from a flight for complaining about their allergy to the ESA nearby… getting their face mauled by a big dog…etc), I’ve been developing some anxiety about flying and getting into a situation that will put MY well-being in danger. I have severe allergies to certain kinds of animal dander (my throat will close up and will not be able to breathe) and now carry heavy-duty allergy meds and will be getting an EpiPen just in case I get stuck in a flight w/an ESA I’m allergic to.
Airlines and people make a big deal about not serving peanuts on-board when someone is allergic to them (and I am happy to comply!), yet only about 2% of the population have peanut allergies. 10% of the population have some sort of pet dander allergy. Why aren’t people making a big deal out of this more common situation?
I’m guessing airlines will make better, stricter policies about putting passenger safety first when someone has a serious anaphylactic shock while on-board or gets mauled (again) and are stuck with a lawsuit.
Anyone know what happened after the mauling? Is there a lawsuit, settlement? Curious to know the outcome.
I have, and use, a BS emotional support animal cert I ordered online. Don’t need the emotional support but airlines charging me $100 each way to fly my 10lb dog from PHX-SAN is the real scam here. The pet carrier counts as one of my carry on bags and the dog stays in the carrier under the seat the entire time – but somehow this justifies a $200 round trip fee.
That is bull
Federal law allows service-support on planes!! People just want something to b***** about cause there board!! I have a Shepardaki
She been threw training since she was 1yr
Old. Know she 9
Everyone loves her. She loves kids. Very protective. 90pds!
You need a pet from PHX-SAN? Drive. You are the problem.
That’s cheap…. I ship dogs and baby goats and the cost has been $250-350 for the past couple years. They travel in the baggage compartment. :-p
Last week I was on a Southwest flight and someone had a St. Bernard as an emotional support dog. The passenger was seated in the front row and the dog took up the entire floor area. I have also seen rather large dogs traveling on the lap of the passenger. One time the flight attendant said the dog must be in a carrier and the passenger said the dog doesn’t fit under the seat. The flight attendant said that is the rule and waited to make sure the passenger put it back in the carrier. I like dogs but it’s getting out of hand!
Been there, done that. I was on a JFK to San Diego flight in the aisle seat of a bulkhead row with a hyper, drooling bulldog accompanying the passenger in the middle seat. The 85 year old man in the window seat was very kind and polite, but he was basically trapped in his seat by a dog that leaned on his legs for most of the flight. The dog drooled and panted through the entire flight and never sat down until we landed. The man in the window seat and I left the plane covered with dog hair. The woman traveling with the dog was entitled to travel with her dog because she needed emotional support. She said we were lucky she did not bring her 100 pound dog instead. She trotted off that plane without a word of apology or thanks for putting up with her emotionally unstable emotional support animal.
Passengers who travel with their ESA should wear a sign visible from 20 feet away warning the public that they have issues enough to warrant a ESA.
Get real how is your comment something to take serious.
It must be true that our world isn’t what it was.
Make sense? Neither do you
My daughter has a 50 pound lab mix who is her emotional support dog. She just flew home with her and her dog just laid on the floor during the flight. She doesn’t necessarily need the dog during the flight but she does need the dog for her severe anxiety in her daily life. Thus is one of those rules that are often abused. I don’t have an answer, but I do know that to many their dogs are like their children.
In my opinion the larger issue here is the lack of guidelines from the airlines. Agreed – a 50 lb dog is going to be a space issue. But a well behaved 10 lb dog? Most people won’t even know he’s in the cabin. There is a difference and the airlines should develop guidelines to ensure those with larger dogs are seated in a space with ample room (a full flight would be an issue of course, but right now there is nothing).
Meanwhile, a screaming, kicking, crying child on a parents lap? That causes a disturbance to a number of people – and not just those in the immediate area.
While it might indeed be a “snowflake” problem, it’s not because of the Fed Gov. Rules for licensed service animals fall under the ADA, which didn’t cover ESAs. The airlines themselves are the ones settling the (lack of) policy. So blame the right people 🙂
Whoops! My comment was directed at the of right below yours, apologies
The ADA does cover in depth the ESA…Check your FACTS!
Get your facts straight, ESA’s are NOT covered under the ADA laws. Read the ADA.
This situation is totally out of control. I blame the federal government and the snowflake mentality of America. I’m so sick of seeing all these dogs on every flight it’s a total scam to avoid paying any fees.
What about service dogs? Are you sick of them too?
Wolfie’s Mom, most people don’t have any problems with true Service Dogs. Therapy dogs and ESAs are the problem as most are just pets and many don’t even have basic training.
The problem is that people are people, some with class and some without. The lack of respect and common courtesy is not the ESA’s fault but the owners. I agree that abusers give the rest of us a bad name. There should be better rules like if a dog is of certain size and weight, they must sit at the front of plane where it has better leg room.
100% agree! I had a woman with two of the ugliest, smelly small dogs in a carrier put them in the empty seat between her and me. I jumped when I saw them and didn’t know how I’d get through the flight with their odors. Luckily the FA saw them and told her they had to be put under the seat in front! I would never be okay sitting with a lap dog next to me.
Maybe you stink and nobody wants to sit next to you. Like your gonna die smelling a freaking dog on you little flight, your so special right? Your ridiculous
While I have no complaint with the idea of an ESA, I agree that for it to be treated as more than a really loved pet (and allowed to do things/be places pets aren’t allowed) there needs to be some training requirements. It doesn’t have to be as extensive as a real service dog (no one’s going to walk out into traffic solely because the animal wasn’t paying attention) but some basic attention/behavior training wouldn’t kill any of these people to get. And as a bonus, they’d see an improvement on how they’re treated, because their dog isn’t biting/drooling/pooping all over the place.
One thing I _can_ understand is wanting to have your pet safe. I know some airlines offer a ‘red carpet’ service, I’d be terrified to ever fly w/my dog, unless I had reviews from friends/rescue orgs. Not even necessarily the bathroom part, I’d have horror stories of my dog dying from heat exhaustion awhile being loaded or freezing to death in the cargo hold. I can very well sympathize with someone getting a doc note & calling it a ESA to avoid that.
What are the rules for kids? 30+ lbs & they’re required to have their own paid seat? Fitting in a carrier, or licenced w/size requirement for their own seat seems fair
Yes, what about those little darlings, your kids, who scream at unheard of decibles,kick your seat the entire flight, or argue with their subpar parents who allow their loud rude little voices? Where are they trained & certified?
Well Dorrine, one of the reasons I don’t have kids is because they’re more expensive and harder to train than dogs – plus a dog will never scream, “Youre not my real mom! I hate you!” and run to it’s crate. So… yeah. Basic training for kids is a fabulous idea. Nothing harsh, just learning what is socially acceptable and the difference between several social situations. I’m on board!
I get that for some reason you’re taking the comments very personally, and I understand; every parent (of which I am not, if you didnt get that above) who has read the comments in “Kid-free flights, yea or nay” posts seems to feel much like you. I can only say, sorry, we’re not attacking *you* personally (unless you are the owner of the 50 lb lap-lab, or the person who let their pig run thru the aisles), we’re venting about the worst examples we’ve seen. It’s unfortunate that no one ever does a story on a well-behaved ESA who quietly laid by it’s owner’s feet the entire time and most people didnt even realize it was there, but them’s the breaks. We remember the bad much more vividly than the good.
I think you have to be really careful about extra requirements for ESA, because their sole purpose is to provide comfort – not service. And don’t forget it’s not just dogs – my ESA is a bird. My bird can’t pass training/service requirements the way a dog can. I’ve flown with him several times and people didn’t even realize I had an animal with me. I think a good approach could be having the airlines designate certain physicians that you must see for your certificate, that way you could eliminate the bs ESA certificates.
My ESA is a 14 pound cat named Gary. She’s getting ready for another 5 hour flight with me to the West Coast. Prior to getting on the plane the first time, she went to the vet, had a physical, got all her needed shots, and was micropchipped. She’s clean, brushed and has an airline approved carrier that she goes in before we leave for the airport and she does not come out until we are safely in our destination. I can’t imagine trying to chase a scared cat down in a plane. She stays put. And if you’re wondering, I’ve spent most of my life with a serious physical disability. With the way lot of people stare, I’d rather talk to Gary.
I think animals shouldn’t be treated like there a foreign object as you basically have inclined here. I think animals should be aloud everywhere and who gives a crap if you enjoy sitting next to a dog, maybe your nasty breath or stinky pits is something nobody wants next to them in there seat. It’s very sad the man was attacked. People shouldn’t take animals out in public if they are vicious or act stupid but gosh there dogs living breathing animals. Grow up. And how dare you judge an emotional support animal that’s total discrimination and is illegal to question people on there disability or there credibility of licensing or certification. Shut up find a real life and stop acting like your so clean cut and special and enjoy what beautiful creatures the lord has blessed up with, since they where here way before humans where anyway so I say screw you.
Totally agree
Tricia, my sense about most these posts really weren’t attacking the dogs but instead complaining about the abuses in claiming your pets is an ESA. People don’t only use dogs for ESA but also use pigs, donkeys, horses, monkeys, snakes, etc. as ESAs. Do you want to be on a flight where you a a pig, donkey, monkey & snakes right next to you? Like I said, I think the bulk of these comments are attacking those who misuse & abuse ESA laws & policies for their personal gain which is saving money. Just my opinion.
So people with allergies (can pet dander be deadly if you get enough of it? Im seriously asking, I dont have them) should be medically incapacitated, possibly enough to cause a diversion? Im not saying your (mental) health should get preference, or theirs should (although it could be argued that dying of something preventable trumps everything else – that’s why food allergies are such a huge concern).
It’s a simple fact that the requirements for a service animal are more stringent than that of an ESA, because they’re thoroughly trained. Saying “get a job, they were here first, screw you” adds nothing to the discussion and only causes people to completely ignore any valid point you might make.
First, ESAs are trained or have natural abilities, and to be a real ESA THERE MUST BE A CERTIFICATION LETTER FROM A REAL PSYCHIATRIST. The problem is the airline, they need to seat those passengers away from the others, maybe have a dedicated row in the back. The lab shoyld never have been put under that kind of stress either. Yes people take advantage just like everything else in this world, if they can get away with being dishonest try will. So please don’t group us all as the same, ESAs are honestly needed for most. No different then service animals.
I have an ESA also. She is a small dog less than 15 pounds. I only take her with me on domestic flights. I make sure she has a bath and tooth brushing before going on the flight. She usually stays in her bag the entire time and sleeps. She is so quiet most people do not even know shes in the bag. One lady said she was allergic to dogs and mine was sitting under her for 5.5 hour flight. She did not start having a fit until she found out my bag had a dog in it. Then when deplaning at the end all of a sudden she had allergies.
I have an 8 pound chihuahua dachshund mix. She started off as a comfort dog but i had her trained as a service dog. When i fly with her she goes into a carrier and under the seat in front of me. There for no problems. What i have found that the airlines dont even know the guidelines for service dogs. My letter from my psychiatrist gave all the right information but the airlines said i needed what was exactly on yhe letter. Comfort dogs need to bave a size limit so the too van go under the seats. People have had tortoises, kangaroos, bunny rabbits, goats and much more. If a service animal is required to go under the seat, then the same should go for comfort animals
Many people complain about ESA dogs on flights. They talk about allergies, the size of the dog, etc. What if the dog was a service dog accompanying a veteran who lost both legs in combat? Would people with allergies still be so offended? What if said dog was a Saint Bernard? Would they complain about size & the room they took up? My main questions are: are these complaints about the dogs in general whether ESA or service dogs & people just don’t want dogs on their flight in such small place; do people know the difference btwn ESA & service dogs; are they more accepting of service dogs even if they have allergies? Is the bias that people are conning the system with ESA dogs or do they just want no tupe of dog on their flight? I’m interested in knowing peoples responses to these points. Note: as a disabled veteran who uses a service dog, I too am a bit overwhelmed (o.k., irritated) about the misuse of the ESA label. Your thoughts, please.
I agree when it comes to air travel. And the abuse of this right has gone way too far. I am an owner of an ESA cat. I don’t fly but there should be safety concerns for everyone on the plane! But if they had made it difficult for me to claim an esa for my depression I might as well forget about it. I wouldn’t want to put my business in the street and relive every nightmare just so you can believe i need my esa. Its just not worth it im sorry. That said, there should be plane restrictions at most.
OK.
I am a practicing mental health professional with over 40 years in the business.
I use a therapy dog for my patients. He is an amazing , integral part of my practice.
He is not there for me.
My experience with those who “require” an ESA has been very poor.
It reflects a complete breakdown of common sense. Where self absorbed need completely overruns respect for others.
Recent scene at an airport (from a witness): Woman with an “Emotional Support” dog about to board at the gate is encountered by another passenger getting off the plane with their own emotional support dog.
Vicious, bloody fight ensues between the “ESAs.”
Where do we draw the line?
Flying is not constitutionally guaranteed. There are other options for travel that might take longer but are certainly available for those who need emotional support from their animal and must travel with the animal. The rights of other passengers are placed secondary to that of the person in need of emotional support. Why is a person with animal allergies considered less of a person than one with an emotional support problem? Aren’t all people equal under the constitution? Does one medical problem supersede another?
My solutions would first be that animals only be allowed in carriers and cannot be removed during flights except for true service animals for the blind, disabled, etc. Second there should be a designated specific row [last row, bulkhead, etc] of the plane where the flyer with an animal can sit. If that row is sold out then take another flight where that space is available. The third suggestion is my favorite. Require that any animal over 10 pounds that cannot be fit into a carrier have it’s own purchased ticket and seat just like a child over 2 years of age is required to have. This would help with the problem of animals impinging on another passenger’s space or comfort. It would not protect from allergic reactions but with the dedicated row as well an allergic person could be seated in a distant row to alleviate that problem.
The cost of the extra seat should be a small price to pay for those who need their emotional support during the flight. Any complaints about the extra expense are really selfish…a child requires its own seat even if the parent holds it for most or all of the flight at the same expense.
As the husband of a blind woman who uses a guide dog, I am in agreement with the sentiment expressed in the article.
Due to the fact that an ESA is not required to have any kind of obedience or task training, the ESA is simply a ‘pet with a prescription’ and like most pets, is unstable and unpredictable in surroundings for which it has not been prepared to encounter.
Many times my wife’s guide dog has been accosted and attacked by an ESA, which places my wifes safety in danger.
As a note, there is an incorrect statement in the article. Under US law, there is no legally valid type of ‘certification’ for any legitimate service dog. If someone is showing a ‘certificate’, they are usually a fake, as real service dog handlers jjniw that there is no such thing under the law.
For more information, visit: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html
Specifically Q 7, Q 8 and Q 17
I have a service dog and she weighs 60 pounds. The requirements for bringing your animal on the plane are very specific. They MUST stay on the floor. You are also required to notify the airlines in advance that you will require special seating to accommodate the animal. If this dog, or any animal was actually in the lap of the dog’s owner it is against the rules for traveling on a plane with your animal and it is the airlines who are responsible that these requirements are met.
I agree the issue regarding emotional support animals needs to be addressed. When people abuse this issue it makes things more difficult for people who really have a need.
Their should be a weight limit and size. I have a monkey for support, that doesn’t give me the right to disturb anyone else anywhere, I have know more rights then average pet owner. Their is no such thing as pet registration for ESA. Yes trained eye dogs, and all others that help the handy caps are trained and certified. I heard a women say with her own mouth nothing was wrong with her she was told to say she has ESA and needs her dog (Yorki) free flying for pet. That’s what makes it bad for others.
ESA or ESAN can be a necessary assist for some people. But it is horribly abused by the general populance. They are not protected by ADA and they should be regulated by DOT and the FAA. The abuse of the majority will make the use of the minority suffer. All should be limited to dogs, cats and monkeys.
Ok here goes…let the name calling begin.
Pt 1. I agree about a weight limit on commercial flights for ANY dog that cannot lay under the seat.
Pt 2. As far as training: no an esa does not require training because not ALL esas are dogs. My Bella is a 6 pound, 12y/o furball. She may not have been “trained” but, let my chest start hurting (I have heart disease) or my glucose level drops too low and she’s right there nudging or tapping me with her paw. Has been with me her entire life. I wish she could be recognized as more than a “pet” because esa/pet/friend/helper/alerter/etc all one in the same.
Ya Dan and I wouldn’t want to sit next to any of your six children but you don’t see me writing articles about banning children from planes! Some people require these animals to help them live a normal life, do you need your children to help you fly without panicking ? Nope I’m pretty sure there are so many more people who have had to deal with obnoxious kids on their flights then they’ve had to deal with being “mauled” by a dog. This article is pathetic and disgusting.
One wonders that you even clicked on the article about the mauling and read it. Also, I have zero kids. But will soon have 3.
Hi all!
I want to start by saying I appreciate everyone’s comments. Even the ones that are a little insensitive are at least honest, and this is a topic we really need to discuss!
I own a service dog who carries my epipen in a clear plastic pouch on the right side of her vest. She is trained to respond should I go into anaphylactic shock by staying with me and alerting those around me via barking & whining. That way, someone in the vicinity can easily see and access my epipen in the event of an anaphylactic emergency.
My allergy is to bee stings. So though I am unlikely to get stung on a plane, it is important to have her at my destination if I want to enjoy my time outside, or even in a vehicle (**a few years ago I was stung on my hand while driving when a bee zipped through my cracked window in the aircurrent).
My dog is very well behaved and well trained (which is a given considering her job) but she is still a dog. While it is her job to know my limitations and compensate for them, it is also my job to know HER limitations and stressors and ultimately set us up for success. WE are a TEAM! Any given day we go to work, events, the grocery store, restaurants etc. She has literally met thousands of people (we work at a community center and public pool) and she has never had an incident with any other human or dog (and she meets a lot of other service and ESA dogs due to the nature of my job). With that said, she is just like all of us humans and other creatures, still imperfect.
Though we aim to leave a positive impression of service animals everywhere we go,
Once in a great while we have a mishap. Which happens even with adult people. I see more adults lose control in public places (temperment, drunkness, relieving/exposing themselves in inappropriate locations- ultimately making others feel uncomfortable) many more times than my trained service dog ever has. When we do have a mishap they are usually small (like getting too excited and jumping, whining out of turn if she’s worried, barking if she is startled suddenly in a new place, etc.) When this happens we train extra hard to possitively react to that situation in the future.
Because we are a true ADA service team, one of our main priorities is to leave a POSITIVE IMPRESSION on those who interact with us. This is vital to us (and other service dog teams) in being accepted as regular folks who live, work, travel and relax in communities all over the U.S. with our families, friends, and coworkers. Unfortunately, when we are misrepresented by individuals who unscrupulously designate their dogs as service and ESA dogs, like this guy with the lab mix, it causes people who have never met or experienced a real service or ESA dog (like this guy who wrote the article) to understandably question the veracity of the need for service animal accommodation…. and the cycle goes around and around and everyone loses.
Even though my dog is literally sweeter than pie, and loves lap time with almost anyone when she is not working, she is 40 lbs and neither she or I can be comfortable on a flight of ANY length with her on my lap. Nor do I believe any other true ADA team with a dog over 15 lbs really could be. In fact, I believe a situation like this would cause at least my dog considerable stress- and that is the LAST thing I ever want for her. It is our mission in life to make every situation as light-hearted and stress-free as possible! Not only to just be happy, but also because that is how we perform best.
As someone who has gone into anaphylactic shock before and lives with a pretty severe allergy to cats that leaves me literally non-stop sneezing, flowing nose- running, itching, and swollen in the face for hours (and an in-law family of cat-lovers with the cutest cats ever!). I understand how terrifying, frustrating, and maddening it can be to be stuck somewhere while suffering a reaction or feeling strong discomfort without recourse or a way out. Bottom line: it’s not fun or fair for anyone who has to be involved.
I think that it seems these days people just need to remember the simple truth that MANNERS MATTER, and they are for the good of all of us. They are for all of us to be comfortable since we have no choice but to share space with each other throughout the course of our lives. We need to be considerate of others and do our best to plan ahead and take responsibility for our own well-being while traveling (packing allergy medication, booking a bulkhead row for your big dog, bringing earplugs, headphones, etc.) We need to compromise to make everyone as comfortable as possible- since let’s be real- no one: not even that massively annoying st. Bernard or screeching newborn is going to be actually comfortable when packed together like that 30,000 ft in the air. And as a responsible adult, I can manage to pack and then take a prescription strength allergy pill if I notice an ESA cat on my flight. As someone with severe allergies, it would just be irresponsible for me to not carry my medication and expect others to go out of their way to work around my needs while in a public location. Though I do expect to be treated with respect, like anyone else, and reasonably accommodated when possible. I also happily reasonably accommodate other’s needs and discomforts when it comes to my service animal (moving away from those with allergies, fears, etc.)
When it comes to planes, I think a good solution would be to require every animal to be in a crate certified for air travel for the duration of the time they are on-board the plane, and seated on the floor in a bulkhead row for those whose crates cannot fit under the seat. Those with large animals should let the airline know ahead of time their animal is large enough to require this, and the airline should make the necessary accommodation without issue in order to comply with ADA law. This should be a policy for all animals who will not be ACTIVELY WORKING at any point during the duration of the flight (My dog would fall in this category).
Animals that need to actively work during a flight should be supported by a doctor’s note from the human’s doctor stating specifically that this is a need for their patient. Those animals whose function could potentially require them to be outside the crate at any point in the flight (seeing-eye dogs, an ESA for someone who MAY need it out if they have an anxiety attack, a service dog for a retired vet prone to PTSD on flights, etc.) should be given a standard behavioral test (with their owner present) by an animal control professional stationed at security at every airport (airports should be required to staff them in compliance with ADA law). Upon passing the behavioral test, the animal can be given a pass to travel outside the crate on the plane only in situations when ACTIVELY WORKING. This test should be administered every time the animal goes though security- for just as humans do, animals can just have a bad day. Should the animal fail, the individual should have the option to crate the animal for the duration of the flight and be specially accomadated /escorted to and from the plane by airline professionals should they need mobility assistance, or have the option to refund their ticket if they feel uncomfortable traveling without access to their dog outside the crate while on-board the plane.
These need to be airline and airport POLICIES that have similar consequences when broken to lighting up a cigarette inside a plane. Just simply no animals (service or esa) allowed outside the crate unless actively working and given a pass at security from an animal control professional that day.
Believe it or not, this will protect those with necessary needs for their service and ESA animals to escort them outside crates on flights because their animals will overwhelmingly pass without issue due to advanced training, while those individuals who do not need their animals to actively work during the flight, or do not have an animal that can work while still in compliance with the airline safety policies will have to crate their animals for the duration of the flight, choose a refund, or suffer the consequences if the animal is removed from the crate in-flight. (heavy fines, cleaning costs, or even arrest if the dog hurts somone).
Airlines should be responsible
for notifying those individuals who book seats in bulkhead rows and are not part of an ADA service team prior to ticket purchase that they may be seated next to an ADA service or ESA animal or asked to be reseated on the plane day-of should their seat be required to accomodate an ADA team with a larger animal. This should be made as standard and usual as being notified of your responsibilities when seated in an emergency exit row.
Airlines and airports need to come up to standard to implement policies, practices, and accommodation options for both ADA service teams and all the other customers who must fly with them. The airlines are WAY behind the curve on this, and need to get this handled asap for the safety, comfort, and well-being of ALL those involved- including their own staff and the sweet animals who are just being thrown into these scary situations! It is, in my opinion, unacceptable that something has not been done sooner (ADA laws passed in the 90s and airlines and airports have had 20 yrs to start figuring these policies out concerning service animals).
With that said, I ask you all out there who own service animals, ESAs, and just regular pets to please PLEASE understand your animal’s limitations and do not put them into situations they are unprepared to handle! It is completely inhumane and ultimately terrifying for them when this occurs. Set them up for success every time you take them somewhere and take their comfort level and well-being into consideration.
The reality is, they will likely have a much more pleasant time on a flight in a crate they are used to having access to at home and relaxed with a slight vet prescribed sedative they have tried a few times before the flight.
We are all just folks who love our freedom, comfort, families, pets and I hope our fellow country-women enough to respect one another. And at the end of the day, we all still do have one thing in common:
We agree air travel is no fun if we can’t all be allowed some level of respect and comfort! Let’s all work hard to make that possible for each other!
I don’t fly but I see dogs in all kinds of places that they didn’t used to be–govt office bldgs, grocery stores, hardware stores, etc. I can’t tell what someone’s disability is from looking but I’d guess very few of these animals are service animals. Some may be emotional support animals. Most are pets I’d guess. Whatever happened to no pets, only service animals allowed?