The U.S. Department of Transportation is the latest to join the emotional support animal debate. ICYMI, Delta banned flying with turkeys (among other "disruptive animals") in January, United followed suit in February, and American joined in earlier this week, releasing its own regulations. Now, the DOT revealed that they're drafting official rules for passengers flying with service animals of any kind, according to USA Today—and they want you to help them out.
Head to the DOT's regulations site to read up on the proposed rules, which cover everything from "unusual species" (if like Ross Geller or Justin Bieber, you have a capuchin monkey) to required documentation—like immunizations records and health forms—for service animals prior to boarding. If you have experience or just feels, click the "Comment Now" button to add your thoughts. Make sure to get them in before June 30, when the comments close.
We asked Traveler contributors how they feel about the DOT's move—and they had strong opinions in favor of DOT-sanctioned rules. Here's what they had to say:
Federal regulation would actually hold some of these airlines accountable.
"Over the past few years, the number of animals I notice on flights in general has increased tenfold. As it stands, too many people have been taking advantage of the current system, which is unfair to those who legitimately need a service animal for emotional [and psychiatric] reasons. Even beyond emotional service animals, I'd like to see DOT impose some stronger regulation for animal air transport in general, especially considering the recent horror stories of dogs being shipped to the wrong airport, being left out in the sun on the tarmac, and being suffocated in an overhead bin. It's only natural that there are situations today in which people need to travel with their pets, and federal regulation would actually hold some of these airlines accountable." –Tyler Moss
The animals, and humans, need to prove themselves.
"All of the animals (service animals and ESAs) should have a current vaccination record from their vet—a health passport, essentially. That shouldn't require extra money to obtain—I can get a printout of my dog's vaccination record at anytime from my vet—but it shouldn't need to be obtained within 10 days of travel (as some rules dictate now). The documentation should just show that the animals are currently up to date on their vaccinations and they are healthy/fit to travel. That is what is required when you board your dog at a kennel or when you got to a pet groomer. It simply means your dog isn't carrying rabies or some other disease, and the animal is not a public health risk.
Airlines should also work closely with the National Federation of the Blind and the organizations that certify guide dogs—and other organizations that advocate for the Americans with Disabilities Act—to ensure that the rules are consistent across airlines, fair to people with disabilities, and also deter people without true disabilities from taking advantage." –Rachel Rabkin Peachman
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