The Department of Transportation has ruled that they will no longer be allowing ESAs on US flights: The agency said Wednesday that it was rewriting the rules partly because passengers carrying unusual animals on board “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals.” It also cited the increasing frequency of people “fraudulently representing their pets as service animals,” and a rise in misbehavior by emotional-support animals, ranging from peeing on the carpet to biting other passengers. One step closer to sanity.

Amazing that they let it go so long.. Is the Government going to do this with rentals also?

I wish they would crack down on phony Internet sites giving the ESA documents. Also local Drs who will just sign anything just for a pt asking.

Some time ago a Los Angeles County Animal Shelter held a Class for landlords and tenants about ESA and Service Animals. They told us several stories about innocent people getting mauled by ESA dogs Either while shopping, on planes or in confined spaces like a eatery.

The establishments were forced to accept ESA pets into their establishments because of government regulations.

In a Ralphs grocery store, in California, they allowed ESA dogs until one day a blind man with his Assistance dog were both attached by a person brining in the market a phony ESA dog. He had a very long lease and allowed the skirmish/attach to continue because the owner of the attacking dog didn't want to get bit by his or the blind mans dog.

After the event, Ralph's attorney said, "We can no longer follow governmental guidelines. So from then on, ONLY PROVEN REGISTED DOCUMENTED SERVICE DOGS WERE ALLOWED in their MARKETS. NO one bother to sue Ralphs for their changes in policy.

There is an interesting supporting photo of a sign from Ralph's about service animals in this thread. Seems legit, at least from skimming the first few posts. I don't know if they still have this sign.

from www scmp com

No cats, pigs or birds: only dogs can be ‘service animals’ on US flights

• People have increasingly been bringing various animals on board US flights for ‘emotional support’

• From now on, only trained dogs can be brought on board as specifically designated service animals

Associated Press

Published: 11:05am, 3 Dec, 2020

Updated: 8:53pm, 3 Dec, 2020

Post

Under a new rule announced Wednesday, only dogs can be classified as formal service animals. File photo: AP

The US Department of Transportation is putting an end to the melange of pets people bring on planes as emotional support animals. It decided that only dogs can fly as service animals.

The rule aims to settle years of tension between airlines and passengers who bring their pets on board for free by saying they need them for emotional help. Under a long-standing department policy, all the passengers needed was a note from a health professional.

Airlines argued that passengers abused the situation to bring a menagerie of animals on board including cats, turtles, pot-bellied pigs and, in one case,

a peacock

.

Emotional support: turkey and horse fly, but squirrel and peacock grounded

16 Oct 2018

The agency said Wednesday that it was rewriting the rules partly because passengers carrying unusual animals on board “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals”. It also cited the increasing frequency of people “fraudulently representing their pets as service animals,” and a rise in misbehaviour by emotional-support animals, ranging from peeing on the carpet to biting other passengers.

A United Airlines passenger who tried to take her emotional support peacock with her on a cross-country flight had the bird turned away by the airline in 2018. File photo: Facebook

The new rule will force passengers with emotional-support animals to check them into the cargo hold – and pay a pet fee – or leave them at home. The agency estimated that airlines will gain up to US$59 million a year in pet fees.

Under the final rule, which takes effect in 30 days, a service animal is a dog trained to help a person with a physical or psychiatric disability. Advocates for veterans and others had pushed for inclusion of psychiatric service dogs.

Airlines will be able to require owners to vouch for the dog’s health, behaviour and training. Airlines can require people with a service dog to turn in paperwork up to 48 hours before a flight, but they can’t bar those travellers from checking in online like other passengers.

The passengers faking health conditions so pets can fly in cabin with them

20 Jul 2018

Airlines can require that service dogs to be leashed at all times, and they can bar dogs that show aggressive behaviour. There have been incidents of emotional-support animals biting passengers.

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Airlines for America, a trade group for the biggest US carriers, said the new rule will protect passengers and airline employees while helping people travel with trained service dogs.

The Transportation Department stood by an earlier decision to prohibit airlines from banning entire dog breeds as service animals. That is a setback for Delta Air Lines, which

banned “pit bull type dogs”

in 2018, a move that was criticised by disability advocates.

Delta, however, is giving no indication of backing down. In a statement, a Delta spokeswoman said the airline is reviewing the new rule but, “At this time, there are no changes to Delta’s current service and support animal policies”.

The Transportation Department proposed the new rule back in January. It received more than 15,000 comments, many of them complaining about emotional-support animals.

From our archive

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: dogs only as companions on U.S. flights

LOL