If you’re following me on Facebook or Instagram, then you know that I recently posted a controversial photo that quickly became the center of a heated debate between my friends and followers. The photo was of a woman walking a small dog on a leash aboard a flight from Los Angeles to Toronto. What caused the big ruckus? The pooch was wearing a “Service Dog” vest and it was one of those things that make you go…hmmm?
I didn’t want to say too much because I honestly have no idea if this woman’s dog was really a service dog or not, but the vest sure didn’t look like it was legitimate. My big beef is that I (sadly) know many people who buy these vests/certificates online through companies that don’t require any proof that they’re for an actual service dog. Travelers do it for a number of reasons. One is so that their dogs can fly with them on the plane rather than in the cargo hold. Another is so that they don’t have to pay the usual $125+ each way fee. That’s right…service animals fly for free.
I love dogs and I’m not allergic to them, so it doesn’t bother me in the least. I actually find them comforting. What bothers me is that I know that the increasing number of people and companies who are abusing the system are going to ruin it for those individuals who actually need a service dog for support. Have you seen an increase of “service dogs” when you travel? I have and perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. Because according to New Yorker magazine: “In 2011, the National Service Animal Registry, a commercial enterprise that sells certificates, vests, and badges for helper animals, signed up twenty-four hundred emotional-support animals. Last year, it registered eleven thousand.”
Have you, or do you know anyone who has, purchased one of these “service animal” vests/certificates even though they don’t actually warrant one?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Good to know: According to The New York Times, one big giveaway is that “assistance dogs are trained not to bark in public, not to go smelling other dogs or people.”
Interesting Stories on the Subject:
- New Yorker: Why are so many animals now in places where they shouldn’t be?
- NPR: Removal Of Blind Man, Service Dog From Flight Sparks Outrage
Airline Policies on Service Animals:
- FAA: Service Animals in Air Transportation – Aviation Consumer Protection (PDF)
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- JetBlue Airways
- Spirit Airlines
- United
- US Airways
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Really enjoyed reading this blog and very helpful information.
Lighten up my goodness if a person goes to the trouble to register their dog, and the dog is providing them with some sort of therapy which is not drug related then more power to them.
I do not think you have done your research on this topic. There is no governmental registry at this point, and these are federal rules that are supported by the Americans with Disabilities Act. What gives you the right to question them?
Service dogs are legitimate for PSTD, seizure alert, & a variety of other disabilities. Its up to the owner to train the dog and if they feel the need to purchase avast and utilize the dog registry then more power to them. And why not provide some empathy towards person with disabilities. Never have I seen a service dog that has infringed on my comfort level or any of my personal rights. You don’t seem to understand the therapeutic aspect that a dog can provide.
I have to have my dog with me in a hotel because of PTSD due to a traumatic home invasion and a hotel break in. I don’t abuse it – when I am not going to be alone in my room at any point, I don’t need her, so she doesn’t come on that trip. She is trained by a professional to check under the bed, closet, bathtub, etc. (FYI, I also can’t be alone in my house without her.) I don’t abuse it- I actually paid for her for a couple years because I felt like I didn’t want to be perceived as a faker. She was always perfect on the flight, quiet in her crate as I would travel even from Florida to Ca. But one flight when we sat on the tarmac for three hours (and one passenger actually fainted from the heat ) changed that for me. When the Delta attendant wouldn’t let me open her carrier just a bit to give her water, she got really sick and dehydrated. The result was humiliating for me and needless to say, very unpleasant for the other travelers. I ended up having to get off that flight. After that, I had my psychiatrist write a letter with my official diagnosis and joined the ranks of a traveler with a trained service animal who also provides emotional support for me. I still don’t abuse it- she stays in her carrier under the seat in front of me just like any other carry-on. Because I don’t need her to be on my lap. She is not there for any traveling needs- just my destination. She sleeps, and occasionally pokes her head up to look at me for maybe 10 seconds before snuggling back down . If people on the plane ask, I tell them I paid the fee, because I’m not going into my story. She doesn’t stay at non-dog friendly hotels- even though I could – and we eat outside if it’s allowed at a restaurant- otherwise she stays at the hotel. She does not wear a vest- because I have proper documentation concerning my diagnosis and also by a certified animal trainer. Because of people abusing the system-sometimes I guess, with unruly dogs, I have been subjected lately to undue scrutiny, especially at LAX , and it’s a real shame. Most of my seat mates are amazed when I get up (even after a six hour flight) and they see I have a dog. For the most part they are not aware she is even there- because she is a TRAINED service animal. I would not be able to travel alone without her.
You see this is fine. LEGIT service dogs? They’re wonderful – I respect that.
It’s when people bring in dogs they claim to be service dogs, no vest (or sometimes vest), sniffing people’s legs, trying to get away from the owner and even jumping on people. They’re clearly not service animals. It’s people like that who make others thing that people like you are not legitimate owners of a service animal.