The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is contemplating amendments to their rules regarding service animals and emotional support animals on flights, and is turning to the public for help.
The public has60 days to provide commenton the DOT’s proposed changes to the act, which includes amendments to “the definition of a service animal in air transportation and includes safeguards to ensure safety and reduce the likelihood that passengers wishing to travel with their pets on aircraft will be able to falsely claim that their pets are service animals,” per theDOT’s website.
As part of these proposed changes, the DOT is looking to “define a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.” This suggested definition leaves out other creatures that can be trained as service animals, such as miniature ponies.
Additionally, psychiatric service animals, such as dogs trained to assist those with post-traumatic stress disorder, would be consider service animals under this proposed definition and the DOT would “require the same training and treatment of psychiatric service animals as other service animals.”
According to the DOT’s release on the proposed changes, under this new definition of a service animal,emotional support animals would no longer be considered service animalsand would not have the same rights are certified service animals. This proposed change comes afteryears of plane pet drama connected to emotional support animals, and, if approved, the change could force those with an emotional support animal to pay to bring the animal on as a in-cabin pet,which comes with its own restrictions, or, if the emotional support animal is a dog, go through the in-depth process of getting their animal certified as a service animal.
Along with looking to change the definition of a service animal, the DOT is seeking to place more requirements on those traveling with a service animal. Among the proposed changes that the DOT has shared is a rule allowing airlines to require forms from those traveling with service animals attesting to the animal’s good behavior and health, and another rule allowing airlines to require a passenger with a disability that is traveling with a service animal to “check-in at the airport one hour prior to the travel time required for the general public to ensure sufficient time to process the service animal documentation and observe the animal.”
Other proposed rules affecting those traveling with a service animal include, a rule allowing airlines to limit the number of service animals a single passenger can travel with to two, and another allowing airlines to require that a service animal fit within the handler’s foot space on the aircraft.
While the new proposed rules appear to set more restrictions on those traveling with service animals, the DOT is also being celebrated for proposing a rule the would “prohibit airlines from refusing to transport a service animal solely on the basis of breed.” This rule would directly effect airlines like Delta,which has banned pit bulls, even if those that are service animals, from their aircrafts.
America’s VetDogs and Guide Dog Foundation/Rebecca Eden
“The Department recognizes the integral role that service animals play in the lives of many individuals with disabilities and wants to ensure that individuals with disabilities can continue using their service animals while also reducing the likelihood that passengers wishing to travel with their pets on aircraft will be able to falsely claim their pets are service animals,” the DOT added in their release.
To read the full list of DOT’s proposed changes to the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), and to submit your response to the suggested rules,visit the department’s website.
source: people.com
