NEW Service Dog and ESA Laws for Flying with Your Dog (& How to Fill Out Airline Service Dog Forms) 

Hallelujah for them recognizing psychiatric service dogs as service dogs. My dog tasks. My dog mitigates my disability. My dog is a service dog. Period.

Its time to have an airline that specializes in people and their pets.

Little late to the video but I just flew to Louisiana from Michigan with my 95+lb mobility and medical alert gsd, and we had a layover. Our connecting flight tried to deny is bc he was too big. Politely but very very firmly had it out with the airline and was eventually let on the plane. I told them it was the same as denying me for a wheel chair or heart monitor harness

I feel that the rule about having a service dog being able to fit under the seat is unfair to a larger dog. The airline industry has made seats increasingly smaller and on a longer flight that would be awful for the dog, and then make them keep their harness on? Come on. I can see keeping the leash on. Also, I think properly filled out paperwork should go into a registry that can be accessed by all airlines, eliminating the need for constant verification from the disabled person concerning their service animal.

2:45 We are cheering at this part! Woohoo!

For anyone watching this Southwest Airlines still allows emotional support animals to fly for free they just reduced what could be classified as an emotional support animal. Pretty sure it is dogs and cats only now.

Thank you for advice. I was able to have a successful flight thanks to the information from your video.

I travel every 3 months with my ESA dog I think ESA dogs should be allowed to fly in cabin WITH A FEE people complain about ESA dogs on flight when there is only 4 dogs permitted per flight the only reason people are getting ESA is not to pay put Fee on it.They should complain about kids acting up on planes kicking chairs and acting like animals!

We've driven everywhere and I'm thinking of flying with my golden who is over 90 lbs - that's going to be our challenge to fit her in the footspace since there's a bar/blocking under the chair for the animal to fit partially under the seat. Going to be a challenge. I do like your tips in other videos of working with her to prep, going on a bus ride etc - thank you for all your tips. I looked at the DOT form, seems like a no brainer but just reminds people who don't have good control of their dog to remember/know what is expected of them.

Well I was planning on get the dog I'm getting to help with service documents for my mental issues.

As a guide dog user that flies often for work, I think these are mostly positive changes. The only thing I don’t care for is the form, but why would an airline want to keep up with another form if it doesn’t have too? I really like the dropping of the phsyc dog label. I think it was stigmatizing.

With most mobility SD's being over 50+ lbs, the size barrier is definitely going to be an issue.

Now you have to have the DOT forms.

Hi great video! Do you have a video about how to verify a service dog when landlords/apt managers are asking for a doctor fill out a form to state if there is a disability in the person and if that dog is trained to do a task.

my serivce dog in training is a bully breed so im glad they put that you cant deny breeds in the rules

I agree that proof of training should be required. Also a requirement of a dog on a plain should absolutely be that they don’t poop on a plain. We flew last month and my trained “service” easily met the requirements. I am glad that the have basic standards

Thank you for this information. I had heard you have to bring a doctors note stating you needed the Service dog. Apparently that's incorrect!

Thanks for this great video; it's definitely going to be a learning curve for a lot of us. When the world opens back up again and I'm back to flying very frequently, I'm not looking forward to filling out the forms especially for multiple flights. I like your idea of asking the two questions. ::Big sigh:: I dunno. I just wish people who have dogs--working or not--actually take responsibility and teach their dogs to behave in public... or don't take the dog in public if he/she can't handle it/isn't ready. The idea of a guide robot sounds more appealing sometimes. ;) Please don't tell my Shepherd that; he might get offended. 😄

If the seat under space ahead of the passenger is not cluttered with those video generating electronics, it has always been possible to slip even a large dog under. If the seat ahead is cluttered or blocked, it’s very hard to do this thing of keeping a dog in the foot space of one person. Good for the department of transportation for changing the rules to something more documentary and provable. I was getting tired of traveling with pets that couldn’t mind their manners, pets that tried to be aggressive toward working dog guides, pets that bark, pets that couldn’t control their bodily functions. Pets it smelled. I was getting tired of it. It didn’t enhance the image of functional disability accommodation.

Two points: i’m not sure how to feel about the filling out of forms proof of health/training of your dog especially if you’re flying domestic. If only filling out a form one time a year that would make a little bit more sense to me or possibly like you said aligning it with the ADA to ask the two questions, that might be a happy medium for both parties. I totally understand the whole foot space area with your dog and keeping it in your own designated seat/feed area, thank you mentioned some of the German shepherd’s you mentioned when training/place with clients. I know some schools have already started breeding smaller dogs for several years now for travel reasons, client preference etc. for this. Do you think more schools Breeding Dept. Will breed more smaller dogs for this similar reasons? or do you think it will not change. Just curious. Great points you brought up! 🦮

Thanks so much for the information! I live in a southern state that does not require registration and does not provide any documentation. I have had no problems with hotels. I have never flown with my service dog but I have trained her and she fits the requirements of size and holding her bladder. I'm wondering how I can get any sort of documentation for flying?

Question? What type of attorney I need if I was denied access in a flight with a Service Dog?

I kind of wish they just made emotional support dogs have required training instead. If a dog had to passed a test of behaving (like CGC), then there wouldn't be the issues still revolving around emotional support. I dont feel comfortable calling my dog a service dog--all she does is help me with my migraines and shes not even needed outside of the house. I never taught her actual tasks either--but now if I want to visit my mom for across country its near impossible.

Hello I’m new to your beautiful channel and thank you so much for taking the time to post this information is very important:) I don’t understand why they never have a therapy dogs as a service dogs and how can a person fix a big service dog large dog under a seat. Also if you can do a video on the GPS collar.

With the foot space and the size of the dog. It says they need to fit. But I believe I read somewhere if they don’t, they need to try to accommodate you still. Like upgrade to bulkhead or another row with more space/less people or another flight( though that’s ridiculous and very inconvenient)

I flew Southwest today. They were helpful when I didn’t fill out the form correctly (I dated it on the day I filled it out, not the day we were flying.) There was an incident during a layover. Someone had their pet dog in a carrier, untethered. The dog got out of the carrier and attacked my service dog. My SD was not hurt. If he had been what are the repercussions for that dog and the owner?

My dog is a 20 pound Bichon Frise who signals my seizures. I can easily carry him in a carrier, but he is a service dog. I don't know what I will have to go through to have him with me on the plane, but he is easily controlled. As long as he is near me and can signal me, we should be fine.

I'm travelling for the first time with my service dog. I am a little confused with the documentation. When I go to the airport the only forms I need to bring are the ones listed on the Airlines website (DOT forms)? I personally trained my SD so I dont have a "formal" training document. Will that be an issue?

I feel bad for my dog every time he has to lay under the seat. He’s a big ass German Shepherd

What about service dogs in training? I know certain states protect them the same as full fledged service dogs. I’m I the process of getting a service dog and will need to fly at some point this year. I wasn’t worried about it because I have the paperwork for it to be an ESA while in training, but that’s null & void now.

How does this work for Service Dog Trainers?

sitting here stressing about how big my girl is going to get as I do fly a fair bit. im wondering how Canada to the US flights will be like with her

Having extreme flying anxiety I need my esa with me and these new rules and such are such a pain...being allergic to dogs my esa is a cat, the purpose of her is for me to use her as a distraction or tool to ease my anxiety and panic attacks....this sucks I hate it

My concern is the proof of training section because of owner training, because myself as a service dog handler owner trained and i don't have the fancy certificate saying a program trained my dog.

Hi me and my wife have a puppy 3 months and dog that 4 years old we would like to know how can we training them as a Service we have a disability. How can I get to start training them so we can get them to be a service puppy and dog I would like to your help on this

I love the changes! I’m excited to finally fly safely. Although I don’t agree with the horse or size changes my friend has a Dane that she can no longer fly with

That paperwork makes me leery and angry. I've never had a chance to fly and, when I heard that law come out, I realized I probably never would either! The ADA doesn't require paperwork. Why would I have to suddenly prove myself by an airline? IDK about the leash law in airports. Why can't the Air Carrier Act resemble the ADA a bit more? 🤔

Now there is a problem with the form that you have to send, every time you travel you have to fill it out and send it 48 hours before the trip, the forms do not stay in your account. Besides, it is at the discretion of the supervisor on duty if your dog accepts a service dog. I in particular had a trip on April 8, I had to cancel it because the supervisor insisted that I had to put my little dog in a carrier under the seat, I can't deal with that, the only thing I asked the supervisor was that she will let me carry her in my arms, and she resolutely refused. I understand that she did it in bad faith, first that she is trained to warn me when I am in a panic attack, second that she has never been or tied up, third that she is trained not to bark unless it is for my condition, because she has a good behavior.

My dog is large because I use her for mobility, stabilizer,and alerting . With hemiplegic migraines. They can mimic a seizure/ epilepsy. I have lost sight , I can’t walk, I get wobbly, I am in pain, I breathe heavily and need to lay on the ground . I can’t walk either. So I have to travel with my large dog .

What do I have to kown that new for service dogs ptsd dogs and emotional support animal for me ptsd what do I have to kown about new laws in ,2021 and what do u have to kown for 2021 for ptsd service dog 🐕 💕❤️ and emotional support dog

Do I need a handicap tag and related stuff to have a service dog?

Emotional pet people took advantage and when you do this it makes the rules for everything to get tougher. I also fly internationally they now do not let any dogs but military in cargo.

Hi there! Thanks for the great video. My dog is a trained psychiatric service dog and we are going to fly for the first time since his training. However, on the airline's website as part of the paperwork requirements, it says this is needed: "An identification card or other document that is issued by an organization or person specializing in service dog training." My dog was trained by both me and his trainer, who technically isn't a "specialist" in service dog training. As far as I remember, you don't need a "service dog-specialized" trainer?

Where do I get the paperwork needed to show at the airport?.

What suggestions do you have for a person needing the training portion of the DOT paperwork completed for a passenger with PTSD bipolar and anxiety who uses their medically necessary psychiatric working service animal in their lap when they are on a flight, and has gotten traumatized because their medical needs where denied by allegiant airlines. Why does the airlines have the right to refuse my use of a medically necessary accommodation because the training portion of the paperwork is not completed and authorized by someone on their staff within 48 hours of the flight. Then if you don’t complete that part of the form it will ultimately force the passengers to pay a fee sign the contract forcing them to commit to it under distressed circumstances, because they have underhandedly alter the purpose of your prescription for a service animal. Without this document a person is forces to travel under stress and prosecution of knowing that they have their medicine within their reach and yet they can’t use it for the entire duration of the flight, because it must stay under the seat. Isn’t that considered inhuman. However if you can’t make it without the service animal they the airline allows you to pay for the service animal to fly as a pet in the cabin as long as you have the required soft crate that’s not required for the service animal which then causes anxiety and distress for the suffering passengers with medical needs especially if they have been accustomed to flying without any type of problems. If the passengers physiatrist needs can not be met by the legal meaning of a pet in the cabin then it is not severing its actual purpose for the person according to their individual diagnosis. At which point the airline is changing the passengers rights for the legal accommodations put in place that are needed in order to provide a mental stability, a feeling of equality and the independence ultimately required to travel if they don’t comply with the airline by either providing the completed psychiatric dog training part of DOT form, or agreeing to pay for the service animal to be a pet in the cabin who most not be use during the flight.

Just checked, Delta, American Airlines, and United all stopped allowing ESA on board.

I would not mind sharing foot space with a service dog.

So I have MS and my dog helps with anxiety, stress depression so what is she is listed as now

Quite frankly, it would be significantly simpler if the airlines simply mirror the ADA requirements.

My problem with all these rules I have a emotional support dog that helps me be able to fly I suffer from anxiety attacks this happens when I fly and other areas of my life she's always been able to sit in my lap and she's very well behaved but now they're saying that she has to be professionally trained and I don't know how to go about having her praying for she is considered a service animal any ideas I live in Washington state in Vancouver thank you

I believe they shouldn’t take out esa animal altogether, they just need to put in more serious requirements to make sure they are esa animals. Just like with service animals I mean they have jobs but their jobs are just smaller than service jobs. Sometimes people just be lying and saying there dogs are service dogs and there not.

My husband and I are moving to the Philippines but I wonder how many dogs can you take to your flight, my husband has a medium size SErvice dog and one 5lbs chi and two half chi and daschund they are both under 18Lbs, I know both maybe go to the cargo I'm worried but we don't wanted to leave them here or take to the shelter for adoptions, we love them so dearly, i wonder if they gonna allow us to bring 4 dogs for international Flight? Any one can me idea or advice?

So, with the forms, I know that the health and training form has been combined into one form that the handler fills out themselves before the flight if their flight is booked 2 days in advance, or they bring it to the gate if it is booked less then 48 hours before the flight. You attest to the animals behavior and training and that you will pay for damages if the dog makes a mess or harms someone, and you committee to signing a federal form. I'm okay with the extra step of signing this form. It isn't too much of a bother since I can do it myself and it is universal for all airlines. I think it will also make people faking service animals think twice before bringing their pets in disguised as legit working dogs. It is one thing to put a vest on your dog and pretend, it is another to sign line after line saying your dog is needed due to a disability and that you know it is illegal to lie to the government and that you will pay for damages. So I honestly don't have an issue with it. I don't fly as much as you but we have been on over 20 planes in the past 4 years and I am happy that there is now at least a bit of a check on people brining pets on. There is one more form that attests to the animal not relieving on a flight over 8 hours but that forum is not going to be used often on domestic flights since flights that long are far and few between. So overall, I'm happy! Thanks for the great video.

Hey where are you getting these laws from cuz they do not sound real for one tucking a big German Shepherd underneath the plane space like that is impossible

I’m confused on the form. What about owner trainers? What if they don’t have a training form?

What questions do these forms have on them?

Am watching this so I can get my dog papers

A German shepherd is an aggressive breed yet it's also considered a candidate to be a service or ESA dog. I disagree with that. It all comes down to proper training.

Esa's should be allowed to fly Ptsd service dogs for and staying right before this thing even happen so what are you talkin about that is not right

I like most of these new rules. People have waaaaay over abused the ESA allowance on aircraft. I mean, I love my dog a lot, but he’s not a service animal so putting him in cargo is appropriate.

I have a large service dog which I contacted American Airlines and requested bulk head seating, front row, for her. We have never flown before. Can they refuse her to fly? I'm hoping with more leg room in bulk head seating will make difference. I have MS and in wheel chair. I'm really worried. I booked in November for September flight.

Thank you for this update. But the law reads that establishments are only allowed to ask two questions. One is it a service animal. Two what service does it preform? How did the airline's get to ask to fill out forms. Next they will be letting restaurants require to fill out a form before entering with service dog. I think this is a step back for disabilities. And sorry a disabled person shouldn't have to choose a small dog..just so they can fly. The airlines have six bulk heads and those should be reserved for disabilities. The airlines make plenty of money,and sure can treat their 1st class customes with everything. So really what this is about again is money.and discrimination against disabled people.

Now if only we can strengthen laws in stores and restaurant... it's getting real annoying getting barked at by fifi in a tiny amazon vest.

WOW.... No more emotional support animals, crazy how much changes...

The pet relief areas are so disgusting my dog would not even go in and I would not make her. She chose to hold it for 14 hrs

Soon they will ban service dogs

I’m not sure how ESAs were allowed on planes in the first place. They are untrained and by ADA law have zero rights to be allowed in public places (ie stores, restaurants, workplaces etc.) idk how a plane and an airport is not public. How much more public can ya get than a cramped airplane. I’ve seen people drag their ESA onto planes in the past, while it was aggressively barking at my dog or terrified and trembling of the flight, traumatizing an untrained pet. I’m glad they changed the rules, untrained animals in such situations is cruel. That’s like throwing a random person onto a rocket to the moon when they didn’t ask for it. For all the people who say they need their ESA for anxiety, I feel like it’s a bunk saying. Like y’all have been flying since before that became a thing so what did ya use before??? Benadryl! Take a Benadryl or melatonin if your anxiety is bad.... as someone with a highly trained service dog and a disability that a simple medication does not solve my problems, my life and independence rely on my dog 24/7. Not just when it’s convenient. If you wish to bring your pet to your destination then do what you did before, under the seat in a carrier or under the plane (or road trip.) under the plane is safe for pets, they are in a crate, they have their own personal space, are not overwhelmed by hundreds of stressed out strangers around them. And most of all if they snap it will not harm anyone or themselves. So please stop thinking selfishly, think of your pets/ESA perspective and their well-being. Think of those who have a disability severe enough to need a trained service dog to function independently in day to day life. And think of what you used to do like taking melatonin to just nap on the plane, or bring a good book or movie on a tablet, a blanket or even stuffed animal.

FYI for all of those people that emotional support animals are esa's are not important that emotional disabilities don't qualify how to disability need to re-examine they're narrow-mindedness I am not speaking about a misbehaving animals but I know firsthand that the emotional support animals certified by your physician let me say that again certified by your Physicians for the need of their disability I believe you have to call in two days ahead and fill out paperwork the airline shouldn't have a problem calling your doctor's office and speaking to your physician to verify that it is a real disability that would stop the phonies I personally I'm sick of the individuals the pigeon hole disabilities emotional one

There is no reason you should need a dog for psych issues. That's such a slap in the face to the people who need them to perform tasks and lead the blind. If you can't get on a plane w/o your dog because of a psych issue than you should either deal with it and respect the other passengers..... Or...... don't fly.