Service animals on planes?

Warrigal said:
Australians have always found the acceptance of pets in American restaurants mind boggling.
We have hygiene laws that prevent this happening with the only exemption being guide dogs in harness.
I would definitely baulk at a horse in a café.
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Most places with food in the USA do not allow animals except for service dogs and even then some have sued because of being put out for having the dog.

I would love to find a restaurant that took dogs, too.
 

Ruthanne said:
Most places with food in the USA do not allow animals except for service dogs and even then some have sued because of being put out for having the dog.

I would love to find a restaurant that took dogs, too.
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There are actually many places near me that allow well behaved dogs, usually in the patio seating area. There is one that actually has a little mini menu for dogs.
 
Big Horn said:
Originally Posted by Warrigal I would definitely baulk (sic.) at a horse in a café.
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Americans envy Europeans where animals actually are accepted.
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Queen's English, Big Horn. A variation, not a spelling mistake. I've never seen it spelled without the 'u' before.

Definition of baulk, verb, from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

  • baulk

    verb
    (British English) (usually North American English balk)



  1. [intransitive] baulk (at something) to be unwilling to do something or become involved in something because it is difficult, dangerous, etc. Many parents may baulk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes.He baulked for a moment. ‘I can’t afford it,’ he finally admitted.
  2. 2[intransitive] baulk (at something) (of a horse) to stop suddenly and refuse to jump a fence, etc.
  3. 3[transitive] baulk somebody (of something) [usually passive] (formal) to prevent somebody from getting something or doing something She looked like a lion baulked of its prey.

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/baulk
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Yes, that is the other variation but it is not common in Australia.
We also have these variations - labour, colour and prefer the -ise endings to words like summarise, sympathise, organise etc.
 
Isn't there a way for airlines to verify that the animal is indeed a service animal? If so, that's what needs to be done. If not verified, no ticket.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Isn't there a way for airlines to verify that the animal is indeed a service animal? If so, that's what needs to be done. If not verified, no ticket.
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This is a very good question. I can only tell you what I know as a pilot. I have had very limited training with this type of situation because the Purser is actually in charge of the cabin and what goes on back there. That's not to say that the Captain does not have complete control of the entire plane, but when the plane is in the air, the Captain is in the cockpit and therefore; the Purser becomes the "go to" person in the cabin.

All of that being said, there are several different names for service animals in today's airline industry. Some are therapeutic, some are psychiatric and so on. The only requirements to the best of my knowledge is that the animal must be able to sit in front of the passenger, but may not extend into the aisle. The animal may not be in an exit row. If traveling international, there is a certification paper required, but I can't comment on that because I have never seen one. Some countries do not allow for the entrance of certain animals into their country. Here in the U.S. "well behaved" dogs and cats are pretty much the norm. Anything after that requires United's approval before boarding and this is why United recommends calling ahead and arranging for the animal's ability to board.

When Congress passed this law, just like a lot of things that they pass and do, they never looked at the big picture, or did they consult with the airlines to find out what would make a worse case scenario. For example; I know a man up the street from me that travels with his pet rat everywhere he goes. OK, no big deal, right? Wrong! What happens if when the person that owns the rat and is on-board a plane, the rat gets free while the person has the door to the cage open for maybe feeding the animal? Do you think we could end up with a plane pf panicked passengers? Or, maybe worse, someone may stomp on the rat. And the worse part is that if I board a plane with my pet cat and anyone seating around me is allergic to cat dander, they may be re-seated, if possible, or they will be asked to leave the plane and catch the next flight to their destination.
 
People can claim to be citizens and register to vote even if they can't speak a word of English. If someone says that an animal is his or her emotional support, that's good enough for me.
 
Now, why in the world would someone take their animal to the airport after the airline told them that the bird was not eligible to fly? IMO, this is an unreasonable request. Airlines always have to consider, "What if there is an emergency evacuation?" How will the bird interact with the passengers during that period of time?

Beautiful bird, but, it is well known that peacocks will attack a human, even if they are unprovoked. Yes, I know that like so many other animals, they will try to evade humans, but if they are cornered, or it's mating season or if they feel threatened in any way, they will attack.
 
Good grief. There is no way I'm sitting for several hours on a plane with a peacock in the next seat. People are beyond ridiculous these days.
 
oldman said:
Now, why in the world would someone take their animal to the airport after the airline told them that the bird was not eligible to fly? IMO, this is an unreasonable request. Airlines always have to consider, "What if there is an emergency evacuation?" How will the bird interact with the passengers during that period of time?

Beautiful bird, but, it is well known that peacocks will attack a human, even if they are unprovoked. Yes, I know that like so many other animals, they will try to evade humans, but if they are cornered, or it's mating season or if they feel threatened in any way, they will attack.
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From what I have gleaned from one source, this woman is using this for attention to push some agenda or enterprise. Publicity seeking.
 
Here is a good article and pictures of the bird:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ed-wouldnt-let-it-fly/?utm_term=.d2bfb44d43a4

It never amazes me what people will try to get away with. The owner of this bird spoke with the airline on three separate occasions and was told on all three occasions that they would not board the bird. I really doubt if any airline would board the bird, except maybe FedEx or UPS.
 

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