When Pigs Fly (The Time Is Apparently Now)
Via @jamestaranto, Elizabeth Harrington reports at CNSNews that airlines must let passengers fly with their, um, service swine:
The DOT published its "Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel: Draft Technical Assistance Manual" in the Federal Register on July 5, providing guidance that allows swine on airplanes if they are determined to be service animals....The manual states: "A passenger arrives at the gate accompanied by a pot-bellied pig. She claims that the pot-bellied pig is her service animal. What should you do?"
"Generally, you must permit a passenger with a disability to be accompanied by a service animal," reads the manual. "However, if you have a reasonable basis for questioning whether the animal is a service animal, you may ask for some verification."
The manual instructs airline carriers and their employees to begin by asking questions about the animal, such as, "What tasks or functions does your animal perform for you?" or "What has its training been?"
"If you are not satisfied with the credibility of the answers to these questions or if the service animal is an emotional support or psychiatric service animal, you may request further verification," the guidebook states. "You should also call a CRO [Complaints Resolution Official] if there is any further doubt as to whether the pot-bellied pig is the passenger's service animal."
If the answers are satisfactory, pot-bellied pigs, which can weigh as much as 300 pounds, must be accepted aboard the plane.
There are people who actually need service animals -- and there are many who simply say they do so they can take their pet on the plane while avoiding hefty fees paid by people like me (when I flew with my dog).
P.S. If I had a pig, I'd name it "Bacon" as incentive for it to behave.
My ideal life is living with a pot bellied pig, a cat, and a dog.
Purplepen at July 9, 2012 1:06 AM
From the article: Draft Technical Assistance Manual" in the Federal Register on July 5, providing guidance that allows swine on airplanes if they are determined to be service animals.
I'm now envisioning TSA agents questioning pot-bellied pigs about their aspirations. "Well, since you're determined to be a service animal, we'll have to let you on.
Patrick at July 9, 2012 2:05 AM
Two points:
1. The only kinds of service animals that should be considered are those that compensate for a serious physical disability. Example: the classic seeing-eye dogs.
2. There is no reason why they should travel for free. If they occupy a seat, that's a seat the airline could have otherwise sold. In that sense, it is no different from being accompanied by a person.
Regarding point 1: "Emotional support animals" - that's called a pet, and that's why most people have them. This is a rather pathetic plea for attention. No, you are not special, get over yourself already.
a_random_guy at July 9, 2012 2:49 AM
@a_random_guy: Regarding the emotional support animals - well, in some cases, yes, that's true, and while my dogs are very good for my (clinical) depression in a chronic sense, I can easily manage without them for the duration of a flight.
(Particularly since there's not a damn thing that's going to make flying not depressing in these days of the TSA Going Where Once Only Customs Officers Dared To Probe.)
On the other hand, most of those emotional support animals that I've heard of have been for people with nastier things like PTSD, and I don't begrudge them their presence, on the grounds that even aside from how miserable a post-traumatic panic attack is, there's also pretty much no worse place to have one - for you or for the people around you - than in a cramped metal tube full of people with no place to go and that you can't get out of for hours.
Alistair Young at July 9, 2012 4:04 AM
@Alistair: I suppose there must, indeed, be legitimate cases. However, speaking purely anecdotally, most of the cases I have come across have been from emotionally needy adults who - rather than any sort of therapy - primarily need a solid kick in the pants.
From an article in the NYT: "Health care professionals have recommended animals for psychological or emotional support for more than two decades, based on research showing many benefits, including longer lives and less stress for pet owners."
Based on this, the article explains how pet owners are increasingly claiming their pets as "emotional support animals", and seeking to take them into restaurants, health spas, or where ever else they want. When, in fact, they have ordinary pets - but they are just so special.
The kind of cases I know are a disservice to the genuine cases that you refer to.
a_random_guy at July 9, 2012 5:14 AM
The last apartment I lived in was a swish place that banned dogs, but a few neighbors had the proper documentation to prove their dogs were mental-health service dogs. Can I prove 100% that they weren't being "assisted" by their miniature greyhound, more than a typical person is made happy by a dog? No. No one can, and that's the problem.
If the apartment allowed physical service dogs only, they could appear to be discounting mental illness as a real illness.
Some people exaggerate their symptoms to get special treatment. Disney World has a policy where kids with disabilities can get a special pass to go to the front of every line, if they're the kind of kid who really can't stand in a line. It's an honor system. They don't ask a lot of questions. My friend got one for her son who has mild Aspergers--undetectable to most people--and is perfectly capable of waiting in line. (He does it at every other theme park.) If anyone had called her on it, she would have asked them if they're a psychiatrist, and if they knew her son.
It's an impossible-to-win argument.
Insufficient Poison at July 9, 2012 5:18 AM
It's an epidemic of "over-inflated sense of entitlement" and it's not going away any time soon.
This is what happens when people are allowed to sue companies for their own stupidity, when children are allowed to sue parents for serving them broccoli, and when people are given permission to abdicate personal responsibility, especially where people game the system and get away with it. This is the society we've created, and as long as everyone wants to be that "special snowflake" that doesn't have to answer to anyone for anything, it will continue. Because there's always going to be someone who tries to get around being responsible for themselves, and gets away with it. And when one does it, everyone else tries it. Whether they're successful or not really depends on how devious they are.
PS: Kudos to Morgan Freeman, who calls it like it is
Flynne at July 9, 2012 5:29 AM
I wonder what they would do if I showed up with a horse?
BarSinister at July 9, 2012 6:16 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/07/09/when_pigs_fly_t.html#comment-3257298">comment from BarSinisterI supposed they'd have to let you board.
There's a whole industry to help the "bullshit disabled," from doctors who give out placards in California to anyone who asks (and pays)...
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2008/10/07/the_bullshit_di.html
...to vests and such for sale
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-04-08/news/fl-hk-fake-service-dogs-20110405_1_service-dogs-service-animals-guide-dog
...so a dog can fly free.
http://www.nsarco.com/airlines.html
Believe me, I wish I could take my dog free on planes. She weighs a little under three pounds, is highly trained and no more trouble than my wallet (and is also a breed with hair, not fur...since I planned to travel with her and didn't want to torment the allergic). And I wish I could bring her everywhere with me. She fits in my purse and is right now sleeping in my lap (which is what she does most of the time because she's old, and what she's always done in Paris cafes, where she's gone with me for much of her life -- in a better economy, when I could afford to go to Paris).
The thing is, there are laws here and although I don't like them, it's not fair to other people who can't bring their dogs into cafes to pretend I'm disabled (or to the actually disabled).
Amy Alkon at July 9, 2012 6:30 AM
>> I wonder what they would do if I showed up with a horse?
A Muslim woman recently won that battle, to bring her service horse on the plane. Muslims think of dogs as being filthy animals, so they have miniature guide horses.
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Her-assistant-her-guide-her-horse-3665174.php
You can't make this shit up. But I would seriously question how security could check one of these animals for implanted bombs. And what fun if the woman with a guide pig was seated next to a Muslim!
Eric at July 9, 2012 8:08 AM
Yep, I was gonna bring up the miniature horse as a service animal for the muslim lady, but Eric beat me to it. I saw the story on that one less than a week ago.
(Really? A dog is unclean but they'll bring a horse into their homes? Seriously?)
ahw at July 9, 2012 9:06 AM
The way I see it is if you REALLY need a mental haeth animal t shouldnt be too hard to have a note from your doctor, no note, no animal.
And if your animal is under 10 pounds and can fit in that "is your carryon smaller than this" box I dont see why you should have to pay. Aside from possibly a 'cleaning deposit' which should be refundable.
Other than that service animal or not you should have to pay to fill the seat
lujlp at July 9, 2012 9:15 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/07/09/when_pigs_fly_t.html#comment-3257422">comment from lujlpA mental health note will be harder to get if you need one from an actual mental health doctor, making it that much harder to cheat. Wanting to bring your animal on an airplane without paying is not a legit psychiatric condition.
Amy Alkon at July 9, 2012 9:40 AM
Pigs can fly? Somewhere, someone is finally collecting on a bet.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at July 9, 2012 11:28 AM
The thing is, true service animals are trained to handle situations that might panic non-trained animals.
Bringing a non-trained animal onto an airplane runs the risk that the animal might panic when it cannot handle the crowd, the close quarters with strangers, the changes in air pressure, the noise, the long period of inactivity, etc.
A panicked 300-lb animal running up and down the aisles of an airplane is a hazard to public safety ... and probably really annoying to someone who paid upwards of $600 for a seat on that plane.
Conan the Grammarian at July 9, 2012 11:31 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/07/09/when_pigs_fly_t.html#comment-3257631">comment from Conan the GrammarianA panicked 300-lb animal running up and down the aisles of an airplane is a hazard to public safety ...
That's often my thought when I see people bringing their toddlers on planes.
Amy Alkon at July 9, 2012 12:34 PM
A panicked 300-lb animal running up and down the aisles of an airplane is a hazard to public safety ...
That's often my thought when I see people bringing their toddlers on planes.
Wow...300-lb toddlers?...things really have gotton out of hand.
From my knowledge, most of the support animals are not licensed. A couple of years ago there was an article in the paper about this. It noted that one of the types did not exist legally...and the other had only 3 licensed with the state. Yet at some event, over 100 animals had been brought and people claimed one of these things(e.g. emotional support dog, etc). And if the animal is not licensed as one of the aid animals, it is a pet legally speaking.
The Former Banker at July 9, 2012 1:03 PM
P.S. If I had a pig, I'd name it "Bacon" as incentive for it to behave.
I love animals, and have had almost every sort of pet imaginable, but I am just not a bird person. I tried parakeets, but ended up loathing the filthy, noisy little buggers. The first one I got my then 7 yr old daughter croaked a week later for no apparent reason. The second one was too mean too die. That one I named "Shake-n-Bake". I gave it to one of the movers when we left the East hills, so for all I know it is still squawking to hell and back >.
Kat at July 9, 2012 1:15 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/07/09/when_pigs_fly_t.html#comment-3257701">comment from KatMy late friend Marlowe Minnick had a lorakeet named Otto. I don't know if birds can see colors, but Marlowe thought he was into my red hair, or maybe just figured out that I was a little scared of being pecked by him, which really hurt. He used to scamper across the floor after me -- chase me around the apartment. I once ran into the bathroom to get away from him.
Amy Alkon at July 9, 2012 2:08 PM
Heh, yeah, birds are nasty, the meanest pets I've ever had, and I've had snakes, so that's saying something. Reptiles are pretty laid back, but I always hear Jurassic Park theme music when a bird looks at me >:(
Kat at July 9, 2012 6:20 PM
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