re: Airline: 'Emotional support' pig kicked off flight for being disruptive

quote:

---

It is 100% out of control and people game this just like they do handicap parking tags. Fact of the matter is that companies and the government are scared to deny anyone anything for fear it will turn into a facebook/twitter nightmare or a lawsuit.

---

A big part of the problem is that there doesn't seem to be any set guidelines/requirements for an animal to be considered a service animal. From the ADA LINK:

quote:

---

Q: How can I tell if an animal is really a service animal and not just a pet?

A: Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability. However, an individual who is going to a restaurant or theater is not likely to be carrying documentation of his or her medical condition or disability. Therefore, such documentation generally may not be required as a condition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability.

---

So if someone wants to take their pet pig on a plane, it looks like they can just say it's a "service animal for emotional support" but they don't have to provide any documentation about it.

I remember a story about a restaurant asking a seemingly healthy guy with a dog to leave because it was against health regulations. Turned out he was a veteran with PTSD and the dog was supposed to help with that somehow. The restaurant got all kinds of flack for being mean to a disabled vet, but how were they supposed to know?