Your dog may qualify as a service dog, flys at no charge.
 

When I fly my Bailey Grace flies with me in the cabin without a charge.
Due to my anxiety in regards to flying. Here is the rules regarding a mental health service animal and flying. This is from United's website.

The only trouble I have ever experienced is flying out of Memphis TN airport, security did question me and tried to state only 2 dogs are allowed on a plane in the cabin. THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH A SERVICE ANIMAL. there is no limit to the number of service animals allowed.

You must have a current health certificate when flying and have all documents ready when going through security.
You do not have to explain any details of your disability other than having the document listed below from your mental health therapist.
Discrimination is against federal law.

Service animals
United Airlines and United Express welcome service animals accompanying persons with disabilities. There is no fee for service animals, and they may travel in the aircraft cabin as long as they do not obstruct an aisle or any other area used for emergency evacuations.
It may be helpful to outfit your service animal with a harness or vest to make the animal’s status obvious to airport personnel. If the animal’s status is questioned, you simply need to provide credible verbal assurance that the animal is assisting a passenger with a disability.

Please note that quarantine restrictions may apply. Check with your travel agent or a United reservations agent at least one month prior to departure to find out if there are any regulations specific to your destination.

Emotional support animals
Emotional support animals are considered to be service animals. However, a customer traveling with an emotional support animal will need to have documentation on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional, dated within the past 12 months, stating that the customer is under professional care for a mental-health-related disability, and that the animal’s assistance is essential to his or her mental health.

This is a very touchy topic around here. Many people feel that service dogs NEED to be certified in order to prevent people from taking advantage of this. Just giving you a heads up in case this turns into more of a debate than a discussion.

I met a lady who had schauzers that she had certified as service dogs and now she takes them everywhere with her. We want to do that with ours but I have no clue where to go. Does anyone have direction about this? I would love to take them to a hospital or nursing home and let them love on some people!

if you want to take them to a hospital or nursing home you need to have them certified as a therapy dog!

I dont have a problem with emotional support dogs, they dont get as much access to places as "real" service dogs but they provide a service in certain instances!

Yeah, I was just wondering is someone here had done it and could tell me about what all they went through. Cost? How llong it takes etc?

I can understand that if you have an honest need for a service animal. But when people WITHOUT any real need for them have them certfied as such just so that they can take them with them everywhere, to me, that is just wrong! :thumbdown You are taking advantage of a system that was put into place for people who really need it and eventually it could make matters more difficult for those who really do depend on the aid of an animal for day to day life. It's no different than someone getting paid cash under the table and collecting gov't assisance, or someone using handicapped parking when they have no real need for it.

Thank you! I have nothing to add. :thumbup:

What is wrong with wanting to share your baby with the world? I have friends who have 2 Schnauzers and they go to nursing homes and hospitals every week! Dogs can change lives. I am looking in to it because I would love for my babies to share some of their love with hurting or sick people? And yeah, I would also take them with me everywhere I could (with in reason). I dont have kids and I hate when insensitive people laugh when I say my Yorkies are my babies. That is what they are and just because others have skin babies doesnt mean mine are less important to me than theirs are to them.

So, service or therapy. Are they both looked down upon?

there is a difference between a therapy dog and a service dog. a therapy dog does NOT go out in public to restaraunts and on airplanes, they go to nursing homes and hospitals to visit people. That is *fine* - that is *wonderful*.

The problem comes in when people who do *not* need service dogs register their dogs. They can do this because with some registries, dogs don't have to be specifically trained, all you have to do is enter their information and pay a fee. Tucker is my mom's service dog. She actually needs him. There are people who register their dogs as service dogs just because they want to take them out shopping in places where dogs are not normally allowed. By doing this, it makes life even *more* difficult for the people who actually need them, because laws change and regulations change and people don't realize how serious the need for a service dog is. Disabled people are finally getting more rights, and they are being allowed to have their service dogs with them where ever they are needed. If non-disabled people take this as a joke and register their dogs despite having no actual need to have them with them, then the entire system is taken less seriously, and ultimately it results in people who have a physical/mental dependence for these dogs being unable to use them and bring them out as needed.

this is going to be a good topic
;):cool:

It is solely the airline's policy that ESA are considered to be service animals. There should be no confusion (when your on land) the law applies- and by definition, ESA are not service animals.

There are no certifications for emotional support animals.

Service Dogs-Therapy Dog and a free ticket to fly?
 

:aimeeyork I have a certified Service dog that helps me with walking,balance,falling and a seizure condition. His name is Bear and is a Great Pyrenees. Bear came from a non-profit organization called Canine Assistants. They train dogs to help people with special needs get through their daily life a little easier. Bear's training started at 6 weeks old. He was finally ready at 2 y/o with the knowledge of 60 commands all taught with positive re-enforcement, love and lots of hugs!! Only 50 reciepients are picked out of 1000 applicants per year. I was lucky to be picked last Jan 09' to attend their school for two weeks. The program is challenging and emotional. Imagine walking in with a cane and living the past 2 years pretty much in my house due to seizures and falling. I walked out of the school with Bear and NO cane...my husband is able to drop me off at the store now and I can shop alone or go to a movie as long as I have Bear. He gave me my freedom and my life back. He is like my right arm.
Therapy dogs are wonderful. The owner and dog attend a 1 hour session per week for a total of 6 weeks(duration is a bit shorter than a service dog eh?) They are given a certificate and can go to libraries, senior centers, hospitals etc. They do a wonderful service for others. My dog is trained to be a working dog for ME.
When I see people claim their dog is a certified therapy dog and have every right to fly, eat or shop with their owner it makes me frustrated.
These people don't realize what others with disabilities go through on a daily basis...these dogs are our lifesavers.
I have been told by store managers that they dealing with more and more people claiming their dog is a service dog and if they don't get service or allowed into the store they will use the "disability act" as a scare tactic.
To spot a certified/registered service dog: The dog is well groomed, wears a vest-mine is green with sponsor patches on it such as delta, milkbone etc. They will also have a round patch that states not to pet a working dog. The dogs eyes will not be on you it will be on the owners and their surroundings. The owner will have a badge with picture of owner and dog with name address of organization...stating that i have a service dog. I also have the state disability law on the back of the badge. I never mind being stopped and asked about Bear or his service dog status. People who own a service dog that are declined entrance do not "Argue" with management or threaten a lawsuit.
Sorry so long winded...

Great information! Thank you for posting! :)

:thumbup::thumbup: I always want to pet them though, they're so cute and are always doing such a good job! :D

i wanna bring my lucky on a plane with me when i go to egypt next week can i have him sit in the same seat as me? hes only 4 1/2 months old though...