What animals are allowed as an emotional support animal on a plane in the US?
TRAVELERS who want to be comforted by an animal companion while flying could have to leave their furry friends at home before jetting off for vacation.
Not all pets are welcome aboard – the US Transportation Department has redefined what’s considered an emotional support animal (ESA). Which pets can you put on a plane?
What is an emotional support animal?
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a type of animal that provides comfort to help relieve a symptom or effect of a person’s disability.
An ESA is not a pet and can generally be any species, according to US law.
Licensed mental health professionals like a therapist or psychologists are legally allowed to prescribe ESAs.
What animals are allowed as an emotional support animal on a plane?
Anything from peacocks to hamsters were once considered emotional support animals, as long as they’re not too heavy or large to fit in the plane cabin, according to the US Department of Transportation.
But a new ruling has limited ESAs to dogs only.
On December 3, the department decided that emotional support animals will no longer be allowed on planes and will need to be checked into a plane’s cargo hold or left at home.
Before the ruling, which takes effect on January 1, passengers were allowed to bring a variety of animals if they showed a doctor’s note saying they needed the pet for emotional support.
What is the difference between an ESA vs a service animal?
The main difference between ESAs and service animals is that the latter are trained to perform specific tasks, like helping a blind person navigate.
ESAs don’t require any training, nor do they need to be formally trained to perform tasks to alleviate a person’s mental illness.
Any animal that provides support, well-being, comfort or aid to a person through companionship can be considered an emotional support animal.
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Is there an emotional support peacock?
United Airlines told a woman that she couldn’t bring her emotional support peacock on board her flight in January 2018.
The unidentified woman claimed she has a ticket for the bird, but an airline spokesperson told Fox News that the peacock’s “weight and size” didn’t meet United’s guidelines.
