Soon, there may be a lot fewer emotional support animals, service dogs on airplanes
Travelers soon may be denied their chance to board airplanes with squirrels, peacocks and other exotic pets that are often disguised as emotional support animals.
And, lovers of cats and miniature horses will be out of luck, too. If the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new rules take effect later this year, only dogs will be considered service animals — a change from the current policy that allows felines and equines to be brought aboard.
The proposed new rules are fully supported by groups such as Virginia-based Leashes of Valor, which provides trained dogs for military veterans with post traumatic stress disorder or brain injuries.
“They’re acknowledging all the hard work that goes into training these dogs,” said Danique Masingill, Leashes of Valor co-founder. She said her dogs, which begin their training as puppies, undergo months of intense instruction before they are matched with a handler.
The proposed changes come as airlines continue to deal with a growing number of passengers claiming their untrained pets are needed for emotional or psychological support, which in many cases requires the airline to make accommodations and allows the animal to ride in the plane at no charge.
Delta Air Lines, for example, began cracking down on emotional support animals last year, after more than 40 incidents were documented involving animals biting, growling and showing other acts of aggression toward passengers and flight crews.
But other groups have concerns about the proposed new rules.
Marion Gwizdala, president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, said the new rules would place an unfair burden on travelers with disabilities. For example, travelers with a guide dog would be obligated to arrive for their flight an hour before other passengers, so their paperwork could be checked and their dog’s behavior could be observed.
Also, travelers with guide dogs would have to carry documentation demonstrating that the animal has vaccinations that are up to date, and has been trained to perform a specific task for the handler’s benefit.
He said a requirement that passengers with disabilities arrive for their flights earlier than other passengers would be “codified discrimination.”
“For us, as guide dog users, this is a step backward,” Gwizdala said. “Guide dogs undergo stringent training, and should not be subjected to these rules because it is readily apparent and observable the dog is trained to perform.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act generally requires that public spaces be just as accessible for people with disabilities as everybody else. However, that act doesn’t apply to air travel.
Once a traveler crosses the jet bridge (leaving the airport terminal and boarding the plane), he or she is protected by a different law — the Air Carrier Access Act, which includes guidelines for airlines in dealing with animals in the cabin.
The transportation department is seeking public comments on the new rules in the Air Carrier Access Act for approximately the next two months. A final version of the rules would then be published in the Federal Register before taking effect, typically six months later.
Airlines already have taken their own steps to reign in abuses of the system that have led some passengers to take their exotic beasts aboard airplanes.
At American Airlines, pending the final approval of the proposed new rules, passengers with service dogs, cats and miniature horses can board flights with their animals without notifying the airline in advance. The animal must fit within the foot space at the passenger’s seat, or in the passenger’s lap.
“We appreciate (Transportation Secretary) Elaine Chao and the Department of Transportation for responding in a meaningful way to widespread concerns about the impact of emotional support animals on the air travel experience,” Jill Surdek, American senior vice president of flight service, said in an email. “Ultimately, we look forward to having better rules on the books when it comes to traveling with emotional support animals, which will make travel safer, healthier and more enjoyable for our team members and customers alike.”
If the new rules are adopted, passengers wishing to travel with animals other than service dogs can still do so at each airline’s discretion, by declaring the animals as pets. But airlines would have the option of charging fees, and requiring that the animals be caged, or travel in an aircraft cargo area rather than the passenger cabin.
