...and if the airlines had anything to do with it they would all be flown cargo. They are allowing us to take our pets with us. Airlines are not government bodies, they are private companies and we have very little to say on their policies as consumers that will change much. We can take the service they offer or leave it.

OH I wish we could say "leave it" or in part of that famous quote "shove it". But air travel has become so much a part of our life style, when at all possible we do the vote with your $$$$$ thing and don't fly, we drive or stay home, LOL not so hard these days :eek:. I hate to fly.

I know, all we need is one airline to change for a more humane poilicy. Maybe we will all soon be traveling as cargo to, then the crew would not have to deal with us (which is their job) at all !

Oh so true, I feel like cargo when I fly any way, don't you???:rolleyes:

Very interesting thread! I have a service dog - trained, certified and all of that.
If you are in the USA the American Disability Act is the law. No one is allowed to ask you what your disability is -- i.e. no showing pills etc, that is humiliating. They may ask you if the dog performs a necessary service for you, but that is all.

Even with the certification there are issues. Just two days ago I was at the eye doctors with my dog waiting to be seen, when one of the techs rushed up and took me into a room because someone in the waiting room complained about the dog being there. (No one mentioned the two screaming kids in the waiting room who had snotty noses:D). Anyway, I told them that I would leave because I had no desire to cause a problem -- with that the doctor came out and said absolutely not, and I got to be seen with no problems. Soooo, even when everything is ligit there are issues.

My disability is fairly obvious -- I have hearing loss -- so generally I don't have a problem. That said, however, when I go out to eat with the family and am not driving and such I do not usually take her.

I carry the ADA law in my purse on a little card for those who need to be educated and am always polite about it. Now if you are out of the USA you have other problems -- Mexicana Airlines does not have to honor the American Disability Act if they are out out of the US etc. So you have to watch that.

Just a little hint. When I make a reservation for a plane I have learned not to tell them I have a service dog when I make the reservations. I wait a few days or weeks and then call and say I will be bringing my service dog. Reason??? I have been turned down for a reservation several times because I told them I had a service dog at the time of the reservations.

Hope this helps/clarifies.

BTW - training a service dog takes about $8,000 to $10,000 not counting the hotel expenses if it is not included in the price. Most people have grants to pay for the training of both dog and handler.

Airlines
 

I found it very interesting about your little hint, the one concerning the reservations, HOW DARE THEY TURN YOU DOWN for a reservation just because of your service dog :eek:. I am offended, you are more polite than I am, I would be shouting to the roof tops the name of the airlines who did that AND the agent who allowed it!!!! Sorry, it really upsets me, I know the value of the service dog, I was told and I quote "gift from God" was the value per my BFF. I know, emotional, but it's like that for me. :cry:
Hopefully you never again have that problem.

I find that very interesting. I fly southwest airlines, and always will. Reason being.. they are 100% service dog friendly in my experiences. Ever since the first time I was traveling with a service animal they notated my account that I would be accompanied by an assistance animal. Now when I call for a reservation, they just ask if I'm bringing my service dog, and tickets are as good to go. :)

Southwest, that is good to know, I think that when an airlines offers a "service" even though it is what they really should do anyway, everyone should know, so that when someone who doesn't fly regularly, will use that airlines. I know that when we flew US Air to Philly from San Diego, though it was not "service" related, they were very helpful, the stews, even the TSA guys :rolleyes:, ya I know, TSA. So thanks, now I have two airline to choose from or that I know about that do well by the travel with little dogs.

Oh and Kaos used to fly in a crate when he was about 12-16 wks back and forth from NY to AZ with me. He never made a peep, but he was so cute and little, I used to take him out and let him sleep in my lap, as I slept as well. I used to ask the girls next to me to wake me up if he decided to jump down and roam around. :p He never moved though. Every so often a flight attendant would giggle and tell me to hide him. Kaos was too cute for his own good. :cool:

Kaos was too cute for his own good. :cool:[/QUOTE]

LOL do you suppose that's just a guy thing? Or maybe a little dog thing? :p Who cares it worked.

First of all, I think this thread is YT at its best. A possibly controversial topic has been discussed with respect, compassion and first-hand knowledge. I love it. I hope I don't screw it up with my honest question.

I'd never heard of emotional support animals until recently, and I find the idea intriguing. I absolutely believe animals can provide emotional support to people with mental disabilities and should be afforded rights to provide those services in public places.

My problem is more of a question. What's involved in the certification? As near as I can tell from Googling, all you need is a letter from a doctor or mental health therapist. I found some references that says the dog must have some social skills -- can't poop or pee in public places, can't be aggressive, etc. I found one site online that says if you can't get a letter from your doctor, you can pay $114 to be examined online by professionals and receive a letter from them. Not sure how they examine the dog.

But who determines that the dog has the necessary skills? The doctor? Doctors aren't necessarily dog experts. While they may see the calming effect the dog has on the patient in the office, will they put the dog through any testing to ensure it can behave in public?

While any dog can provide a therapeutic service to its owner, not every dog can behave in public. Some people are terrified of dogs of all sizes. Some people are allergic to dogs. Some people just don't like dogs. If emotional support animals are afforded the same privileges of highly trained task-specific service dogs, they should be held up to the same standards of training.

Just my opinion.

As far as emotional support dogs they only require a letter from a doctor, and a vet health certificate to fly. Emotional support animals are not offered the same rights as a service dog. They dont get "public access" as a normal service dog does..with the exception of flying. Being an emotional support dog only provides the owner with the right to move any where, even places that dont allow dogs.

Now are far as other people being terrified/allergic: Those of us with service dogs encounter the same problems. We do what we can do to accommodate others, but when it comes down to it I NEED my service dog, so he will always be by my side. Kaos knows not to ever make a noise or approach someone in public without being told he can greet them.

In general emotional support dogs probably won't have the same amount of training as our service dogs do, but they are also only offered minimal rights.

When these dogs fly I would like to know if they have to be crated? If they do, then I don't see it ever being a problem, because it's like flying a normal dog just free of charge. Now if they don't have to be crated, and it were to act up in flight, I'm not even sure how that would be handled.

THERAPY, ESD, Or SERVICE DOG ?
This is just my opinion. Therapy Dogs make people feel good. Yes, that is a service, but it not keeping someone safe or necessary to provide daily assistance. Service Animals are trained to do a job, and paired with a person to do that special job.
My Zacky (RIP) was a wonderful Therapy Dog we visited local hospitals, VA hosp., Nursing homes, Schools, Senior Day Care and Rehabilitation Units. Zacky was not my Service Dog. I didn't take him where he wasn't wanted or welcome.
On the other hand if he was my Service Dog he would go where ever, I go. IT IS THE LAW and a service dog is trained to function in public.
I don't think ESD should be given Service Dog status unless they are truly trained and certified as a Service Dog. There should be training programs for ESD. People with mental issues, needs are just as valid and real, as a person who is deaf, blind or that needs physical assistance etc.

Google Psychiatric Service Dogs. They will help with training and certification

Even if your Yorkie is not a service dog, flying shouldn't be a problem. I flew with my Joonie twice this month- once domestically from Chicago to Harrisburg, PA and once internationally from Harrisburg to Beijing, China.

United and Korean Air are the only two airlines that allow dogs to fly in-cabin (under the seat in front of you) internationally. I flew United and had no problem at all adding Joonie onto all my flights with me. The extra cost was $125 per flight. It's best to fly economy, because some business and first-class seats aren't set up to be able to slide a carrier in front of you.