# Cracking Down on Emotional Support Animals!



## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

[HEADING=2]New rule cracks down on emotional support animals on planes​[/HEADING]
Marnie Hunter, CNN • Updated 2nd December 2020​
(CNN) - 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.

The final rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals defines a service animal as "a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability."

Emotional support animals are prescribed by mental health professionals to provide their owners with comfort and support, but unlike service animals, they are not required to have training in specific tasks.

Airlines have asked DOT to regulate this issue in part over their concern that passengers were fraudulently passing off their pets as the more loosely defined and fee-free category of emotional support animals.

Flying with a small pet inside the cabin can cost $125 or more each way on US airlines. 
The new rule was also prompted by an increase in service animal complaints from passengers with disabilities, a lack of clarity around the definition of "service animal," misbehavior by emotional support animals and disruptions caused by "requests to transport unusual species of animals onboard aircraft," according to the DOT.

Pigs, peacocks and other unexpected animals have previously flown as emotional support animals.
[HEADING=2]Praise from the airline industry[/HEADING]
Airlines for America, a trade group for US airlines, applauded the new rule.

"Airlines are committed to promoting accessibility for passengers with disabilities and ensuring their safe travel. The Department of Transportation's final rule will protect the traveling public and airline crewmembers from untrained animals in the cabin, as well as improve air travel accessibility for passengers with disabilities that travel with trained service dogs," said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio in a statement.

American Airlines is also pleased with the rule.

"This new rule reflects a respect for individuals with disabilities who travel with legitimate service animals, which we share, while providing clear and practical guidelines that will eliminate the abuse of the system that has been a source of concern for our team members and customers," said AA spokesperson Stacy Day.

"We look forward to the improved experience we'll be able to deliver to our customers, especially those with legitimate service animals, as a result."

The new rule allows airlines to require passengers traveling with service animals to fill out and submit a DOT form "attesting to the animal's training and good behavior, and certifying the animal's good health."

Approximately 15,000 comments were received in response to a notice of the proposed rule posted in the Federal Register in February 2020, according to the DOT.

Those comments were taken into account in drafting the final rule.

The rule will go into effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register. The publication date has not been set.
[HEADING=2]'We think emotional support peacocks are ridiculous too'[/HEADING]
Previously, a passenger traveling with an emotional support animal was required to present a letter to their airline from a licensed health professional.

CertaPet, one of a number of services that provide screening and letters for emotional support animals, called the rule "a great disservice to those facing mental health challenges that get emotional support from their animal."

The company said in a statement that "providing clear guidelines for certification and vetting companies in the industry" would have been a better solution.

"We understand that there have been incidents that have discredited emotional support animals and the service they provide, but those situations could be prevented by increased regulation," the telehealth company's statement said. "We think emotional support peacocks are ridiculous too."

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


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## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

MHR said:


> [HEADING=2]
> New rule cracks down on emotional support animals on planes​[/HEADING]
> Marnie Hunter, CNN • Updated 2nd December 2020​
> (CNN) - Airlines don't have to treat emotional support animals as service animals, a new rule says.
> ...


Too bad uber and lyft don't gaf....


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> Too bad uber and lyft don't gaf....


Yeah but someone picked up that Emotional Support Peacock or bat, monkey, cat....from the airport.










If the airlines are disallowing this, then that either means no more airport trips dealing with Pax ESAs, or another possibility is if people are just flying to another neighboring state, they may try and book an Uber so they can bring their Cat/Bird/Monkey.


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## RideShare_Hustler (Jun 18, 2020)




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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

I'm ok with people wanting their pets as long as they don't make a mess. I've had a pax with python in my car. This is another Pax pet in my car.









I'm saying I'm glad the airline crack down is in effect and I hope it spreads to stores, restaurants and yes..rideshare.

Just call it what it is, a pet. Don't try to snow me with some emotional support animal BS.


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## RideShare_Hustler (Jun 18, 2020)

Lissetti said:


> I'm ok with people wanting their pets as long as they don't make a mess. I've had a pax with python in my car. This is another Pax pet in my car.
> 
> View attachment 531519
> 
> ...


Would you shave your cat?


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

RideShare_Hustler said:


> Would you shave your cat?
> 
> View attachment 531529


Ummm, they are both shaved right now. I have two orange Maine *****, and yes I give them the lion hair cut.


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## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

My service virus is still allowed, I hope. 🦠


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

my dog (no shed) would never make a mess:


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## Westerner (Dec 22, 2016)

What about their screaming service baby?


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Westerner said:


> What about their screaming service baby?


huh. idk, my son when an infant would go right to sleep in a moving car. Now, when we came to stop light, uh oh. :frown::x3:


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

MHR said:


> [HEADING=2]
> New rule cracks down on emotional support animals on planes​[/HEADING]
> Marnie Hunter, CNN • Updated 2nd December 2020​
> (CNN) - Airlines don't have to treat emotional support animals as service animals, a new rule says.
> ...


It's about time sanity prevailed.


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## Wildgoose (Feb 11, 2019)

Lissetti said:


> I'm ok with people wanting their pets as long as they don't make a mess. I've had a pax with python in my car. This is another Pax pet in my car.
> 
> View attachment 531519
> 
> ...


Are you using Seat covers? Where did you purchase them from?


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

Wildgoose said:


> Are you using Seat covers? Where did you purchase them from?


In that picture I did not have seat covers on. Those are the factory seats. I've since purchased some real nice seat covers off Amazon made specifically for my car make and model.


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## Young Kim (Jan 28, 2015)

goneubering said:


> It's about time sanity prevailed.


Yes, way too many people were taking advantage...


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## FormerTaxiDriver♧ (Apr 5, 2018)

MHR said:


> [HEADING=2]
> New rule cracks down on emotional support animals on planes​[/HEADING]
> Marnie Hunter, CNN • Updated 2nd December 2020​
> (CNN) - Airlines don't have to treat emotional support animals as service animals, a new rule says.
> ...


The US Post Office will handle shipment for your loved ones.

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_003.htm


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## MHR (Jul 23, 2017)

FormerTaxiDriver♧ said:


> The US Post Office will handle shipment for your loved ones.
> 
> https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_003.htm


Hopefully, they don't get lost in the mail as they implicitly state they must be able to survive without food and water. :confusion:


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## FormerTaxiDriver♧ (Apr 5, 2018)

MHR said:


> Hopefully, they don't get lost in the mail as they implicitly state they must be able to survive without food and water. :confusion:


USPS changed their shipping fees recently too!


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## IRME4EVER (Feb 17, 2020)

Lissetti said:


> I'm ok with people wanting their pets as long as they don't make a mess. I've had a pax with python in my car. This is another Pax pet in my car.
> 
> View attachment 531519
> 
> ...


I remember 2 times that riders claim that their dogs were support dogs. BS!! 1 dog was shedding all over my car (black interior) was between the back and front seat constantly. Who had to clean my car? ME. I reported that pax to Uber!
The 2nd large poodle picked up from a dog groomer, I asked the lady what kind of support does your dog do? She told me "nothing, I just needed a ride home." Pax lies constantly!! I reported her to Uber!
If you get a support pet in your car, the animal is well behaved and generally sits on the backseat floor during the trip. I have had several that were honest support dogs.


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

IRME4EVER said:


> I remember 2 times that riders claim that their dogs were support dogs. BS!! 1 dog was shedding all over my car (black interior) was between the back and front seat constantly. Who had to clean my car? ME. I reported that pax to Uber!
> The 2nd large poodle picked up from a dog groomer, I asked the lady what kind of support does your dog do? She told me "nothing, I just needed a ride home." Pax lies constantly!! I reported her to Uber!
> If you get a support pet in your car, the animal is well behaved and generally sits on the backseat floor during the trip. I have had several that were honest support dogs.


Usually I have a rule, whether pet or service animal, the dog stays on the floor. Service animals have been trained to know this. The picture I posted above was actually a situation where the owner was not in the car and the pet dog took no orders from me.

The Pax had been having a little get together at her house and did a late night booze run. She took her pet dog and held it in her lap. It was the boonies and a decent paying round trip so I took it. When she went in the liquor store she brought her dog with and put the dog down while she shopped.

When another customer walked in the dog slipped out the door and no one noticed be me. I saw the dog was heading for a very busy highway so I got out of my car and ran after it. I caught it just in time and brought it back to my car and put it on the floor. It had been pouring rain, so of course it jumped on my seat. Anyways Frantic Annie was so thankful when she noticed Fido missing and and I told her what happened I got a large tip out of it.

BTW, I have this great floormat for the back that works great to keep muddy and sandy paws from messing up your floor. Got it at Autozone.

This is inside my Toyota Corolla Premium LE.


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## Johnny Mnemonic (Sep 24, 2019)

I took my emotional support pitbull on the NYC subway and some woman attacked my dog by putting her shoe in his mouth. Then she tried to pin the blame on me! And the police had the nerve to give me a $25 dollar fine. Can you believe that?


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## Wildgoose (Feb 11, 2019)

Johnny Mnemonic said:


> I took my emotional support pitbull on the NYC subway and some woman attacked my dog by putting her shoe in his mouth. Then she tried to pin the blame on me! And the police had the nerve to give me a $25 dollar fine. Can you believe that?


That woman deserved that. 
Dog was behave so well before She attacked dog's owner in front of the dog.
No dog would allow that'd happened. 
Most of the people who scared of the dog would walk off 10 feet away from the dog. In stead she argued with dog's owner.


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## Atom guy (Jul 27, 2016)

My last "service dog" was one of those rat dogs that barked a people we passed on the street. The human passenger sang Christmas carols - in baby talk voice - to the dog the whole trip. So obviously she was crazy and did in fact need emotional support. Still gave her a 1 star. The alternative was to cancel on everyone named "Becky" for the rest of my days.


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

Lissetti said:


> Usually I have a rule, whether pet or service animal, the dog stays on the floor. Service animals have been trained to know this. The picture I posted above was actually a situation where the owner was not in the car and the pet dog took no orders from me.
> 
> The Pax had been having a little get together at her house and did a late night booze run. She took her pet dog and held it in her lap. It was the boonies and a decent paying round trip so I took it. When she went in the liquor store she brought her dog with and put the dog down while she shopped.
> 
> ...


Some people shouldn't be allowed to own dogs. You went far above and beyond the call of duty to save that careless lady's pet.


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## Lissetti (Dec 20, 2016)

goneubering said:


> Some people shouldn't be allowed to own dogs. You went far above and beyond the call of duty to save that careless lady's pet.


I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt that it was her being already tipsy as to why she made that mistake. She was horrified when she noticed her dog missing and ran out of the liquor store screaming. When I informed her I had her dog and what had happened, she broke down crying and began hugging her dog... and me too..., but again, she was tipsy. She cried most the way on the trip back home. I doubt she will make that mistake again.

Anyways whether it's someone's pet or just a helpless animal, if I can rescue it, I will. &#129418;&#129413;&#128013;&#128025;&#129441;


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