Current Events > New rule cracks down on emotional support animals on planes

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Airlines don't have to treat emotional support animals as service animals, a new rule says.
The US Department of Transportation rule announced Wednesday states that "carriers are not required to recognize emotional support animals as service animals and may treat them as pets."
Air carriers are also permitted to limit service animals to dogs.

Pigs, peacocks and other unexpected animals have previously flown as emotional support animals.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/emotional-support-animals-dot-rule-wellness-trnd/index.html

Good. The concept is a joke.

How am I supposed to travel without my emotional support komodo dragon!?!?!?

Good.

DoctorPiranha3 posted...

Good.

The X Dawg posted...

Good.

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swing back

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Good. Dogs and small, extremely specifically trained monkeys are the only ones that can do the legitimate assistance services.

Other animal jobs (drug-sniffing ferrets, etc.) are important too, but they surely must have separate paperwork protocols to fly already. And I bet they're put in the hold, even though they have jobs. Teeny animal jobs. :'3

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Good.

what about peacocks, tho?

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VanananaHeyHey posted...

Good. Dogs and small, extremely specifically trained monkeys are the only ones that can do the legitimate assistance services.

Other animal jobs (drug-sniffing ferrets, etc.) are important too, but they surely must have separate paperwork protocols to fly already. And I bet they're put in the hold, even though they have jobs. Teeny animal jobs. :'3

You're just mad I've got a bomb sniffing Cambodian rat.


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Can I bring my trigger hamster

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nevershine posted...

what about peacocks, tho?

no more cocks

What if I buy a seat for my capybara, can he fly with me then?

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DuranOfForcena posted...

lmao, i remember when i worked at Walmart and our policy was that any service animal that someone wanted to bring into the store had to have a service animal harness or vest or whatever, and the owner had to have the proper documentation proving it was a service animal, and we were entitled to ask them to produce said documents at our discretion. and then at one of the daily meetings one day we were told that we were no longer allowed to ask whether any animal coming into the store was a service animal and that we had to just let anyone in with any animal regardless of if it was clearly not a service animal.

it was so fucking laughable. it was ridiculous that it ever became a thing. "emotional support animals" is just straight bullshit.

The current policy is:
-Pets aren't allowed
-Service animals are allowed
-If the owner says it's a service animal, then it's a service animal, no questions asked

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DuranOfForcena posted...

lmao, i remember when i worked at Walmart and our policy was that any service animal that someone wanted to bring into the store had to have a service animal harness or vest or whatever, and the owner had to have the proper documentation proving it was a service animal, and we were entitled to ask them to produce said documents at our discretion. and then at one of the daily meetings one day we were told that we were no longer allowed to ask whether any animal coming into the store was a service animal and that we had to just let anyone in with any animal regardless of if it was clearly not a service animal.

it was so fucking laughable. it was ridiculous that it ever became a thing. "emotional support animals" is just straight bullshit.

I have to bring in my emotional support gun or else I get violent,

Its the only thing that keeps my fragile mind from snapping.

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Why is everyone happy about this? It doesn't affect you if someone wants an emotional support animal on a plane, does it? What if they're going through PTSD or something like that? Surely they are not just putting themselves into a spotlight with their animal for shits and giggles.

I am curious to see what actual airline companies will say about this.

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DuranOfForcena posted...

right, that's basically what it was like when i last worked there. the thing is that anyone could just claim that any pet was a service animal, and we'd have to let them in with it, even when it was clear that it wasn't really a service animal.

hey now, I need my emotional support crocodile

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cuh posted...

Have you ever met people

Yes, and from that experience I'm (anecdotally) not convinced any significant number of people is doing it just for attention. The question still stands - why are you happy about something that never really affected you to begin with?

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Long overdue. A service dog is trained and certified to assist a person. Asshats People were bringing pigs, ferrets, and even miniature horses.


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pure_temper posted...

Why is everyone happy about this? It doesn't affect you if someone wants an emotional support animal on a plane, does it? What if they're going through PTSD or something like that? Surely they are not just putting themselves into a spotlight with their animal for shits and giggles.

I am curious to see what actual airline companies will say about this.

Even if they are serious and not trying to skirt rules, these animals are not trained properly. Proper service animals can deal with a chaotic environment. Your standard pet or farm animal will not react normally in most cases.

nemu posted...

Even if they are serious and not trying to skirt rules, these animals are not trained properly. Proper service animals can deal with a chaotic environment. Your standard pet or farm animal will not react normally in most cases.

This sounds reasonable, thanks!

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