since when did it become a "thing" to travel with your dog?

[Simba's Mom]

Yesterday we flew on 3 separate flights, and on each flight, there were a couple of little dogs flying with their owners On the first flight, the people had an"Emotional Support Animal" sign attached to the leash, but then when they were waiting for the flight, chatting with another couple, they were bragging "Oh no, she's not an Emotional Support dog, just our pet, we've had her for years" And on another flight, no vest of any kind, the lady had the little dog sitting on her lap throughout the entire flight And in the airports it seemed that we saw more dog relief areas than before, and they were ofter an area between the men's and women's rest rooms

 

[DLgal]

Just more selfish, entitled people acting selfish and entitled.

It probably started happening at the same time that the phrases "pet parent" and "furbaby" became mainstream.

 

[nw6675]

I know it won't be a popular opinion and as much as I love my diva dog and two kitties (who don't travel with us), I agree with @DLgal. But then, given what we've seen in 2020, there is a heck of a lot of entitlement and selfishness in every aspect.

 

[easyas123]

Just more selfish, entitled people acting selfish and entitled.

It probably started happening at the same time that the phrases "pet parent" and "furbaby" became mainstream.

Ok - as a log lover, as a active rescue volunteer and someone who has fostered dogs and seen them onto new, loving homes in the past few years...I have to say, you are 100% right!

We've also noticed a uptick in the number of dogs in the airport - not authentic service dogs that is. And not small -fit- in- a -bag -under- the -seat in front of you pups either.

Dang it, I hate the phrase 'furbaby'-

 

[Disneytam]

Your so right! On our flight to Orlando we had both a cat and a dog on our flight. ON the return flight home I counted 5 different dogs as we checked in our bags and waited for our flight. My niece moved out to California a few months ago and she took her cat with her on a Southwest flight so maybe some of these were doing the same?

 

[Hiitsme]

This is a terrible trend. There are people that really need service animals and these other dimwits are just plain wrong. Their dog doesn't need a vacation. There are people that are terrified of dogs regardless of it's size and shouldn't have to put up with this type of crap. There are also people with serious allergies to animals that don't want to spend an entire trip being sick just so Rover can go on vacation. Buying or creating some kind of sign/sticker just to screw with the disabled population is all kinds of evil. Most if not all of those people flagrantly disrespecting the ADA laws wouldn't give up half of what they can do on their own, but see no problem with faking a disability to get around the rules.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

Many people in the U.K. bought puppies during lockdown and the price of both pedigree dogs and mutts has sky rocketed. I wonder what is going to happen when the first time puppy owners go back to work. My dog is 11 months and well enough trained to ‘settle’ in a pub after a long walk, but not ready to be in busy areas. I can’t imagine taking him to an airport, let alone on an aeroplane. The Welsh coastal
Path is served by dog friendly buses, but I don’t think he is ready even for a bus journey yet. Do you think that people don’t want to pay for vaccinations and/or kennels? Is kennelling expensive in the US? Here it is £20 per night.

 

[skeeter31]

Since they can fly for free as an emotional support animal, with no documentation from a doctor, people take advantage of it by buying a vest on amazon for a few bucks and then taking their pet with them. We flew with our cat 2 years ago when we moved from NY to FL, but we paid the $90 fee on Southwest and kept her in her crate the entire flight. I wasn’t going to have her in a car for 21 hours driving to FL, the 3 hour flight was stressful enough.

We still got dirty looks from some people on the flight, and there were a few other animals on the flight with us. I know most airlines limit the amount of animals allowed on flights with the paid option (usually 3-4) but emotional support animals are allowed on above and beyond that limit. It just sucks for the people that have to fly with their animal due to moving, or people that have an actual support animal, because it’s turned into a boy who cried wolf situation.

 

[skeeter31]

This is a terrible trend. There are people that really need service animals and these other dimwits are just plain wrong. Their dog doesn't need a vacation. There are people that are terrified of dogs regardless of it's size and shouldn't have to put up with this type of crap. There are also people with serious allergies to animals that don't want to spend an entire trip being sick just so Rover can go on vacation. Buying or creating some kind of sign/sticker just to screw with the disabled population is all kinds of evil. Most if not all of those people flagrantly disrespecting the ADA laws wouldn't give up half of what they can do on their own, but see no problem with faking a disability to get around the rules.

That’s us, both my wife and I are terrified of dogs, all sizes of dogs. When we see them on planes we get terribly uncomfortable and if one was seated within a couple of rows of us, we would probably cause a viral video with our reaction and need to deplane.

 

[karen4546]

When my ex Son in law was stationed in Alaska, my daughter would fly home and bring her (toy poodle) with her-probably 6 trips a year. Later, when my daughter had my first grandson, she would travel with him AND the dog. Ellie-the dog is very tiny and her pet carrier was tote size. After several trips with the dog and grandson, my daughter just left Ellie with me. I have had her since 2013. Ellie was not a "service" dog or emotional support dog.

 

[Brett Wyman]

People faking service animal needs is a bad trend for sure. Outside of that though I have no problem with an airline allowing a small number of pets in the cabin.

 

[DVC-Don]

I have an aunt that claimed her little dog was an emotional support dog in order to avoid having to pay for the dog on flights. She even bought a vest and certificate online that "certified" the dog was an emotional support dog.

I watched a show from Australia where an US citizen had a cat in her coat that she claimed was an emotional support animal. One customs officer asked his superior what that was and was told the animal was something US citizens claim they need to fly. The cat was impounded for quarantine in spit of the owners crying.

 

[sponica]

People faking service animal needs is a bad trend for sure. Outside of that though I have no problem with an airline allowing a small number of pets in the cabin.

We almost moved from the northeast to AZ and while making the drive with our dog was doable, there was no way I was driving that far with a cat. I was going to fly back to fly him out.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

When I was in college, I had to fly with my cat twice a year, and traveling was so stressful for him that I had to give him medication so he wouldn't yowl the whole time. He stayed in his carrier, by my feet. After doing this for two years, I finally left him with my mom at her house. It just didn't feel fair to make him travel just so he could live with me in my tiny apartment. Traveling is stressful for pets, and for me is really something I can only justify when moving, not when going on a short vacation where I could get a dog walker to come a few times a day or else kennel them. But I completely understand folks not wanting their pets to go in storage with the luggage, unfortunately airlines have a terrible record of delivering pets safely.

 

[DSLRuser]

it has been a thing for about 5 years. Ever since social media. People are just seeking attention.

 

[loves to dive]

We take our little yorkie with us everywhere we go but I would never take her on a plane. It's hard enough for humans to deal with ears popping, imagine what a dog has to deal with. We actually bought a RV so we could travel with her. She stayed in a couple of dog friendly hotels with us but it was stressful for us and her to leave her in the room just for a hour or two to go get something to eat. We were always afraid a maid would go in and let her out or she would bark and disturb people.

 

[Hiitsme]

it has been a thing for about 5 years. Ever since social media. People are just seeking attention.

This is so sad. Children and pets are not props to be used for likes and to get followers.

 

[StageTek]

I often feel terrible for the dogs.

Far too many times I have seen a dog with a "vest" who is absolutely terrified. Poor thing being dragged through TSA, tail between legs, visibly shacking. No trained dog does that. It makes me angry to see people treating their pets with such contempt.

 

[Heather07438]

I have nothing against animals, people who want to treat them like family, or people who need them to cope. There's definitely value for some people... and also a large margin for abuse.

The ADA law only covers dogs and miniature horses as service animals. WDW only needs to consider this law. They don't fall under any of the other more specific federal laws, like housing, flight or public transportation that deal with emotional support pets.
https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
Flying has it's own set of laws. The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), not the ADA, governs accommodations for people with disabilities on airplanes and this is where emotional support pets come in.
https://www.transportation.gov/indi...e-animals-including-emotional-support-animalsNote: Airlines are never required to accept snakes, reptiles, ferrets, rodents, sugar gliders, and spiders.

Housing has it's own set too. The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) applies to residential facilities and provides protection for emotional support animals in addition to service animals.
https://www.adatitleiii.com/2018/08...onal-support-animals-ferreting-out-the-truth/
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) does not seem to be final.
https://www.transportation.gov/indi...e-proposed-rulemaking-anprm-dot-ost-2018-0068In July 2019 The DOT decided it was time for more clarification.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...ts-dot-issues-clarifying-guidance/1958817001/As to the ANPR from 2018, the DOT proposed new rules in Jan 2020. The discussions had a close date in April. It's new territory and I suspect adjustments will be made.

Could a pilot technically bring their emotional support pets? Not sure which medical conditions do not prohibit them from flying while also meeting the criteria for ESPs. The number of animals is not limited for any individual as long as the allowed animal(s) (mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, etc) fit in the areas laid out in the law to meet accommodation. There is also currently no limit to how many passengers in need of this access can fly on the same plane. Imagine a flight to an emotional support animal convention. Ruff! Ruff! Squawk.

 

[dez1978]

Here's my 2 cents which I figure will prob not be popular. If I want to pay to take my 8 lb dog on a flight, pay the extra and stay in a pet friendly hotel and my dog is well behaved (doesn't bark and disturb others, house broke etc) and I clean up after it, then as long as it's legal and those places allow it, then why not? I def do NOT agree with ppl who fake service/emotional support animals. They ruin it for the ppl who legit need them. I get that dogs might make some people uncomfortable, but if my dog is curled up on my lap, in a carrier or whatever, if you are that uncomfortable around a dog that you would freak out about that, you probably need some counseling. As long as what I am doing is not offensive (racist, cussing etc) then it's not my job to make everyone comfortable. And again, I know that won't be popular either. I'm not saying that it's ok to be rude or be a jerk, please don't think that. But it's also not ok for your sensibilities to infringe upon everyone else.

For what it's worth, I've never traveled with any of my dogs bc they are a pain in my butt lol. My small one would bark at everything and my pit bull, while she's the goodest girl in the whole wide world, I don't want to deal with peoples dirty looks bc "OMG its a Pitbull!!"