Tiny Dog, Big Support
Some years back United Airlines denied a woman’s efforts to bring a peacock onto a flight departing from Newark Liberty International Airport. The woman claimed it was her emotional support bird. In the wake of the airport security dramatics displayed by both the peacock and its owners -- not to mention people trying to pass off everything from large unruly dogs to penguins as support animals -- United and other major US carriers tightened up their rules on animals in the cabins and placed many critters on a no-fly list.
That means animals that once flew for free with their owners in the cabin, are now subject to ticketing fees. And some are no longer allowed on board at all.
American, Delta and United do allow service dogs only to fly for free in the cabin with their owners. All other dogs -- like Chiclet -- are now categorized as pets and have to pay their own way. Rather, their owners pay their way. On Delta it's $150 one-way on domestic flights and $200 for international flights. American has a $150 one-way fee. On United you can plan to pay $150 one way per pet.
Be sure to check directly with the airlines to determine if your pet is even allowed on the plane as not all animals are. There are also size restrictions to ride in the cabin. For up to date regulations regarding any required veterinary documentation, USDA certificates and CDC rules covering returning to the US after international travel and returning home with your pet. The airlines also have very specific rules on types of pets allowed on board and what kinds of carriers are allowed. Do all of this as soon as possible after booking your own tickets.
Chiclet says,“Basically, I provide comfort and a calming presence to my mom when we travel, I help her deal with the very real (and potentially debilitating) panic, anxiety & stress she experiences with ground and air travel. And I do a really, really good job! When I am with her, she thinks about me and is able to remain calm and focused. It makes me really happy and proud I can do that for her and we can share all sorts of adventures because of that. But you know what? There are animals that have even more important jobs! Those are the registered service animals. These are dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Tasks performed can include, among other things, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button. How cool is that? Unlike me, registered service dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. But we are all important to our humans, we are needed and we are really fed up with those people scamming the system. So, knock it off!”
Airline Contact information:
United Airlines:
https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/traveling-with-pets.html
Delta Airlines:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/pet-travel/overview
American Airlines:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/pets.jsp
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-us/index.html