The restriction should be when you walk into the airport with an unmuzzled mutt. Shouldn’t be allowed to get to the gate. I don’t want to be in a security line with your pet either.
And I like the Delta requirements, though the “the dog is trained” requirement is simply the owner saying the pet behaves. Many have seen dogs in airports that don’t meet that one. https://www.delta.com/content/dam/delta-www/pdfs/policy/delta-emotional-support-animal-required-forms.pdf
Sad stories…
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/in-lawless-world-of-service-dogs-many-families-suffer-2/
The dogs should all be contained in a carriers or muzzled. Even frigging seeing eye dogs. You just cannot predict the behavior of any creature in a new , strange situation. The risk is just too great when a person is stuck in close quarters to an animal that can do that kind of damage.
That dog in that story, from what I can tell from info give, was a legitimate ESA. My brother was bitten by a well trained seeing eye dog many years ago, who bolted when he saw a bunch of kids running cross country. It happens.
And another one:
http://www.fox4news.com/news/emotional-support-dog-bites-attendant-on-flight-out-of-dfw
So now mini horses up to 250 pounds can fly as a comfort animal. I would be livid if I had to fly next to one.
Why don’t the airlines require these animals to be muzzled securely?
Mini horses and dogs can be SERVICE animals and those horses can be allowed to fly under the ADA. Almost any animal can be a comfort animal, but airlines are beginning to limit them.
250 pounds seems unlikely to be able to get under the seat, and that’s what is required for a comfort animal to fly.
We were at Top Golf (an indoor/outdoor driving range). At the bay next to us, the people had some small dog sitting on a bar stool. The waitress came over and asked if it was a service animal (clearly was not) and said if it was it could stay but could NOT sit on the furniture. The people had a carrier and put the dog in it, then left soon after that.
I was in a restaurant a few months ago and they thought someone at our table had a dog. They were at the table immediately to check it out.
A friend is training a service dog. She wasn’t allowed to bring it into a California Pizza Kitchen. They said she could sit on the patio but not in the restaurant.
Places are getting very strict about the laws/rules.
Well, this is an example of what real service dogs can go through to become service dogs ?
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/20/us/service-dogs-theater-canada-trnd/index.html
Well, it finally happened.
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/miniature-horse-american-airlines
Oh geez.
There was a family with very large bags (did NOT look like carry on size) and a VERY LARGE dog (almost looked like a Newfoundland from a distance) at the next gate from ours the other day. So very glad it wasn’t our flight.
I don’t know if this has been addressed on this thread, but what prevents these animals from urinating or defecating on the plane? Are they required to wear animal diapers? Do they even make horse diapers? How do you put a seatbelt on a horse? So many questions!
Apparently service horses are trained to defecate on command into a bag that is specifically for that purpose. They can also hold their pee for a very long time so neither is a problem on the plane. They are better than dogs in many situations and live up to 35 years so they can provide assistance for much longer than the typical service dog (6-8 years, after training).
So if you bring a horse or a large dog, do you have to buy two seats? A small horse would take up two seats worth of leg room.
I’d wanna sit on the horse ;). (and I am short- my feet might not touch the ground even on one of those little horses 
)
I would hope so. But even if true, I don’t see how this follows FAA safety requirements where every passenger must be belted in, every suitcase secured, every backpack and purse tucked under a seat. How does having a 200 pound unsecured horse fit into that picture?
Families have been kicked off planes because kids have a meltdown and refuse to be buckled in, but an unbuckled horse is ok? “For your safety and the safety of those around you” is the speech I hear every time I fly…
I fully understand that animals can provide emotional support for people. But what is the matter with finding a smaller animal…if you need to travel? Or arrange ground transport with your animal.
Does anyone suggest the types of animals that their patients might benefit from having…or is any an animal OK?
A friend has a trained service dog (not an ESA) for balance and stability. A Great Dane mix. She has flown with this dog, and made a lot of special arrangements to do so, including a bulkhead seat (not just any seat). I don’t know about a mini horse. I can see how one could be useful as a service animal in some cases. Some of those are smaller than my friend’s dog but I still can’t see a horse curling up at its person’s feet for a flight.