Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/01/22/no-more-emotional-support-anim.html
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In an ideal world it would seem that, instead of picking and choosing species and breeds, it would make sense to have a robust certification process that assures the reader that the bearer of the cert is accompanied by a suitably trained animal that the bearer requires to assist with navigating life.
However, in this world - where dentists roll around on hoverboards while extracting teeth and Giuliani still holds a licence to practice law - it’s hard to imagine a robust, impartial, and non-corrupt body which could manage such a process.
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The horse in the photo is not an emotional support animal but rather a service animal, in the same category as guide dogs. Miniature horses are the only species apart from dogs which can qualify as a service animal. There’s a rigorous training and certification program. Under the ADA, service animals can’t be turned away at public establishments.
Emotional support animals are a totally different category which includes the peacocks and other exotic creatures we hear about people bringing on planes. The certification process for those is much more vaguely-defined and this is the category which is often abused by the unscrupulous to bring nonessential pets on airplanes.
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I have always paid for the extra seat for my pup, that way no questions asked, and no dead k-9 when you open the hot box.
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Patricia Marx of the New Yorker wrote a piece about this, the research for which included bringing an alpaca into a drugstore and a pig onto an airliner.
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Leaning harder on the owners is unlikely to help. It’s registering and certifying the animals themselves thats going to improve things.
Miniatures horses
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I think the certification consists of getting onto Etsy and buying a BS vest or tag.
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Perhaps you and your rhino should take the train. Far more ecologically sound, and the rhino will be chuffed.
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As long as I can still hit the bars with my Drinking Bird.
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It can’t be safe to put a thing like that in a passenger cabin. The restraints don’t exist so in a crash it would become a loose flying object. And how do you handle evacuations? Pick it up and carry it?
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My healthcare provider only pays for a pet rock for emotional support, and copay doesn’t cover a nameplate or carrying case.
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The certifications would be on the Blockchain and everything would be perfect. /s
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Trained service dogs that assist the disabled? No problem. But if you are so emotionally fragile that you feel compelled to drag your iguana or peacock along with you on a trip, I absolutely do not want to be cooped up with you in tight quarters at 30,000 feet for 4 hours.
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My only qualm with this is then the disabled person could be pestered with “papers please” every time they have their service animal in a public place.
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People abusing these policies is why we can’t have nice things.
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There were 4 dogs on my last flight. I wasn’t crazy about it but I have to say: they were better behaved than a lot of the passengers.
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