Emotional support animals are no more considered as service animals during flights!

 A service animal could fly with the owner, as per the previous aviation rules. But this liberty was,misused by many owners who claimed that the animal they have is an emotional support one. This helped them to fly their pet even if the animal was not a service animal. But this animal often used to misbehave on the aircraft and became a public nuisance due to lack of training. Now the U.S. Department of Transportation has made a major change in its policies on such animals. Such emotional support animals has been excluded from the list of service animals and cannot fly with the owner. 

Emotional support animals and their exclusion

Emotional support animals used to fly on aircrafts until now. They were put in the category of service animals and could board an aeroplane with their owner. But now, no more. The U.S. Department of Transportation has plugged this major loophole. It has enacted a new revision to its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) as regards Traveling by Air with service animals. 

Emotional support animal (Source: NY Times)

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These emotional support animals are no more considered as service animals. This ruling will be published in the Federal Register and 30 days after the publication, these animals will not be allowed on board with the owner. The DOT said:

“This final rule is intended to ensure that our air transportation system is safe for the traveling public and accessible to individuals with disabilities.”

Additional revisions state that only dogs would be considered as service animals and one passenger can have not more than two such service animals. They should fit on the traveler's lap or in the goot space in front. 

Why the revision?

Often, it was noticed that these emotional support animals were not actually so. They were put in this category deliberately by the owner so that the animal could fly with them. 

But the animal was not trained. Hence it would misbehave or put up a bad behavior on board. The airline crew used to have a tough time trying to pacify such animals. Also, it caused a lot of disturbance to fellow passengers especially the elderly and ill passengers. 

But now, these emotional support animals would be classified into the pets group and will fly under those guidelines. 

What is a service animal?

A service animal is “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability". It helps the owner in tasks related to physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disabilities. 

Those flying with a service animal will have to fill up a form specially designed for it by the DOT. It should reach the airline office 48 hours before travel. If it is a last-minute booking, the form can be handed at the departure gate. The form asks about the animal's health, training, and good behavior. But who will countercheck these declarations? If flight times is over 8 hours, the owner must ensure that the animal will not relieve itself in between or will do so in a hygienic way!!! But the animal could do so even in flights shorter than 8 hours!!! 

What if the form is okayed but still the animal either demonstrates a bad behavior on-board or decides to relieve itself unhygienically in the flight??? It is after all an animal. How can the owner ensure things on the animal's behalf? Any punishment or suspension to travel again with the same airlines? Nothing said there!