December 2, 2020

The USA’s DOT and FAA announced today,
No more “Emotional support animals” on any flights. They must be paid for & flown in only the cargo section.

Per PBS Newshour tonight: They updated their official policy to ONLY allow certified official service dogs – for people with disabilities (ADA defined) and with mental disabilities.Service dogs for the blind … are allowed.”Emotional Support animals”.. are prohibited

Why?? … Because many many USA-nians brought turtles, lizards and even peacocks onto flights for free – as “Emotional Support animals” … Why?? They were unsafe – biting other passengers, urinating on the floor, running around disrupting the safety of the other passengers.

For the people who think this is still up to the airlines … The PBS report clearly said “The FAA” and “US DOT” ruled today to prohibit them.

” The (US Department of Transportation) 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.”

*** “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.” ***

” 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. “

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-tightens-definition-of-service-animals-allowed-on-planes

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