Confession time. I have an Emotional Support Dog that flies with me for free. The certificate cost $250 per year (or rather, the airlines require a prescription letter dated within 1 year of your flight). I obtained it without lying. I answered every questions honestly, though I am capable of flying without my dog. Yes, I have anxiety, like any person. Yes, my dog makes me feel better, like (I assume) anyone with a dog. Boom, certificate.
Technically this means I can bring my dog literally anywhere, but I only use it for flying. When on the train, the dog resides in a backpack that meets the "carrier" qualification. I don't take her in restaurants or movie theaters like a huge douche.
Why do I think it's OK? Well, it's a long list. First, the airlines will not allow dogs over 17 pounds as carry-on, even in a carrier. They won't let you buy an additional seat for the dog, even in a carrier. 18lbs = under the plane. 2 hours early, dog fucking terrified, so you probably have to Benadryl the pup, and they've been known to freeze to death under there. Nope Nope Nope.
This all makes no sense. If I buy a second seat, the size of the dog should not matter. Tiny dog in carrier is just as loud as big dog in carrier.
Toddlers fly for free and scream like fucking maniacs. 5 year olds buy a seat and scream and play iPad games on full volume.
My dog sits underneath the seat in front of me and doesn't move. I've had a 2 hour flight where people in my row did not know a dog was on the plane until we got off.
My dog's extremely well trained. She doesn't have breakfast on flight days, and I feed her a few ice cubes so she isn't crazy thirsty the whole trip. No chance of a mid-aisle poop, any more so than the old lady two rows up might. She doesn't bark, etc.
I do get that it's hard to have rules such as "your dog can fly with you if they aren't a huge fucking pain".
Two years ago tons of dogs were flying for free. Now you have to pay an extra $50 to have your doctor answer calls from the airline to confirm, and it's back down to where I rarely see another dog in the airport.
|Technically this means I can bring my dog literally anywhere
Doesn't the article specifically state the law only allows keeping an ESA in a residence that doesn't otherwise allow animals, and flying with them for free? The author explicitly states emotional support animals do not have the same rights as service animals, and you cannot bring your dog anywhere. People are just lead to believe so.
A toddler won't make 5% of the population sick when in an enclosed air system like a plane, some to the point of needing an adrenaline injection or they will die of anaphylactic shock, or a beta antagonist inhaler for an asthmatic attack (which can also be lethal, although less often than anaphylaxis since it can usually be managed with an inhaler). The rules are not there for pain in the butt. They are there to protect a lot of other people.
> Why do I think it's OK? Well, it's a long list. First, the airlines will not allow dogs over 17 pounds as carry-on, even in a carrier. They won't let you buy an additional seat for the dog, even in a carrier. 18lbs = under the plane. 2 hours early, dog fucking terrified, so you probably have to Benadryl the pup, and they've been known to freeze to death under there. Nope Nope Nope.
Have you considered getting a dog sitter, or pet hotel?
Exactly. Shouldn't we prioritise humans? Fear of dogs isn't exactly an uncommon thing. Neither are allergies (and we got rid of peanuts on planes for those people). I have a dog, which I have no fear of, but walking down the street will usually cross if I see a large dog coming (even on a leash). It's irrational but if I was on a plane and there was a dog somewhere on board I would be on edge the entire flight unable to concentrate on anything but where the dog was. If you don't wan't your dog kept in the planes hold how about not bringing it with you? There are plenty of options available - pet hotels, sitters, family, friends. To be clear I have no problem with guide dogs etc. as they are expertly trained but people lying to get their pets onboard is disrespectful.
The point is - many people have very poorly behaved animals. Even if the animal was otherwise well behaved, bringing an animal on a plane is a whole nuther matter.
The people who bring out their animals in inappropriate places and allow them to do inappropriate things ruin it for everyone. Otherwise dogs wouldn't be a big issue.
Some people are abusing the law without taking other peoples considerations into account.
Technically this means I can bring my dog literally anywhere, but I only use it for flying. When on the train, the dog resides in a backpack that meets the "carrier" qualification. I don't take her in restaurants or movie theaters like a huge douche.
Why do I think it's OK? Well, it's a long list. First, the airlines will not allow dogs over 17 pounds as carry-on, even in a carrier. They won't let you buy an additional seat for the dog, even in a carrier. 18lbs = under the plane. 2 hours early, dog fucking terrified, so you probably have to Benadryl the pup, and they've been known to freeze to death under there. Nope Nope Nope.
This all makes no sense. If I buy a second seat, the size of the dog should not matter. Tiny dog in carrier is just as loud as big dog in carrier.
Toddlers fly for free and scream like fucking maniacs. 5 year olds buy a seat and scream and play iPad games on full volume.
My dog sits underneath the seat in front of me and doesn't move. I've had a 2 hour flight where people in my row did not know a dog was on the plane until we got off.
My dog's extremely well trained. She doesn't have breakfast on flight days, and I feed her a few ice cubes so she isn't crazy thirsty the whole trip. No chance of a mid-aisle poop, any more so than the old lady two rows up might. She doesn't bark, etc.
I do get that it's hard to have rules such as "your dog can fly with you if they aren't a huge fucking pain".
Two years ago tons of dogs were flying for free. Now you have to pay an extra $50 to have your doctor answer calls from the airline to confirm, and it's back down to where I rarely see another dog in the airport.