# Service animals on planes?



## Sunny (Jan 23, 2018)

Here's an interesting article about the use (and abuse) of the airlines' permission to bring "service" animals on planes. How do you feel about this?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ing-animals-on-planes/?utm_term=.41e57167e691


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## C'est Moi (Jan 23, 2018)

I feel that it has been abused to the point of absurdity, and that people who just want to take Fluffy along should be ashamed of using the "support animal" thing.   Of course, they are "entitled" and they have no shame, but there you are.

I am also old-school and don't believe pets belong at the mall or in the grocery store.   I'm a dog lover but my little dog always waited at home while I shopped.


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## hollydolly (Jan 23, 2018)

oooh I couldn't agree more C'est Moi


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## Stormy (Jan 23, 2018)

I don't care about service dogs that are needed by the owner to fly on planes but I agree too that it's been abused by spoiled people who want to take their spoiled pets everywhere with them for free.  Those selfish types lie to get the certificate needed and don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. I love my pets and would like to take them everywhere if I could but I won't lie and cheat to do it

https://youtu.be/w8SQ62Um280






https://youtu.be/AO_mAfYM1Vo


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## Smiling Jane (Jan 23, 2018)

A friend has an expensive purebred dog who is her companion. She said until airlines learn to treat animals properly (what most airlines do with animals in cargo is cruel and too many of them die), she will continue to register her as a service animal so she can keep her beside her and know she's safe.

It isn't only the animal owners. The airlines share some responsibility for creating the situation.

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/traveling-pets-airlines-dog-deaths/story?id=11198807


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## debbie in seattle (Jan 23, 2018)

Good friend is a flight attendant, oh the stories she tells about ‘service animals’.


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## C'est Moi (Jan 23, 2018)

Smiling Jane said:


> A friend has an expensive purebred dog who is her companion. She said until airlines learn to treat animals properly (what most airlines do with animals in cargo is cruel and too many of them die), she will continue to register her as a service animal so she can keep her beside her and know she's safe.
> 
> It isn't only the animal owners. The airlines share some responsibility for creating the situation.
> 
> http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/traveling-pets-airlines-dog-deaths/story?id=11198807



If your friend doesn't need a "service animal," she should be paying for the seat for her dog.


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## Smiling Jane (Jan 23, 2018)

C'est Moi said:


> If your friend doesn't need a "service animal," she should be paying for the seat for her dog.



She pays for the seat. She doesn't object to paying for the extra seat.

Her issue is about putting the dog in a cargo hold.


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## retiredtraveler (Jan 23, 2018)

C'est Moi said:


> I feel that it has been abused to the point of absurdity, and that people who just want to take Fluffy along should be ashamed of using the "support animal" thing.   Of course, they are "entitled" and they have no shame, but there you are.
> 
> I am also old-school and don't believe pets belong at the mall or in the grocery store.   I'm a dog lover but my little dog always waited at home while I shopped.



Agreed. But, I do have to admit, I am a dog lover and when in the UK, I get a kick out of seeing dogs go into some stores and pubs. Health laws in the states don't allow for this.


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## Smiling Jane (Jan 23, 2018)

When I'm shopping, I don't want to take care of or have to watch out for a dog. I was glad when my son was old enough I didn't have to take him. I love my animals, but I don't need them with me at all times. 

I know people who take their dogs to work. A woman I worked with owned a very bitey German shepherd and when she brought that dog in to work, you could heard office doors being slammed up and down the hallways.


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## C'est Moi (Jan 23, 2018)

retiredtraveler said:


> Agreed. But, I do have to admit, I am a dog lover and when in the UK, I get a kick out of seeing dogs go into some stores and pubs. *Health laws in the states don't allow for this*.



I think it depends on the state, plus the "service animal" fake paperwork helps people bypass any health law.   I see dogs everywhere now; women with those silly "doggie strollers" and little Yappy all dressed up with nails painted.    That should be animal abuse, IMO.


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## Sunny (Jan 23, 2018)

It's not only a matter of paying for the dog's seat. According to the story in my link that began this discussion, a man was seriously mauled by a dog in the next seat, supposedly an emotional support dog. Apparently that's not such a rare event.

And even if it isn't usually that extreme, imagine being stuck next to a little yapping dog that keeps barking because that's how it reacts to other animals on the plane. In fact, in my experience as a 4-time dog owner, very few dogs remain calm and quiet when in the near vicinity of cats. And what if someone brings his pet snake on the plane, unconfined in a cage or a box?  Where is the line drawn?

So, what about the rights and "emotional distress" of the passengers stuck in this situation?  What about people who are allergic or phobic about animals? Wow.


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## C'est Moi (Jan 23, 2018)

Sunny said:


> It's not only a matter of paying for the dog's seat. According to the story in my link that began this discussion, a man was seriously mauled by a dog in the next seat, supposedly an emotional support dog. Apparently that's not such a rare event.
> 
> And even if it isn't usually that extreme, imagine being stuck next to a little yapping dog that keeps barking because that's how it reacts to other animals on the plane. In fact, in my experience as a 4-time dog owner, very few dogs remain calm and quiet when in the near vicinity of cats. And what if someone brings his pet snake on the plane, unconfined in a cage or a box?  Where is the line drawn?
> 
> So, what about the rights and "emotional distress" of the passengers stuck in this situation?  What about people who are allergic or phobic about animals? Wow.



All excellent points, ignored by the "entitled."


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## Traveler (Jan 23, 2018)

Last night on the evening news I saw film of a "service Kangaroo" on a plane.


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## Marie5656 (Jan 23, 2018)

*I am most in favor of support dogs use by people with disabilities, like for those in wheelchairs, or guide dogs for the blind.  Even dogs that sense a siezure or something.  But the whole emotional support thing is, I feel, getting a bit out of hand.
Now, many of you know I have owned rats.  I have had people in rat forums talk about using rats as an emotional support animal, in order to justify bringing them into a restaurant, or some public place.  Sorry, that I do not buy.  

So while I feel there needs to be acceptance of medical support animals, or physical ones, these animals are specially trained and will have a harness identifying them as a support dog. Beyond that, nope.
*


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## hollydolly (Jan 23, 2018)

retiredtraveler said:


> Agreed. But, I do have to admit, I am a dog lover and when in the UK, I get a kick out of seeing dogs go into some stores and pubs. Health laws in the states don't allow for this.




I too am a dog lover, and as you say Dogs are allowed in Pubs (well behaved dogs that is of course)...and many pubs will advertise themselves as Dog friendly. However shops (unless it's the local village store)... are not permitted to allow dogs to enter unless they are  a support dog for the Blind  and the very odd support dog like my friend has because she has severe epilepsy. Support dogs apart for those for the blind are not huge here.. yet!


On the subject of dogs in the Cargo hold, whenever we have to take or bring any of our dogs back to the UK  from Spain where my daughter has kennels.. we drive them.. which means a very long expensive journey by road and by boat..but much rather that than have them in the  Cargo  Hold..


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## C'est Moi (Jan 23, 2018)

Marie5656 said:


> *I am most in favor of support dogs use by people with disabilities, like for those in wheelchairs, or guide dogs for the blind.  Even dogs that sense a siezure or something.  But the whole emotional support thing is, I feel, getting a bit out of hand.
> Now, many of you know I have owned rats.  I have had people in rat forums talk about using rats as an emotional support animal, in order to justify bringing them into a restaurant, or some public place.  Sorry, that I do not buy.
> 
> So while I feel there needs to be acceptance of medical support animals, or physical ones, these animals are specially trained and will have a harness identifying them as a support dog. Beyond that, nope.
> *



I think we all agree that people with actual disabilities should definitely be able to have their trained service animal with them.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 23, 2018)

C'est Moi said:


> I think we all agree that people with actual disabilities should definitely be able to have their trained service animal with them.


Yes, I agree.


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## Warrigal (Jan 23, 2018)

Traveler said:


> Last night on the evening news I saw film of a "service Kangaroo" on a plane.



WHAT ? Unless it is a joey in a calico gunny sack, that is absolutely insane.
Not only that, marsupials make lousy service animals.


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## Warrigal (Jan 23, 2018)

Speaking of animal welfare on planes, this is a good news story about a rescue maltese terrier that was stranded at Alice Springs Airport when his plane was grounded due to engine problems on a flight from Sydney to KL. The good people of The Outback saw that he was OK.



> An unaccompanied pooch onboard a faulty Malaysia Airlines flight which was forced to make an emergency landing in Central Australia has made it home after a "ruff" 17,000 kilometre journey.
> 
> Timothy the Maltese terrier was forced to spend a night in Alice Springs last week, along with the 224 passengers who were onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH122 when one of its engines failed.
> 
> ...


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## oldman (Jan 24, 2018)

As a pilot for United, I really never got involved with this part of the boarding process. I know that the flight attendants (F/A) usually asked for the dog's certificate that explains why it is necessary for the animal to be with the passenger and also certifies that the animal has been trained, but beyond that, the Purser was in charge of boarding animals and passengers. The animal may sit at the owner's feet, but may not extend into the aisles. 

I also know that we did have, from time to time, a dead animal come off the plane that was in the cargo hold due to various reasons, which included stress. I also remember that our flight attendants would complain about having to clean up feces and urine while the plane was in the air or after landing. This is definitely not part of their job description, even though the F/A's are supposed to do a quick clean-up of the cabin between flights. When the plane sits at the terminal overnight, our maintenance crews are to inspect each plane, vacuum and wipe down all of the seat dividers, remove all trash and clean the lavatories. 

And, I know that advance notice to the airline must be given and the documentation that states the animal's species, sex and also states that the animal has been trained must accompany the animal being brought on-board. The owner accepts all responsibility for the animal's behavior due to the fact that the airline is required to allow the animal on-board by federal law. If passengers are flying international, they must check with the country they are flying to, in order to make certain that the animal is permitted to enter that particular country.


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## oldman (Jan 24, 2018)

An incident came to mind after I made my initial post. I remembered that we had a lady on-board some years back that was afraid of dogs, but was going to be seated with a passenger that was bringing a dog on-board and only on a leash. She was very upset that she was going to have to sit next to this dog, even though the dog was on the floor. The airline had no policy at that time, but common sense dictated that we offer her another seat. The plane was not full on that flight, so she had several choices and selected one closer to the door. She was satisfied with the switch, so all ended well. 

I also remember the time that we had a German Shepherd on-board that became ill and vomited. Our F/A was very angry that she had to clean it up while in flight. The owner thought that the airline provided this service and refused to do the clean-up. There was some hullabaloo between the passenger and the gate agent after we landed. I don't know how the situation turned out.


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## Sunny (Jan 24, 2018)

I can imagine the number of animal "horror stories" that airline personnel can tell!  Oldman, I bet your experiences are just the tip of the iceberg.

Apart from those who are phobic or allergic, what about the perfectly reasonable human need for some peace and quiet?  Being stuck next to a distressed, yapping dog sounds like the flight from hell, even worse than being stuck next to a screaming toddler.

Probably this "support animal" thing should begin and end with those who are needed to assist people with some documented physical incapacitation. For those who need their kangaroo or whatever along on the trip for emotional support, I think the answer should be a resounding "No!"


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## debbie in seattle (Jan 24, 2018)

What about the folks who have super bad allergies to pets?    Peanuts were removed from planes due to severe allergies.


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## oldman (Jan 24, 2018)

debbie in seattle said:


> What about the folks who have super bad allergies to pets?    Peanuts were removed from planes due to severe allergies.




Unfortunately, if the animal is classified as a "Service Animal", the animal has more rights than the passenger. What I mean is that if the passenger is allergic, say to cat or dog dander, the airline will make every effort to re-seat the passenger elsewhere on the plane, but if that cannot be accomplished, the animal will fly and the passenger will be deplaned and given a seat on a later flight, unless someone will switch with them. This is according to the laws seat forth by Congress. 

It doesn't seem fair, does it? So, if anyone has any issues with any types of animals, they should contact the airline in advance to find out if they are being seated in the same row as an animal that they may be allergic to. If they are, they should notify the airline and request another seat while seats may still be available. If a passenger gets to the airport and then finds out that they are sitting in the same row as a cat and are allergic to cat dander and the plane is full and no one will switch with the passenger that has the allergy, too bad. They will have a choice of either holding their breath for the next few or several hours until landing, tolerate it or ask to be re-boarded on the next flight. 

I recall that we had three dogs and two cats on a flight from Los Angeles to New York. This is typical on this flight. One dog and one cat was stowed in the cargo area. When we arrived in New York, I learned that the dog was near death. It gets really cold at 37,000 ft. Somewhere around -40°. Of course, it's not that cold in the hold, but it's down around +15° F. But, even still, that's cold for a 5-5 1/2 flight.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 24, 2018)

I think it's fine as long as I'm not supposed to be the good sport and sit in the same area of the plane and yes I feel the same way about people traveling with small children.  I would leave the plane if I was expected to sit next to any of the people or their animals, it reminds me of riding a bus in a third world country.


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## Warrigal (Jan 24, 2018)

A well trained guide dog I can contemplate but a plane full of exotic animals is ridiculous.
Imagine needing to make a controlled emergency evacuation because of fire.


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## Traveler (Jan 24, 2018)

Warrigal said:


> WHAT ? Unless it is a joey in a calico gunny sack, that is absolutely insane.
> Not only that, marsupials make lousy service animals.



Yep, it's true. The kangaroo was not very big, maybe only 3 feet tall. Is that called a joey ?


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## Warrigal (Jan 24, 2018)

Too big to carry in an artificial pouch so too big to travel on a plane. 
They pack a powerful kick that no-one wants to experience and they are easily spooked.


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## Big Horn (Jan 24, 2018)

Smiling Jane said:


> A friend has an expensive purebred dog who is her companion. She said until airlines learn to treat animals properly (what most airlines do with animals in cargo is cruel and too many of them die), she will continue to register her as a service animal so she can keep her beside her and know she's safe.
> 
> It isn't only the animal owners. The airlines share some responsibility for creating the situation.
> 
> http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/traveling-pets-airlines-dog-deaths/story?id=11198807


Good for your friend!


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## nvtribefan (Jan 24, 2018)

I'll take a plane full of dogs over children and babies any day.


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## debbie in seattle (Jan 25, 2018)

nvtribefan said:


> I'll take a plane full of dogs over children and babies any day.



Agree 100%!!


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## Sunny (Jan 26, 2018)

Not me. Dogs can bark for hours.


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## Warrigal (Jan 26, 2018)

Especially when their ears hurt.


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## Ruthanne (Jan 26, 2018)

It costs about $60,000 to train a service animal.  Many people have what are Therapy pets and I think they should be classified as Service Animals, too.  I'm not ashamed to say I told the stores I went to that my dog was a service animal because I needed her with me as I do all the time.


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## nvtribefan (Jan 27, 2018)

debbie in seattle said:


> What about the folks who have super bad allergies to pets?    Peanuts were removed from planes due to severe allergies.



Southwest serves peanuts.  I'd rather smell a stinky dog than a perfume overload.


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## nvtribefan (Jan 27, 2018)

Sunny said:


> Not me. Dogs can bark for hours.



And toddlers can, and do, scream for hours.


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## oldman (Jan 28, 2018)

I am glad that I never had to deal with animals or babies. This is one reason why airlines have a Purser (Head Flight Attendant) on-board. They have to cope with all of the complaints from passengers regarding such issues and more. I can only remember one incident regarding a crying baby. We were flying a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., which was my home airport. After we had landed in D.C. and the flight crew was ready to exit the plane, the Purser came up to me and told me that she just finished the flight from hell. On a red-eye, passengers normally will settle in for their 5 1/2 hour flight, have a snack and then get some shut-eye. 

Well, evidently, the way the Purser tells the story, we had two babies on-board that took turns crying and at some points screaming. The moms and dads did what they could do to quiet the babies, but nothing seemed to work. The Purser even re-seated them, but still no help. The Purser told me that she spent most of the entire flight trying to either calm the babies or calm the irritated passengers. After that flight, I suggested that the airlines carry those sponge type ear plugs for passengers to help reduce the noise level, but my idea was shot down, so I carried a box of 24 of them in my flight bag and informed the Purser that I had them, if needed and only if I knew we were going to have babies on-board for red-eye flights. Fortunately, we never had to break them out.

Some babies mind the change in air pressure, which causes some pain to the new babies ears that are in development, or so I am told and that this is the reason why babies will cry on planes. I have also experienced it as a passenger and as adults, we just have to be tolerant and be glad that we aren't the parents that have to deal with it.


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## Warrigal (Jan 28, 2018)

I agree that we who don't have little ones any more need to be tolerant of distressed babies.
I have found that the mothers are extremely anxious that they do not cause offence by having a baby that cries.
They do their best to soothe them, feed them etc, trying to put them to sleep but if the ears are painful, whether it is a baby or a dog, there will be crying and whining. I would happily swap seats with someone who cannot tolerate a crying baby for the sake of peace on board. I wouldn't mined sitting next to a guide dog either. Other animals? Depends on the species.


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## oldman (Jan 30, 2018)

Warrigal said:


> I agree that we who don't have little ones any more need to be tolerant of distressed babies.
> I have found that the mothers are extremely anxious that they do not cause offence by having a baby that cries.
> They do their best to soothe them, feed them etc, trying to put them to sleep but if the ears are painful, whether it is a baby or a dog, there will be crying and whining. I would happily swap seats with someone who cannot tolerate a crying baby for the sake of peace on board. I wouldn't mined sitting next to a guide dog either. Other animals? Depends on the species.




It's kind of funny that you should say that. I watched a TV program on NatGeo not too long ago called, "Unusual Animal Friends", or something like that. This lady living here in the U.S. is blind and she uses a miniature horse as her guide animal, service animal and companion. She takes this animal everywhere and everywhere that she goes, her and the horse are accepted. Of course, I would imagine that they had to build a relationship before this occurred. I was thinking that this was pretty neat until she took the horse into a restaurant. I had to draw the line there. Even though the little horse had a "poop"bag on it, I have a problem accepting that this would take care of the odor, not to mention any bacteria that may escape with any gas that may be expelled. I am as tolerant as the next guy, but I do have my limits. 

What say you?


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## Warrigal (Jan 30, 2018)

She wouldn't need the horse in a restaurant because once she was seated the horse would have no function. It could not read the menu nor tell her which fork to use. Therefore, the horse should be given the night off and she should accept the help of her friends.

Service animals are just that. They serve a purpose  which is why they are granted exemptions from regulations that apply to other animals. They are also companions when not on duty but then they have no special exemptions, nor should they.


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## rgp (Jan 30, 2018)

Did'ya hear about the "service" Peacock...that was just refused a seat ? by Delta I believe.

Seems people are always 'gaming' the system for their own gain / reason ?....And of course it only hurts those that actually do need. Very sad.........


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## Sunny (Jan 30, 2018)

But all these animals certainly provide plenty of anecdotes for the passengers to tell afterwards!


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## oldman (Jan 30, 2018)

Warrigal said:


> She wouldn't need the horse in a restaurant because once she was seated the horse would have no function. It could not read the menu nor tell her which fork to use. Therefore, the horse should be given the night off and she should accept the help of her friends.
> 
> Service animals are just that. They serve a purpose  which is why they are granted exemptions from regulations that apply to other animals. They are also companions when not on duty but then they have no special exemptions, nor should they.



That all may be good and true, but my point is how would you handle this situation if you walked into a restaurant and saw the horsey already seated or you would be eating your steak and potato and she and the horse would be seated. This isn't a hypothetical situation. This is reality as it is happening today. The moderator of the program that I was watching said that some people do walk out, but the restaurateur stands by the woman and allows this practice to happen. 

I know that I would would either turn around and leave or pay my bill and walk out never to return. I am not a cruel person, but I promise not to eat my meal in a barn, if the horse promises not to eat in my restaurant.


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## Warrigal (Jan 30, 2018)

Australians have always found the acceptance of pets in American restaurants mind boggling.
We have hygiene laws that prevent this happening with the only exemption being guide dogs in harness.
I would definitely baulk at a horse in a café.


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## oldman (Jan 30, 2018)

People are using all kinds of animals as service animals. One fellow came home from the Middle East and now uses a goose as his service animal, but he knows everyone's limitations of acceptance and expectations and abides by them. When I worked for United, we had almost all dogs and a few cats. Flying in and out of LA and New York, we flew a lot of personalities and the women, (mostly, but not always), had to have their exotic dog. There were also a lot of people that just brought Fluffy and Mittens on-board and paid the premium to stuff them under a seat. I flew Anna Nichole Smith once from LA to New York to appear on Letterman and she had her exotic pet dog with her. (Sorry, I do not know my breeds, but it was one of those really little dogs that yap all the time.) Her and the dog each had their own seats in First Class. Can you imagine paying around $2500.00 to fly your pet dog? It's a five plus hour flight, so the dog will have to go to the bathroom. Her dog was diapered and fed on-board much to the displeasure of the other passengers sitting in First Class.

I have several pet and service animal stories. Over my 34 year career, I have seen a lot, but I am sure that I haven't seen it all. My First Officer and I were sitting in the flight crew's lounge in McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, just having a cup of java and relaxing before our flight to LAX. My F/O was looking over the passenger manifest and starts laughing. I asked him what's so funny. He said that Jack Benny and his wife are flying with us and his wife is also bringing their two Shitzu's. (Spelling?) I wasn't sure what to expect, but hey, it was only a one hour flight, so I wasn't expecting any issues and there weren't. This was back in the day when we still had the door to the flight deck open at times. I was able to see back into First Class where the Benny's were sitting and they were surrounded by people, laughing and just having a really good time. 

OTOH, we were flying from Albuquerque to San Francisco and we had a man and lady traveling with their Pug. This dog must have disliked everyone except his family. He barked almost the entire trip at any noise or person that walked by him. Not a good trip at all. We used to talk about this all the time. What do we do when passengers complain about service animals? It's a Catch 22 situation, or sort of, damned if you do and damned if you don't. Our poor F/A's used to hear, "If you don't do something about that animal (pick one), I am never going to fly United again." We try to tell them that we have to comply with the law. If we knew ahead of time that the animal wasn't going to behave, we could forbid it's entry into the plane, but we don't know that until we get airborne.


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## Sunny (Jan 30, 2018)

Funny, when I visited England, as an American I was surprised by the acceptance of pets in restaurants, at least in Cornwall. Dogs were sitting right on the benches at the pubs, eating off the tables. They were treated very fondly and nobody seemed to mind!


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## oldman (Jan 30, 2018)

Here's a quick YouTube video of the lady and her miniature horse. The video does not show them being in a restaurant, but the segment that was on NatGeo Wild does. The horse is definitely her eyes to the world and very smart, but nonetheless, I have to draw the line at eating in a restaurant with the horse nearby.


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## Warrigal (Jan 30, 2018)

Outdoors on the footpath you can have your dogs with you in Australia but not indoors.
Although I was once in a pub in Outback NSW where there was a white cockatoo in the bar.
He collected your money and passed it on to the bar tender.
All of the other livestock, including the pet kangaroo, were outside in the yard.


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## Big Horn (Jan 30, 2018)

Warrigal said:


> Australians have always found the acceptance of pets in American restaurants mind boggling.
> We have hygiene laws that prevent this happening with the only exemption being guide dogs in harness.
> I would definitely baulk *(sic.)* at a horse in a café.


Americans envy Europeans where animals actually are accepted.


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## Ruthanne (Jan 30, 2018)

Warrigal said:


> Australians have always found the acceptance of pets in American restaurants mind boggling.
> We have hygiene laws that prevent this happening with the only exemption being guide dogs in harness.
> I would definitely baulk at a horse in a café.


Most places with food in the USA do not allow animals except for service dogs and even then some have sued because of being put out for having the dog.

I would love to find a restaurant that took dogs, too.


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## Wandrin (Jan 30, 2018)

Ruthanne said:


> Most places with food in the USA do not allow animals except for service dogs and even then some have sued because of being put out for having the dog.
> 
> I would love to find a restaurant that took dogs, too.



There are actually many places near me that allow well behaved dogs, usually in the patio seating area.  There is one that actually has a little mini menu for dogs.


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## Warrigal (Jan 30, 2018)

Big Horn said:


> > Originally Posted by *Warrigal*
> >
> > I would definitely baulk *(sic.)* at a horse in a café.
> 
> ...



Queen's English, Big Horn. A variation, not a spelling mistake. I've never seen it spelled without the 'u' before.



> *Definition of baulk, verb, from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary*
> 
> 
> *baulk*
> ...


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## Big Horn (Jan 30, 2018)

Warrigal said:


> Queen's English, Big Horn. A variation, not a spelling mistake. I've never seen it spelled without the 'u' before.


https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balk

Your cited reference provides it as well.


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## Warrigal (Jan 30, 2018)

Yes, that is the other variation but it is not common in Australia. 
We also have these variations - labour, colour and prefer the -ise endings to words like summarise, sympathise, organise etc.


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## OneEyedDiva (Feb 1, 2018)

Isn't there a way for airlines to verify that the animal is indeed a service animal? If so, that's what needs to be done. If not verified, no ticket.


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## oldman (Feb 1, 2018)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Isn't there a way for airlines to verify that the animal is indeed a service animal? If so, that's what needs to be done. If not verified, no ticket.



This is a very good question. I can only tell you what I know as a pilot. I have had very limited training with this type of situation because the Purser is actually in charge of the cabin and what goes on back there. That's not to say that the Captain does not have complete control of the entire plane, but when the plane is in the air, the Captain is in the cockpit and therefore; the Purser becomes the "go to" person in the cabin.

All of that being said, there are several different names for service animals in today's airline industry. Some are therapeutic, some are psychiatric and so on. The only requirements to the best of my knowledge is that the animal must be able to sit in front of the passenger, but may not extend into the aisle. The animal may not be in an exit row. If traveling international, there is a certification paper required, but I can't comment on that because I have never seen one. Some countries do not allow for the entrance of certain animals into their country. Here in the U.S. "well behaved" dogs and cats are pretty much the norm. Anything after that requires United's approval before boarding and this is why United recommends calling ahead and arranging for the animal's ability to board. 

When Congress passed this law, just like a lot of things that they pass and do, they never looked at the big picture, or did they consult with the airlines to find out what would make a worse case scenario. For example; I know a man up the street from me that travels with his pet rat everywhere he goes. OK, no big deal, right? Wrong! What happens if when the person that owns the rat and is on-board a plane, the rat gets free while the person has the door to the cage open for maybe feeding the animal? Do you think we could end up with a plane pf panicked passengers? Or, maybe worse, someone may stomp on the rat. And the worse part is that if I board a plane with my pet cat and anyone seating around me is allergic to cat dander, they may be re-seated, if possible, or they will be asked to leave the plane and catch the next flight to their destination.


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## Big Horn (Feb 1, 2018)

People can claim to be citizens and register to vote even if they can't speak a word of English.  If someone says that an animal is his or her emotional support, that's good enough for me.


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## HiDesertHal (Feb 1, 2018)

Service animals should only be allowed in the Dentist's workroom.

Hal


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 1, 2018)




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## oldman (Feb 1, 2018)

Now, why in the world would someone take their animal to the airport after the airline told them that the bird was not eligible to fly? IMO, this is an unreasonable request. Airlines always have to consider, "What if there is an emergency evacuation?" How will the bird interact with the passengers during that period of time? 

Beautiful bird, but, it is well known that peacocks will attack a human, even if they are unprovoked. Yes, I know that like so many other animals, they will try to evade humans, but if they are cornered, or it's mating season or if they feel threatened in any way, they will attack.


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## C'est Moi (Feb 1, 2018)

Good grief.   There is no way I'm sitting for several hours on a plane with a peacock in the next seat.   People are beyond ridiculous these days.


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## jujube (Feb 1, 2018)

oldman said:


> Now, why in the world would someone take their animal to the airport after the airline told them that the bird was not eligible to fly? IMO, this is an unreasonable request. Airlines always have to consider, "What if there is an emergency evacuation?" How will the bird interact with the passengers during that period of time?
> 
> Beautiful bird, but, it is well known that peacocks will attack a human, even if they are unprovoked. Yes, I know that like so many other animals, they will try to evade humans, but if they are cornered, or it's mating season or if they feel threatened in any way, they will attack.



From what I have gleaned from one source, this woman is using this for attention to push some agenda or enterprise.  Publicity seeking.


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## oldman (Feb 2, 2018)

Here is a good article and pictures of the bird:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ed-wouldnt-let-it-fly/?utm_term=.d2bfb44d43a4

It never amazes me what people will try to get away with. The owner of this bird spoke with the airline on three separate occasions and was told on all three occasions that they would not board the bird. I really doubt if any airline would board the bird, except maybe FedEx or UPS.


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