Southwest Airlines bans emotional assist animals, only qualified puppies permitted

Southwest Airlines has built the determination to no lengthier allow for psychological support animals on their flights subsequent a choice by the U.S. Office of Transportation (DOT) very last month to revise the Air Provider Entry Act (ACAA) regulation on the transportation of services animals.

In accordance to Southwest Airways, psychological aid animals will be banned from their flights from March 1, 2021.

“With this revision, Southwest Airways will only permit services canines that are separately trained to do get the job done or accomplish jobs for the reward of a qualified individual with a disability to vacation with the Shopper,” Southwest Airways explained in a statement launched on Monday night. “The styles of incapacity include a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability and only canine will be acknowledged (together with people for psychiatric service) – no other species will be accepted as a experienced assistance animal.”

The airline reported that prospects who do journey with qualified provider pet dogs should now present a done Assistance Animal Air Transportation Type issued by the DOT at the gate or ticket counter at the airport and will have to include things like particulars on the animal’s overall health, behavior and training.

“We applaud the Division of Transportation’s the latest ruling that permits us to make these essential modifications to address quite a few issues elevated by the public and airline personnel pertaining to the transport of untrained animals in the cabins of plane,” reported Steve Goldberg, Senior Vice President, Operations and Hospitality at Southwest. “Southwest Airways carries on to guidance the skill of qualified people with a incapacity to carry trained service canine for journey and remains committed to offering a favourable and accessible vacation working experience for all of our Customers with disabilities.”

Southwest mentioned that passengers may nevertheless journey with some animals for a demand, which has been a standard component of their current animals application, but these animals will have to satisfy all necessities pertaining to in-cabin stowage and are limited to cats and canine only.

The U.S. Division of Transportation changed the ACAA in an announcement on Dec. 2, 2020 declaring that travellers had been abusing the privilege of psychological aid animals and the practice experienced “eroded the general public have confidence in in authentic provider animals.”

The DOT reported it was prompted in portion by an boost in vacationers “fraudulently representing their pets as service animals” to avoid charges for transporting pets.There are information of passengers bringing miniature horses, hamsters, pigs and even peacocks on board airlines which people have claimed as emotional support animals.

The DOT claimed in their new ruling on Dec. 2: “The Division received more than 15,000 comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking. The last rule announced right now addresses considerations elevated by people today with disabilities, airways, flight attendants, airports, other aviation transportation stakeholders, and other users of the community, about assistance animals on plane.”