Emotional support pets...

benyflyguy

benyflyguy

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benyflyguy
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/southwest...t-animals-223031322--abc-news-topstories.html

So when did this become the new norm?? People can get a letter for just about anything anymore. I want to get a letter that I’m gonna need a medically justified h**djob for every flight I take as well as during work!!!
I have monthly have patients that request letters like this. Such a abuse of the system. I usually deny but occasionally get browbeat into writing one. Such a crock. It’s good to see places like royal carribean are taking a stand and airlines starting to follow.
Some would be quick to blame milenials. But it’s actually, for me, 40-60yo welfare recipients.
Now if it’s actually a working dog like for someone blind, totally different case but it’s the other “emotional support” ppl that drag their untrained pets anywhere because they can that are going to ruin it for the few that actually need these animals.
Rant probably not over...
 
I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert, but . . . an "emotional support peacock" . . . Really?!?!?
 
kc4wsd said:
I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert, but . . . an "emotional support peacock" . . . Really?!?!?
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It is the second syllable in the selected animal that the owner really needed.

Tim (could not resist, and yes it is bad)

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
 
If it fits in the seating space you paid for and doesn’t crap or make noise I really don’t care.

That said I have experienced WAAAAAY more annoying poorly trained kids on planes than out of control animals.

Frankly I’d rather the lady across from me have a peacock than a 1 year old.
 
From SWA's policy:

"An animal that engages in disruptive behavior may be denied boarding. Examples of disruptive behavior include (but are not limited to): Scratching, excessive whining or barking; Growling, biting, lunging; Urinating or defecating in the cabin or gate area."​

I guess it's Amtrak from now on, for me.
 
Unfortunately the abuses in this system are huge and I'm glad to see people cracking down on it. The reality is most dogs aren't well behaved enough to be in public areas like that. If you're walking down the street, it's one thing. If you're in an airplane, it's another. Plus, most dog owners don't see a problem with the behavior of the dogs. I see it all the time.

I've got no problem with people needing emotional support animals, provided they're actually properly trained as service animals. But, most aren't.
 
While I think people are abusing the "emotional support animal" rules, the airlines have brought some of this on themselves by increasing their fees for bringing pets. The fees for a cabin pet under the seat in front of you is $125 each way, probably more than some people paid for their human ticket. Not that this justifies abusing the law, but it's not surprising people are looking to get around these fees.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've got no problem with people needing emotional support animals, provided they're actually properly trained as service animals. But, most aren't.
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I think part of the problem with the system is most people confuse support animal with service animal. A service animal is either a dog or miniature horse trained to perform a specific task for a disabled person, think guide dog. No peacocks or llamas or lizards etc.

An emotional support animal can be any animal you can get a doctor's note for and does not have to be trained. I'm sure there are websites that will provide the required note for a small charge. These are the category that are abused.
 
GreatLakesFlying said:
From SWA's policy:

"An animal that engages in disruptive behavior may be denied boarding. Examples of disruptive behavior include (but are not limited to): Scratching, excessive whining or barking; Growling, biting, lunging; Urinating or defecating in the cabin or gate area."​

I guess it's Amtrak from now on, for me.
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Just don't go Greyhound. The people do all that stuff.
 
I sat next to a lady on one flight who had an emotional support dog. It was a Yorkie, that thing couldn't have been more than 6-7 pounds. He was perfectly behaved the whole flight. It was very obvious this was a legitimate support animal because you could tell the woman had anxiety problems. And the animal was very well trained. She held it on her lap the whole flight except takeoff and landing. The only issue was when I opened my purchased snack it started looking interested in my food but didn't try to do anything about it. The lady immediately turned it around so it's head was no longer facing me and that was that. I no longer had to look at the sad puppy dog eyes.

I have no problem with that scenario. A very aware and considerate owner and a well trained dog and a legitimate need.

My sister in law trains Corgis for agility and she says some owners will claim these as emotional support dogs just to fly them for free when they travel for competitions. She says lots of people do this and it makes her boiling mad.
 
tspear said:
It is the second syllable in the selected animal that the owner really needed.

Tim (could not resist, and yes it is bad)

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Hmm. Could that be like a job? Services Offered: Seeking part time employment as an emotional support....(there, you're off the hook, this is even worse)
 
ColoPilot said:
I think part of the problem with the system is most people confuse support animal with service animal. A service animal is either a dog or miniature horse trained to perform a specific task for a disabled person, think guide dog. No peacocks or llamas or lizards etc.

An emotional support animal can be any animal you can get a doctor's note for and does not have to be trained. I'm sure there are websites that will provide the required note for a small charge. These are the category that are abused.
Click to expand...

Understood that there's a difference between emotional support animal vs. service animal. My point is I think that there should be some level besides a note to consider an animal emotional support.
 
benyflyguy said:
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/southwest...t-animals-223031322--abc-news-topstories.html

So when did this become the new norm?? People can get a letter for just about anything anymore. I want to get a letter that I’m gonna need a medically justified h**djob for every flight I take as well as during work!!!
I have monthly have patients that request letters like this. Such a abuse of the system. I usually deny but occasionally get browbeat into writing one. Such a crock. It’s good to see places like royal carribean are taking a stand and airlines starting to follow.
Some would be quick to blame milenials. But it’s actually, for me, 40-60yo welfare recipients.
Now if it’s actually a working dog like for someone blind, totally different case but it’s the other “emotional support” ppl that drag their untrained pets anywhere because they can that are going to ruin it for the few that actually need these animals.
Rant probably not over...
Click to expand...

Get a grip on yourself!
 
My step son wanted to bring his cat to college in the dorms. School's answer, ESA is allowed, but you need a letter from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist that show you have had at least 20 sessions in the past twelve months, and the treating doctor's address needs to be within reasonable driving distance of the school or home. Plus the letter is good for one year only.

It would be nice to see SWA and others step up to this level.

Tim
 
A couple days ago, at the mall, I saw a young woman (20s?) with a yellow lab. The dog had a "service animal - do not touch" vest. For whatever reason, the dog didn't want to move and laid down. The woman was too busy texting to care. She kept walking and was dragging the dog behind her at the end of the leash.
 
tspear said:
My step son wanted to bring his cat to college in the dorms. School's answer, ESA is allowed, but you need a letter from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist that show you have had at least 20 sessions in the past twelve months, and the treating doctor's address needs to be within reasonable driving distance of the school or home. Plus the letter is good for one year only.

It would be nice to see SWA and others step up to this level.

Tim
Click to expand...
We’ve been trying to figure out how to send our dog to school with our daughter as an emotional support animal for the whole dorm...we figure that a dorm full of teenage girls is rife with emotional instability.

Problem is the dog would be over fed to the point of being obese, and over-petted to the point of being hairless. ;)
 
James331 said:
If it fits in the seating space you paid for and doesn’t crap or make noise I really don’t care.

That said I have experienced WAAAAAY more annoying poorly trained kids on planes than out of control animals.

Frankly I’d rather the lady across from me have a peacock than a 1 year old.
Click to expand...


Americans with disabilities act requires one to make reasonable accommodations. As a parent with a seriously disabled child, I am sure you would find my kid "annoying and poorly trained" when traveling in an airline. The phrase "reasonable" may be a bit ambiguous, but I don't think "annoying" would necessarily qualify as a valid reason to remove such a child from the airplane.
 
GreatLakesFlying said:
From SWA's policy:

"An animal that engages in disruptive behavior may be denied boarding. Examples of disruptive behavior include (but are not limited to): Scratching, excessive whining or barking; Growling, biting, lunging; Urinating or defecating in the cabin or gate area."​

I guess it's Amtrak from now on, for me.
Click to expand...

Does that apply to kids too?

I so wish it did


sarangan said:
Americans with disabilities act requires one to make reasonable accommodations. As a parent with a seriously disabled child, I am sure you would find my kid "annoying and poorly trained" when traveling in an airline. The phrase "reasonable" may be a bit ambiguous, but I don't think "annoying" would necessarily qualify as a valid reason to remove such a child from the airplane.
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Lol, the kids I’m talking about, and the ones who cause issues are NOT genetically defective, they are just poorly raised.
 
James331 said:
Does that apply to kids too?

Lol, the kids I’m talking about, and the ones who cause issues are NOT genetically defective, they are just poorly raised.
Click to expand...

In the old days, disability came with physical characteristics, like down syndrome or cerebral palsy. That's not the case nowadays. Physically you will not notice any difference with my kid, until you start interacting. So people assume these kids are poorly raised/disciplined. As a result, it is far worse today for parents with disabled kids - they get thrown out of airplanes, restaurants and even childrens' museums, because they don't fit the traditional image of a disabled person in a wheelchair.
 
I think the government should supply me with an emotional support jet. I’ll pay for the training if the taxpayers pay for operations.
 
sarangan said:
In the old days, disability came with physical characteristics, like down syndrome or cerebral palsy. That's not the case nowadays. Physically you will not notice any difference with my kid, until you start interacting. So people assume these kids are poorly raised/disciplined. As a result, it is far worse today for parents with disabled kids - they get thrown out of airplanes, restaurants and even childrens' museums, because they don't fit the traditional image of a disabled person in a wheelchair.
Click to expand...

But are you just listing to music on your phone or paying more attention to your movie vs correcting your screaming, pooping, or kicking the back of the seat kid?

I get what you’re saying, but it’s also easy to see the which ones are which by how the parents act.
 
Salty said:
I think the government should supply me with an emotional support jet. I’ll pay for the training if the taxpayers pay for operations.
Click to expand...


I think I should be supplied with an emotional support bunny. An emotional support Playboy bunny.
 
sarangan said:
In the old days, disability came with physical characteristics, like down syndrome or cerebral palsy. That's not the case nowadays. Physically you will not notice any difference with my kid, until you start interacting. So people assume these kids are poorly raised/disciplined. As a result, it is far worse today for parents with disabled kids - they get thrown out of airplanes, restaurants and even childrens' museums, because they don't fit the traditional image of a disabled person in a wheelchair.
Click to expand...

Very true. A friend has a child who is autistic but he looks perfectly normal, there are times he just acts out in public. I recall a discussion with her about how to handle the issue in public. It is really tough situation, because there is no obvious visual cues, there is no way for the "public" to know and accommodate. If you have your child wear something that says "I am Autistic", then your child invites ridicule which can then spark the undesired behavior.

I do not know of a good answer, or even if there is one.

Tim
 
http://observer.com/2018/08/southwest-airlines-tightens-service-animal-rules-but-mini-horses-are-ok/

We have horses, big ones, and they crap about three times an hour, do the math and they fart like crazy. Do you want to be on that plane for three hours? Think about it,it is bad enough when some one lets loose and it waifs through the plane, now we have dogs, cats and horses ripping.

Now what if the comfort mini horse is a colt, gelding or a stallion,, have you ever seen a horse hang it out, it will make grown men cry,, some one is going say sexual harassment, He showed himself to me, I am offended, pay me.


Welcome to Southwest Arklines, on the flight deck we have Capt. Noah today, and your second officer is a real Dog
 
Salty said:
I think the government should supply me with an emotional support jet. I’ll pay for the training if the taxpayers pay for operations.
Click to expand...

If the government won't get you one, just become a televangelist and fleece your flock until they buy you a big fancy jet. Praise the Lord!
 
sarangan said:
In the old days, disability came with physical characteristics, like down syndrome or cerebral palsy. That's not the case nowadays. Physically you will not notice any difference with my kid, until you start interacting. So people assume these kids are poorly raised/disciplined. As a result, it is far worse today for parents with disabled kids - they get thrown out of airplanes, restaurants and even childrens' museums, because they don't fit the traditional image of a disabled person in a wheelchair.
Click to expand...

But haven't those kids always existed? What's different now?
 
Shepherd said:
Yes! And the cutest little booties, so it doesn't get it's feet dirty in the nasty airport terminal.
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il_570xN.1128810221_4ee2.jpg
 
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