. . World News – US – U. . S.. . Limitation of service animals on airplanes to dogs

Animals with emotional support will be considered pets instead of service animals under the new rules coming into effect next month.

The federal government passed a series of rules on Wednesday that restrict the types of service animals allowed on U.. S.. . Flights, designation reservations for dogs, and airline exemption from housing a variety of animals for emotional support.

The changes made more than 15. 000 public comments since the Department of Transport proposed them earlier this year will take effect next month.

You have sparked an intense debate among airlines, advocating for people with disabilities who rely on service animals and passenger rights groups, and came as a growing number of travelers have taken a variety of animals on flights in recent years.

Recently, transportation regulators had stipulated that dogs, cats and miniature horses should be classified as service animals by airlines. But passengers have tried traveling with monkeys, birds and rabbits, raising the eyebrows of other passengers, and testing airline policies.

Federal traffic officials said Wednesday that disruptions caused by ingesting unusual species on board airlines « undermine public confidence in legitimate service animals » and that there are increasing cases of travelers « fraudulently using their pets as service animals. » to represent « . ”

Under the new regulations, airlines must treat psychiatric service animals in the same way as other service animals. The owners of these service animals must provide documents that have been prepared by the transport department and prove the health, behavior and training of the animal.

Passengers traveling with service animals no longer have to check in physically at the airport, but rather online.

The new rules have stopped completely banning animals with emotional support, but proponents said airlines would no longer have to put non-service animals in the cabin.

Some airlines, including Delta and Southwest, said they are reviewing their policies for bringing animals on flights. Some airlines allow passengers to take small pets into the cabin for a fee.

The Airlines for America lobby group, to which all major U belong. S.. . Carrier welcomed the changes.

« The Department of Transportation’s final rule will protect the airline’s traveling public and crew from untrained animals in the cabin and improve accessibility of air travel for passengers with disabilities traveling with trained service dogs, » said Group President Nicholas E.. . Calio said in a statement on Wednesday.

Some advocates for people with disabilities said the new rules are too strict and do not take into account travelers with special needs.

« There are large numbers of people with intellectual and emotional disabilities who can benefit from this assistance while traveling, » said Curt Decker, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network, in an interview Wednesday night.

Mr. . Decker said that travelers with disabilities are being punished for abuse of the system by others and that the airlines have taken on the problem by charging expensive fees for moving pets in holds.

« There is no one in the disabled community who thinks a turkey is a service animal, » said Mr.. . Said Decker.

Douglas Kidd, the executive director of the National Association of Airline Passengers, a nonprofit organization, said in an interview Wednesday night that the new rules do not regulate the provision of adequate space for service animals on airplanes. He said a series of high profile episodes of animals dying while being transported on airplanes resulted in passengers trying to take their pets on board.

« Animals are living things and not just baggage, » he said. “If the airlines took better care of the animals they hire, people would be more likely to ship them. ”

The association of flight attendants, the union that counts nearly 50. 000 flight attendants at 20 airlines said in a statement that the guidance from the federal government was urgently needed.

« Passengers using pets as animals for emotional support have endangered the safety and health of passengers and crews in recent years, » union president Sara Nelson said in a statement. “Flight attendants were injured and safety was compromised by untrained animals in the cabin. ”

Mona Ramouni, 40, a Michigan-based person who is blind and has relied heavily on her miniature horse, Cali, to fly, lamented the change in rules. She said her horse, which is 29 inches tall, weighs about 170 pounds, and fits in the area in front of the bulkhead seats on airplanes, was better trained than most service dogs, and had a longer lifespan.

« So now I have nowhere to go with my horse? » Mrs. Ramouni said in an interview on Wednesday night. “It’s completely unfair. I’m not doing this because it’s fun. I do this because I want to lead a semi-normal life. ”

Animal for emotional support, service animal, dog