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Delta introduces enhanced requirements for customers traveling with service or support animals effective March 1
Delta Air Lines is taking steps to further protect its customers, employees and service and support animals by implementing advance documentation requirements for those animals. This comes as a result of a lack of regulation that has led to serious safety risks involving untrained animals in flight. The new requirements support Delta’s top priority of ensuring safety for its customers, employees and trained service and support animals, while supporting the rights of customers with legitimate… (news.delta.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Amen Brotha'. No more "fakes" allowed!
There are. It is up to you to ask for those to be shown, as they are required by law to prove that it is a service animal.
I know this firsthand; my wife is legally blind, and has a guide dog.
I know this firsthand; my wife is legally blind, and has a guide dog.
By law you can not approach a person with a service dog and force them to prove that it is a service animal. There are only TWO questions that can be asked.
1) Is this animal a service animal?
2) Is this animal trained in tasks to mitigate a disability?
For someone’s wife who has a service animal wouldn’t you know the law and rights?
1) Is this animal a service animal?
2) Is this animal trained in tasks to mitigate a disability?
For someone’s wife who has a service animal wouldn’t you know the law and rights?
You miss the point with the word "you". The "you" in this case would be the airlines. They have to know, for the safety of others flying their airline, if the animal is safe for transport with them in their cabin. If they accept the service animal, and the service animal attacks someone, not only is the person holding the animal they claimed to be a service animal liable for the damages done by that animal, but the airline would be as well, as they would be negligent in accepting the animal without knowing if the animal is trained.
Furthermore: from http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/73:
Special documentation cannot generally be required of a person traveling with a service animal unless the carrier has reason to doubt the animal is a service animal after first speaking with the handler, possibly asking what tasks the animal is trained to perform. However, DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED OF A PERSON TRAVELING WITH AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL IN THE FORM OF A DOCTOR'S LETTER.
A person traveling with an ESA must have a letter, not more than one year old, on letterhead, from a mental health professional stating all of the following:
1. That the passenger has a mental health-related DISABILITY listed in the DSM IV. Note it is not just a mental illness diagnosis, but a mental illness Airlines are not permitted to require the documentation to specify the type of mental health disability, e.g., panic attacks.
2. That the presence of the animal is NECESSARY to the passenger's health or treatment.
3. That the individual writing the letter is a licensed mental health professional and that the passenger is under his or her care. NOTE: Airlines may also require documentation including the date, type, and state of the mental health professional's license.
"The purpose of this provision is to prevent abuse by passengers that do
not have a medical need for an emotional support animal and to ensure that
passengers who have a legitimate need for emotional support animals are
permitted to travel with their service animals on the aircraft."
Caps for emphasis.
The airline would be within their right to ask for this letter. If the passenger doesn't provide it, the animal doesn't board the main cabin.
I know the laws and rights, especially when related to the ACAA. By your post, it is blatantly obvious that you don't.
Furthermore: from http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/73:
Special documentation cannot generally be required of a person traveling with a service animal unless the carrier has reason to doubt the animal is a service animal after first speaking with the handler, possibly asking what tasks the animal is trained to perform. However, DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED OF A PERSON TRAVELING WITH AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL IN THE FORM OF A DOCTOR'S LETTER.
A person traveling with an ESA must have a letter, not more than one year old, on letterhead, from a mental health professional stating all of the following:
1. That the passenger has a mental health-related DISABILITY listed in the DSM IV. Note it is not just a mental illness diagnosis, but a mental illness Airlines are not permitted to require the documentation to specify the type of mental health disability, e.g., panic attacks.
2. That the presence of the animal is NECESSARY to the passenger's health or treatment.
3. That the individual writing the letter is a licensed mental health professional and that the passenger is under his or her care. NOTE: Airlines may also require documentation including the date, type, and state of the mental health professional's license.
"The purpose of this provision is to prevent abuse by passengers that do
not have a medical need for an emotional support animal and to ensure that
passengers who have a legitimate need for emotional support animals are
permitted to travel with their service animals on the aircraft."
Caps for emphasis.
The airline would be within their right to ask for this letter. If the passenger doesn't provide it, the animal doesn't board the main cabin.
I know the laws and rights, especially when related to the ACAA. By your post, it is blatantly obvious that you don't.
Yep, and when I worked retail I had a woman with a chihuahua try to scam us and say her dog was a service animal. I politely asked her to leave or prove that it was a service animal. And while you are correct that the law says that you can not ask, that just means LAW ENFORCEMENT can't ask. Doesn't mean that I, a private person or I as a employee of a corporation can't ask. Delta is on the right track with this. If the animal is truly a service animal, it should be nothing to prove it if asked. I have to register my drones now despite the fact that no drones have resulted in the downing or damage of any aircraft anywhere in the world. Suck it up buttercup, no more special snowfake status. That misspelling was intentional.
I guess you missed this that was reported here on FlightAware back in September? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/14/ntsb-pilot-flew-drone-farther-than-he-could-see-new-york-collision-army-helicopter/952310001/ The authorities even found the drone pilot flying it in a no-fly zone as well as out of sight when the crash happened. Charges are pending, at least according to this article.
There should be certification for all service animals.