The DOT is cracking down on emotional support animals on airplanes and will only allow trained dogs to fly
- The US Department of Transportation no longer classifies an emotional support animal as a service animal.
- Airlines can further crackdown on the practice of classifying a pet as an emotional support animal and charge passengers seeking to bring animals onboard.
- Bonafide service animals will still be allowed to fly and the new rule takes effect in 2021.
The US Department of Transportation on Wednesday issued a final ruling on what counts as an emotional support animal when flying after the system suffered years of abuse by the traveling public.
"This final rule defines a service animal as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability," the DOT said in its rule.
Flyers in the past have used the emotional support animal loophole to fly with a menagerie of animals including pigs, peacocks, and even snakes without having to pay an extra fee. Their owners say they help mitigate anxiety and stress while flying, as the LA Times reported in 2018 after an uptick in emotional support animals incidents, but flight attendants often have found them to be disruptive.
Airlines, as a result, began cracking down on which animals they'll allow under the designation, with each having their own criteria, as Mashable reported in February.
The loose designation and requirements to serve as an emotional support animal often meant they had less training than their service animal counterparts with a greater potential for in-flight disturbances as any animal could act as one. Clearly a controversial practice, the DOT received over 15,000 comments on the proposed rule after introducing it in January.
"It allows airlines to recognize emotional support animals as pets, rather than service animals," the rule states.
The new rule gives airlines greater flexibility to restrict which animals fly in the passenger cabins of their planes and greater ability to charge passengers for the privilege. Some airlines charge upwards of $100 for each pet that's brought into the cabin, bringing in additional untaxed dollars known as ancillary fees.
Airlines can begin enacting new policies based on the ruling in 2021 and bonafide service animals will still enjoy their flying privileges.