Traveling by air can be a stressful event. It’s a time when
you would certainly want the comfort provided by your emotional
support dog. However, bringing your animal on board the plane with you --
even if he provides you with critical emotional support -- is not a simple
process. Many airlines have certain regulations in place that require you to
take necessary steps before your emotional support dog can accommodate you in
the cabin.
If you have questions such as, “are emotional support dog
vests required on flights?” and “do I need a note from my doctor?” we will
answer them here.
Emotional Support Dog Vests: Are They Needed to Fly?
Emotional support dog vests operate similarly to the way
that service dog vests do -- they show other passengers that your dog is
helping you and is not a pet. However, due to the important federal laws
stating that emotional support dogs are distinctly different from service dogs,
you may encounter some difficulty when trying to board a plane with one, vest
or no vest.
Currently, the Air Carrier Access Act allows major airlines
to regulate who can bring an animal on an airplane. They must determine if an
animal is eligible via 5 steps:
●
Get verbal assurance
●
Look for an emotional support dog vest or other
physical indicator
●
Get documentation (if verbal assurance is not enough)
●
Request documentation (for emotional support and psychiatric
dogs specifically)
●
Watch the animal’s behavior
As with ADA law, staff may not inquire about a passenger’s
disability. Therefore, emotional support dog vests are not required, but having
one can be helpful in distinguishing your animal from a pet someone might try
to fraudulently bring on board.
Is Documentation Required to Fly with an Emotional Support Dog?
Under normal circumstances, documentation is not required to
travel in public with an emotional support dog. However, many major airlines
may ask for verified documentation from a licensed physician. The document is
usually dated within one year of your flight and details the following:
●
Your mental or physical disorder
●
Your need for an emotional or psychiatric animal to
accommodate you while you fly
●
That you are under the care of a licensed mental health
professional or medical doctor
●
The date and type of health professional/medical
license, as well as the state it was obtained
Please note: some airlines require your documentation to be
verified 48 hours before your flight. Be sure to give yourself and your
physician enough time to get your documents in order.
Flying with an emotional support dog is possible for anyone,
provided they follow the airlines’ rules. Airlines put strict regulations in
place to ensure that only the passengers who truly need their service or
emotional support animals can have them close by while traveling. So before you
embark on your flight, be sure to outfit your dog with an emotional support dog
vest and have the right documentation in order to support your legitimate
claim.
