The Crackdown on Faux Service Animals!

Finally! The Crackdown on Emotional Assist Animals is beginning!

Raise your hand if you love fur babies!!! I have both hands raised and all ten toes wiggling vigorously! I am someone that absolutely LOVES animals, so if you are a fur lover – I get you but I also have to be truthful with you. There’s no amount of love, special treatment or deception that you can give when traveling with your pet, that will make other passengers love it just as much as you.

The great thing about traveling is that if you have a disability, airlines are pretty accommodating, mostly due to the American with Disabilities Act. The unfortunate fact, however, is that there are many people abusing this freedom just to be able to travel with their pet(s) for free. I am all for legitimate service animals being on board, in laps and in the cuddle zone. I for one will be the first one to ask if I can pet them; but everyday we see the craziest “service” animals on board with owners that are confused about whether their pooch is a service animal or an emotional assist animal. For example flight attendants have seen dogs, cats, birds (of all kinds), sugar gliders, monkeys and more. Let us not forget about the passengers who have a big service dog who has a little service dog. If that does not make sense it is exactly how it sounds. The little dog is there simply to make sure the big dog services the passenger. Guys, I can’t make this stuff up – this literally was a thing.

While it is ridiculously easy to “cheat” the system so that you don’t have to pay for your pooch; it hurts the people who actually rely on their animals for assistance and functionality. These faux animals create other issues like creating messes in public venues and getting into squabbles with other “service” animals. Having untrained animals on board posing as service animals in unsanitary and, more importantly, unsafe.

Again, I am all for the legitimate fur babies who go through the correct processes and training; however if you are an able bodied passenger who simply doesn’t have the heart (and I don’t blame you) to leave  Snuffles at home, please, I implore you, either pay to transport them or find a sitter. End Rant. Go Delta for being a leader in the industry! Here’s the article again in case you blinked – Check it Out! The Crackdown on Emotional Assist Animals

  

Works Cited

Eisenbaum, Joel. “Channel 2 Investigates Fake Service Dog Industry.” KPRC, Click 2 Houston, 17 Feb. 2017, 8:49 AM, www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/channel-2-investigates-fake-service-dog-industry.

McNeal, Stephanie. “People Are Excited After Delta Announced It Is Cracking Down On Comfort Animals.” BuzzFeed, BuzzFeedNews , 19 Jan. 2018, 1:05PM, www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/emotional-support-spider?utm_term=.lironwndX.