A nut-bag narcissist and self-claimed "artist" showed up at the Newark Liberty International Airport thinking she was going to get an "emotional support peacock" on board as a live, un-caged bit of carry-on luggage.
United Airlines refused to let the bird board. In fact, the airline had told her on three separate occasions before she arrived that the bird was ineligible due to size and weight.
Delta Airlines recently issued new regulations on emotional support and service animals, requiring that passengers provide veterinary proof of their pet's training and vaccinations 48 hours before they board, and a letter signed by a licensed mental health professional that the animal is actually needed. The new Delta regulations take effect March 1.
When did this craziness with "emotional support animals" begin? The answer is 2003. Prior to then, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowed "service animals" which were meant to be guide dogs for the blind. Those animals have been permitted on commercial flight since at least 1977 and because they are well-trained and come with sensible owners who are also well-trained. Dogs for blind have presented virtually no problems at all.
The wrinkle is that in 2003, someone at the Department of Transportation decided it was OK to expand the definition of a service animal to include "an animal used for emotional support" and an "emotional support" animal, the DOT decided, did not need to have any training at all.
For a person to fly with an "emotional support animal," the passenger need only have a letter, written within the calendar year and on medical stationary, saying the passenger is such a mental case that it is medically necessary for them to travel with that animal.
But even here, there are limits. Snakes and other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders are specifically exempt from even being considered as "emotional support" animals, for some reason. So a pig can fly, but a neutered ferret in a Sherpa bag cannot? Yep. Seriously, that's the rule.
That said, there is a pretty big barn door that can be used to exclude pigs and peacocks. The regulations go on to note that:
Unusual animals such as miniature horses, pigs and monkeys should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Factors to consider are the animals size, weight, state and foreign country restrictions, and whether or not the animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, or cause a fundamental alteration (significant disruption) in the cabin service. If none of these factors apply, the animal may accompany the passenger in the cabin. In most other situations, the animal should be carried in the cargo hold in accordance with company policy.
In short, if it's bigger or stinkier than a clean and well-mannered dog, it can be denied access to an airplane.
There is, of course, more.
While airline personnel cannot ask people what their disability is, they can (and should) ask if the animal is a pet. If the answer is "yes," then the animal can be denied admission.
It's also permitted to ask how the animal helps meet this person's disability needs. No answer, no fly and no admission.
It's also permitted to ask how the animal was trained. If the answer to this last question is nonsensical, or if it does not look like the animal can sit where placed, will make noise, will bite, or cannot be maintained under nearly perfect control while on an airplane (as guide dogs for the blind are), then admission of the animal can be reasonably denied.
7 comments:
I've been watching the UK series "Animal Airport," about the animal-care and regulation team at Heathrow. Almost every time an officer is called to an arriving jet to check the paperwork on an "emotional support animal" it's a middle-aged American woman with an anxious, unhappy small dog in a bag, often a "rescued" Chihuahua. These people are scamming, and for all they claim to "love" their dogs they are subjecting the animals to a great deal of stress and unhappiness. And for what? Leave your dog at home, take a Xanax and a glass of wine and sit the fuck down on the plane, lady. Or stay home.
"In short, if it's bigger or stinkier than a clean and well-mannered dog, it can be denied access to an airplane." could usefully be applied to some passengers.
I didn't know about the incoming Delta regs!
I believe there was some question as to whether the beggar or his minkey was breaking the law:
https://youtu.be/WnlIWpZSPXU
while i see that this peacock might not be an actual helper animal, i think i need to make some points as there is some misunderstanding happening in this article.
there is a difference between ''emotional support animals'' and ''service animals''.
i will speak about ''service animals'', where there is a true physical need for animal help. (emotional support animal are for a mental or emotional disability, and i don't know enough about this aspect to speak of it).
service animals are trained to work for, ''physically help out'', a human that has a physical medical condition--i need to point out that there is a lot more than 'blindness' to true physical need. physical disability--deafness, blindness, seizure disorder, paraplegia or quadriplegia or hemiplegia due to spinal injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, etc are all examples of physical injuries where a dog can do a lot of work to help their owner live in this society.
this animal can make the disabled person's life SO much easier, and, it is often cheaper than having to fly an attendant or have a full time care-giver or attendant. yes, a dog in some cases can do a lot of the physical work needed, and in other cases, only some. just because somebody isn't blind, doesn't mean they don't ''really'' need a service dog.
because i am in a wheelchair, my dog helps pull me on steep hills, pulls me up and down curbs that frequently aren't cut, and pulls my luggage when i travel as i have no other way to hold it, needing my arms to push my chair. he is also trained to stand steady/brace, when i fall out of my chair so i can get back in. and he helps me de-clutter my house and garden.
while most service dogs (and other service animals such as horses) in the past have been well-trained in this regard, some of the newer organizations do not adequately train, and specifically *proof*, these service dogs in every situation. they are organizations who use food treats and ZERO negative consequences. sadly, i have even seen a blind man being dragged across the town green by his service Labrador, who was not well-trained at all. that dog, in my view could not be reliable in any situation. it is very sad both for him and his dog; and, these food-trained, poorly trained 'Service Dogs' give all of the other well-trained service dogs doing good work, a bad reputation.
something else people don't understand is that different breeds of dog do well in different situations and with different human personalities. the breed and individual animal must be matched to the owner's personality and needs. a Doberman or a GSD (without bad hips-a German line) is often a great working dog for many service needs, but one doesn't see them much anymore because they require structured training with neg and pos consequences. Labs and Goldens are popular now, only because they are more passive and easier to train for food trainers.
-cont'd-
-cont'd from my previous comment-
in my case, though, i really needed a dog breed who was a motivated breed not a passive one, enjoyed pulling, and who was quiet and interested in/truly cared about humans primarily, not for example, hunting birds. i also needed a dog who was really committed to completing the sometimes difficult tasks i ask (such as pulling me up the steepest part of the hill and not stopping when HE is level, but when I AM on the level part!). No, Passivity isn't the answer, nor would that kind of dog fit my personality. the logical choice was an American Pitbull Terrier that had natural close-range built into its genetics. i have had several such APBT's extremely successfully.
now i get a lot of flack about this from uneducated people, (but never from staff on the Airlines, who can see how well-trained my dogs are and see that my dogs are obviously pulling a cart with my luggage); and it sounds like from your article, that you might give me flack too, as he isn't your ''standard service breed''.
but if you think about it, there are few dog breeds when well-trained, who fit better to my situation: the perfect size and shape to pull me in a chair and to travel with-- not too large and not too small, yet very strong, fits perfectly at my feet on the floor of the plane, and also fits great in my small house and next to my smaller chair... my present 50# APBT (from the shelter by the way) can pull my car! yet he is quiet, directed, committed to my care, loves to do what i ask and need, and doesn't bother anyone or any other dog, unless i give him permission to interact. he makes my life so easy and is such a joy, being an extremely personal dog--as all of my APBT's have been. Given a motivated, headstrong owner, APBT's are naturally outfitted for this kind of work, strange as that may sound.
So please, don't judge the service animal by its breed, species, or owner's perceived disability and need for a service animal.
animals of every shape and size can do some really amazing and helpful things. i have often thought monkeys would be ideal for some people. but again, it's all about good training and a good match.
this is an interesting and educational blog, often on this subject:
http://doglawreporter.blogspot.com
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