emotional support animal travel policy

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Which Airlines Allow Emotional Support Animals

While most airlines are no longer required to allow emotional support animals to fly free in the cabin, due to Department of Transportation rollbacks from 2021, each has its own set of policies regarding how they treat pets and ESAs. We go in-depth to explain the animal policies of the top airlines in the US.

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The Bottom Line:

DOT rule change for emotional support animals — Before 2021 ESAs were legally protected on flights and airlines were required to accept them free of charge. In March 2021 the Department of Transportation changed their rules on ESAs and airlines are no longer required to accept them.

Which airlines still accept emotional support animals — Most airlines have chosen not to accept emotional support animals. Only a few private airlines and some South American airlines still allow ESAs free of charge but only on specific flights.

Psychiatric service dogs still fly for free — Service dogs are still protected, and are eligible to fly for free.

Airlines are required to permit trained service dogs to fly unless the pets create a dangerous or disruptive environment. Unlike service dogs, airlines are not required to permit emotional support dogs, or any type of emotional support animal, to fly. Even though airlines are not required to permit emotional assistance animals, some airlines may.

Although airline staff often try to accommodate passengers with exceptional circumstances, such as the need for an assistance animal, each airline has its own rules about whether ESAs are allowed onboard. Federal law mandates that airlines accept service animals , including psychiatric service dogs, but allowing ESAs in the cabin is at the airline’s discretion. If your ESA has not been individually trained as a psychiatric service dog, or if they are an unusual species, they are likely to be viewed as a pet. They may have to travel in the hold, subject to the airline’s usual pet fees and policies.

Although it won’t guarantee that your emotional support animal will be allowed to accompany you in the cabin, having an official ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional may help you explain your situation to the airline staff. 

Which Airlines Allow Emotional Support Animals?

After the Department of Transportation changed its rules regarding emotional support animals, many airlines chose to remove exceptions for ESAs and opt to treat them as normal pets. Airlines that still allow ESAs on their flights include LATAM, JSX, Lufthansa, and Volaris.

Department of Transportation Rules on Flying with Emotional Support Animals

In March 2021 the Department of Transportation rolled back protections that emotional support animals had for quite some time. This new ruling basically says that airlines can decide whether or not they allow emotional support animals on their flights.

Unfortunately, since emotional support animals (ESAs) are not considered ‘service animals,’ they are not protected by the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) when it comes to air travel. This means that all ESA rules are set by individual air carrier companies — and most of them don’t let ESAs travel in-cabin with their owners. But other airlines have more animal-friendly ESA rules that might make you want to think twice before you book your next flight. While not many airlines accept emotional support animals, all airlines are required to accept psychiatric service dogs .

1 in 5 Americans experiences mental health illnesses, disorders, or illnesses. A Psychiatric Service Animal can be instrumental in helping people manage such mental health challenges.

Most Airlines Have Chosen Not To Accept Emotional Support Animals

Since ESAs are not protected by the ACAA, most airlines don’t accept ESAs as service animals, so they are instead subject to the same rules as common pets. However, physical or psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) are allowed to travel in-cabin with their owners, free of charge, as long as they follow airline-specific guidelines. If your ESA is of a different species, you’ll have to follow pet protocol for most airlines, including American, Delta, United, Southwest, and Frontier.

Domestic Carriers Still Accept Some Pets (With Strict Requirements)

While emotional support animals are no longer accepted, if your dog or cat is under 20 LB and can fit in a pet carrier under the seat in front of you, airlines still allow and you are permitted to bring them on an airline for a modest fee (even if they are not an ESA).

Unfortunately, this does not help the vast majority of dog owners who can't fly with their pet that is over 20 LBS. This can throw a wrench in travel plans and cause unnecessary stress in a person’s life.

Service Animals Are Still Protected

Service Animals are protected at the federal level and any airline will still allow service dogs and animals to fly in the cabin. The reason is service animals are a federally protected class of pets and have been individually trained to a higher standard. If a fully trained service dog meets the requirements, they may fly free by sitting at its owner's feet.

They are extremely well behaved as well as individually trained to perform a task that can help someone with a specific disability. We talk more at length about psychiatric service dogs and psychiatric service animals, what kind of disability a PSD helps with, and what the standard "well-behaved" means.

Airlines that Allow Emotional Support Animals:

Although most airlines follow standard pet policies, there are a few air carriers in Central and South America that accommodate ESAs with in-cabin travel. 

LATAM Airlines

Based in Santiago, Chile, LATAM Airlines is the largest air carrier in Latin America, traveling across the globe. The airline group is pet-friendly and welcoming of both service dogs and emotional support dogs or cats, at least on flights to or from Colombia and Mexico, and domestic flights within Colombia. The best part? ESAs travel free! This is generally limited to dogs and cats that can fit in a carrier placed in the seat in front of yours. Potentially dangerous breeds or aggressive dogs are prohibited in the cabin, and there is a limit of six support dogs per flight.

Based in Mexico City, Volaris is a leading low-cost airline in Mexico, traveling across the Americas and with hubs across the country. Assistance animals, limited to cats and dogs, travel with Volaris fly for free on flights within Mexico, Central America, and South America. To travel with your support animal, you’ll need an official ESA letter signed by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) within the last year. The animal must be no more than 26 pounds, but your ESA isn’t required to ride in a carrier; in some cases, a leash or harness will do just fine as your furry friend rides on your lap.

Headquartered in Mexico City, Aeroméxico is the flag carrier of Mexico, with destinations across the Americas, Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. The airline welcomes both dogs and cats as ESAs, as long as they are smaller, weighing no more than 26 pounds. However, they are permitted to ride either on your lap or in an approved carrier that fits under the seat in front of yours. Of course, these accommodations are subject to the needs of other travelers, as well, so you may need to change seats in cases of allergic guests. Also, the animal must be on its best behavior throughout the flight, as well as boarding and de-boarding.

Major Airlines that Will Accept Emotional Support Animals & Pets for a Fee

Despite all this, some major airlines will let your pet dog or cat fly in the cabin with you for a fee, whether they’re an ESA or not, including:

• Alaska Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines

Can I Make My Emotional Support Dog a Psychiatric Service Dog?

The only true difference between an emotional support dog and a psychiatric service dog is the right training. If you want to upgrade your emotional support dog into a psychiatric service dog, the experts at Pettable have you covered. We can introduce you to an LMHP who can evaluate you and diagnose your mental health disability, enroll you in an easy online training program, and give you a PSD letter that states your need for a psychiatric service dog.

What You Should Do To Make Sure You Have No Problems Flying

There are a couple of things we recommend you take care of before boarding any flight with your ESA dogs, cats, or other pets.

Get A Comfy And Spacious Spot on the Airlines

First and foremost, the seat in front is usually more spacious if you can get it. When flying, the more room you can get for your pet, the more comfortable they will be, and the fewer signs of stress they will show while flying. Don't forget to take advantage of opportunities for individuals with disabilities, families, or active duty military to board the flight first. This early boarding can help with making sure you are comfortable in your seat.

Make Sure Your Pet Is In Good Health Before You Travel

Second, it's helpful to check a few things:

• Has your pet been sick the last few days?
• How well do they fly typically? Do they need to be calmed or prepared in any way?
• If they have never flown, how do they do in the car or new environments?

Generally, you want to make sure that your dog is prepared to fly and can handle any stress that might come. Traveling with a nervous pet, even if they serve as emotional support for you, can be stressful for them. Seeing your pet in distress can also raise your stress levels, increase your anxiety, and hurt your mental health.

Make Sure Your Pet Is Well Behaved

Generally, you will have less of a headache needing to explain how your dogs and cats provide emotional support if your dog or cat is well-behaved. This does not mean your ESA needs to be trained to do work that helps your disability. For an air service that accepts traveling with a pet, they do not need to know how to work or perform tasks.

However, the better trained your pet, the less people will be inclined to ask you questions and make your life more challenging as you board your flight. It's best if your pet is well-behaved. Oftentimes, an animal with disruptive behavior will not be allowed to stay with its owner and instead may have to be a checked pet.

Call Your Airlines

Lastly, we recommend calling your airline and asking them if there is anything, in particular, they require when you're traveling with an ESA. Since flying with ESA dogs or cats is at their discretion, it's usually helpful to figure out if there are any specifics to traveling with an ESA that they require. Most airlines will appreciate a call in advance, at least 48 hours before the flight, and sometimes they may want to know about your ESA at the time you book your flight.

Make Sure You Have All Of Your ESA Documentation

When bringing emotional support dogs or cats onto U.S. or international airlines that accept emotional support animals you should always make sure you have the proper documentation.

All you need to bring with you is your ESA letter. We typically recommend keeping a copy on your phone and if you want to go above and beyond print your ESA letter forms and carry it with you.

Psychiatric Service Dogs Can Fly On All Airlines

Thankfully many travelers with a mental disability are turning to service animals, specifically psychiatric service dogs. The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in air travel, according to the Department of Transportation. If you are traveling internationally, make sure to check the regulations in your destination regarding service dogs. While service dogs are protected on flights in the United States other countries may have different rules and it is important to be prepared ahead of time.

What Is A Psychiatric Service Dog?

A psychiatric service dog is very similar to an ESA in that it helps alleviate symptoms of a person's disability. Psychiatric service dogs and service animals have emerged as the new standard for flying for a qualified individual.

How Are They Different From ESAs?

Psychiatric service dogs are different from an animal that provides emotional support in that they are specially trained to do work. When it comes to what mental and emotional disability qualifies for a psychiatric service animal it is the same standard as an ESA.

What Disabilities Qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog or Service Animal?

Any mental or emotional disability that qualifies for an ESA can qualify for a psychiatric service animal. This includes:

• Personality Disorders
• Schizophrenia

A psychiatric service dog or service animal provides the same mental health support as an emotional support animal.

What Standard Of Training Do Psychiatric Service Dogs Need To Meet?

Psychiatric service animals need to meet two different standards of training to be classified as service animals.

Behave Well In Public

First, and foremost psychiatric service dogs need to behave well in public. The standard here is pretty subjective but generally, service animals must not show signs of stress, climb on other people, chase other animals, use the restroom indoors, and keep their composure for the duration of the flight and in other public settings.

If a dog does not meet that standard its classification as a service animal may be called into question and they won't be permitted on the flight or in the flight cabin.

Trained In Tasks For The Benefit Of The Mental Health Disability

Service animals must also be trained in tasks for the benefit of the owner's mental health disability or they will not be considered service animals, and be unable to board the flight.

A service animal can be trained in a variety of different tasks that support your mental health and will qualify them to board the cabin. This includes:

Help Ease Anxiety or Depression

A service animal can be trained in a variety of different tasks that will help alleviate anxiety or depression symptoms. This can include laying down on your lap, putting their paw on your chest, or just nudging you with their faces to get you to stop ruminating and break negative thought patterns. Sometimes simply petting your pet can release feel-good hormones. These hormones make a person feel calm and can even slow a person’s racing heart rate. 

Alleviate Claustrophobia

For people who experience claustrophobia (flying is a big problem for many people with claustrophobia), a service dog can serve as a much-needed buffer for people between them and others. Especially when flying and moving towards your seat the separation they create between you and others in the air can be a huge relief.

Medical Support or Medical Reminders

A service dog can be trained to remind you to take medication for your mental or emotional disability. This can be particularly important on flights when you're in the air and the added stress can cause you to forget.

Relief From Stimuli or Heightened Stress

A service animal can be extremely helpful when you're experiencing more stress or sensory overload from increased stimuli on flights. A lot of people, especially those that don't take flights very often can have their mental health suffer as a result of the stress.

A service animal can help protect your mental health on these flights by providing a much-needed distraction, tactile pressure, or performing other tasks that help alleviate some of the stress from flights.

Help You Stay Balanced

A service animal can also help people stay balanced, especially those who experience dizziness or fatigue as a result of their medication or mental health challenges.

Travelers benefit hugely from a service animal in these situations.

Wake You Up From Night Terrors

Travelers may also experience night terrors and a service animal in the cabin with them can help wake those travelers up from their night terrors.

Push You Towards Selective Solitude

Travelers may also get uncomfortable around people and in situations where they feel drained. A service animal can push the traveler to remove themselves from situations and take a much-needed break in solitude.

What Documentation Do I Need For A PSD?

Psychiatric service dogs have the proper training. No other document is technically required but many people get a PSD Letter to attest to their need for mental and emotional support.

Remember before boarding a flight that service dogs must meet the standard of training laid out by the ADA and DOT before you travel. If your dog needs PSD training, we offer an online PSD training program to that will enable you to self-train your dog. The course is presented in a series of informational videos and all training can be done at your own pace.

You also need a form that the DOT requires you to fill out before boarding your flight. You can find the online DOT form here .

How To Train A Psychiatric Service Dog

To train a psychiatric service dog you must teach it to perform tasks that help you with your mental disability and train the dog to be obedient in public. No professional trainer is needed and the training can be done yourself. Our psychiatric service dog training program will walk you through the process of training a psychiatric service dog through videos led by a certified PSD trainer designed to be taken at your own pace. To get started with the training program first take our online assessment to determine your eligibility for a PSD.

How Do I Get A PSD For Travel?

If you would like to get a psychiatric service dog our process is extremely simple. Take our quiz below to see if a psychiatric service dog is right for you.

Schedule A Consult With Our World-Class Mental Health Professionals

You can fill out our quiz which will collect information to make sure we can get you connected with. a mental health professional that can help with your specific situation. Once you have filled out the quiz we'll connect you with a world-class mental health professional with significant PSD experience who is licensed in your state.

We Can Meet Any Timeline

Given our deep network of clinicians across every state, we can meet almost any timeline and offer express service (e.g. guarantee you a consultation within twenty-four hours).

We’re The Only ESA/PSD Company We Know Offering A Satisfaction Guarantee

We believe in the quality of our mental health professionals and our service. That's why we will offer 100% of your money back if your ESA letter or psychiatric service dog training program doesn't work for you.

What Is an Emotional Support Animal?

An emotional support animal is any animal that helps relieve symptoms of a mental or emotional disability. Unlike service animals, emotional support animals do not need extensive training, nor are they specifically trained to aid their owner with any particular tasks. The key to their role is that their owner finds their presence comforting and helpful in dealing with mental health issues . Emotional support animals typically alleviate symptoms directly related to a mental illness or an emotional disability, such as anxiety, depression, phobias, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Dogs and cats are the most emotional support animals, but any animal can be an ESA if its owner derives support from its presence, including rabbits, birds, fish, and even exotic animals. 

How Are Emotional Support Animals Different Than Service Animals?

One of the key differences between service animals and emotional support animals is that service animals are almost always dogs (or occasionally miniature horses). According to the Americans With Disabilities Act, they can accompany their owners into nearly all public places.

These animals are specially trained to perform tasks relating to a person’s disability. This can include anything from a guide dog assisting a visually impaired person to a hearing dog assisting a deaf person. Service dogs can be trained to help their owners in the event of an epileptic event, a sudden drop in blood sugar, or a panic attack. Service dogs often aid qualified individuals with physical disabilities but may also help individuals with mental and emotional disabilities. 

The critical difference between a psychiatric service dog and an ESA is the amount of training they have completed. Although there is no expectation of training or behavior for an ESA, a service dog must be trained to a high standard to carry out practical tasks and have impeccable behavior in public. 

Whether you are getting an ESA or a psychiatric service dog letter , you will need to complete a similar process. This consists of an in-person or virtual consultation with a licensed mental health professional who will evaluate your mental health symptoms and assess your need for an assistance animal.

How Do Emotional Support Animals Help Their Owners?

Each animal has a unique way of supporting its owner. Although they are frequently compared to each other, emotional support animals are not the same as service animals. Thus, there is no expectation that an ESA should be able to carry out specific tasks for its owner, such as retrieving medication, opening doors, or ensuring that an area is safe. Essentially, all that an emotional support animal has to do is provide its owner with therapeutic companionship. Many emotional support animals, especially ESA dogs and cats, have completed some training, but this is not a requirement. 

Crucially, emotional support animals do not have the same rights as service animals, which is relevant when considering bringing an ESA or pet on a plane, especially if it is a unique breed or species. 

What Are the Most Common Types of Emotional Support Animals? 

Emotional support animals come in all shapes and sizes. Dogs are the most common choice, but any animal can be an ESA if it provides support and is not a danger to its owner, other people, or animals. Rabbits, snakes, birds, monkeys, and animals of almost any species imaginable have become ESAs.

Here are some of the most common emotional support animals and their benefits:

Known as man’s best friend and a common pet, it’s no surprise that dogs are the most common ESAs. Although there is no training requirement for ESAs, dogs are receptive to training and can learn to perform tasks relating to an emotional or mental disability. An emotional support dog can usually become a psychiatric service dog with additional training, allowing them to fly in the airline cabin even when ESAs are not permitted.

After dogs, cats are the next most common ESAs. Research has shown that stroking and caring for a cat can relieve tension and anxiety and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol . Cats are usually quiet and easygoing and rarely have disruptive behavior, even during air travel. Although cats can’t become service animals, they frequently excel as emotional support animals. 

Birds can provide a spark of serotonin for anyone who owns one. Parrots, cockatoos, parakeets, cockatiels, budgies, canaries, and finches are just some of the birds that can become ESAs.

Birds are often colorful and can bring laughter and brightness to someone struggling with depression or anxiety. Certain bird species are relatively easy to train, and if your bird can speak, you can teach them phrases that relieve your tension in difficult situations. Some birds can also sense feelings and emotions, such as fear or uncertainty, making them excellent options for ESAs.

Miniature horses

Miniature horses are very receptive to training and can sometimes become service animals. In some instances, you may be able to take your miniature horse on an airplane , as long as they are a trained service animal. Miniature horses are known for their emotional intelligence and make great ESAs – if you have the space.

Rabbits are social creatures that love to bond with their owner. They can be incredibly comforting and affectionate as pets and emotional support animals. They are also surprisingly intelligent and can learn to follow various commands and even perform tricks.

Snakes and Lizards

Snakes and lizards can make excellent emotional support animals for individuals allergic to fur yet not afraid of reptiles. Snakes and other reptilians are quiet, relatively low maintenance, and can even be affectionate and playful in the right circumstances.

Pigs are surprisingly popular choices as ESAs. They are well known for their friendliness and intelligence, such as the ability to understand and follow instructions. If kept clean and tidy, pigs are easy to travel with, though you are unlikely to be permitted to bring one into the airline cabin.  

If you understand how to care for hedgehogs, they can make great emotional support animals. They are clumsy yet lovable and enjoy attention from their owners. However, they can be a little tricky to care for, and in some states, it is illegal to own a hedgehog . Make sure to follow federal, state, and local laws before taking your hedgehog out of state.

Can a Unique Species Become an Emotional Support Animal?

If you are not planning on getting a service animal, which must be a dog in nearly all cases, then there is no restriction on which species can become ESAs. The animal can be an ESA if it helps with a mental health condition and offers a therapeutic benefit to its owner, including during psychiatric episodes.

Kangaroos, bearded dragons, turkeys, marmosets, peacocks, ducks, and chickens are just some of the unusual animals that have become emotional support animals – though if you don’t already own one of these, you’re probably better off sticking with a dog or a cat!

Do Airlines Allow Unique Emotional Support Animals?

Due to changes that have come into force with the Air Carrier Access Act , only a few airlines now accept emotional support animals in the cabin as they are now considered pets by most airlines. If the airline still takes ESAs, they may ask you to present documentation showing a legitimate need for an emotional support animal before allowing your ESA onboard. This documentation is usually in the form of an ESA letter written and signed by a mental health professional stating that your emotional support animal offers relief from symptoms during times of emotional distress, such as a panic attack.

On most airlines, if your ESA or pet is small enough, you may still be able to bring it in the cabin with you, provided you pay a pet fee. However, this generally only applies to dogs, cats, and potentially small animals such as rabbits or ferrets. If you have a unique emotional support animal, such as a large bird or a pig, you will most likely be prohibited from bringing your ESA into the cabin. 

In all cases, it’s essential to check with the airline to find out the current policies and regulations on traveling with animals, whether pets or ESAs. If you want to travel with an unusual emotional support animal, air travel will require significant planning and may not be your best option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you take an emotional support animal on a plane in 2024.

With the recent changes to the Air Carrier Access Act, it is now up to individual airlines to decide whether to accept ESAs in the cabin. Most domestic airlines no longer take ESAs. Always check with the airline for their most recent policies.

What animal is best for anxiety and depression on a flight? 

Dogs and cats are the most popular choices for ESA animals to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, as most airlines no longer accept ESAs, your animal will be considered a pet and need to be in an approved carrier that fits under the seat in front of you to travel in the cabin.

Can you take an ESA on an international flight? 

A handful of airlines permit ESAs on international flights, such as Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Asiana, and Singapore Air. However, this is generally restricted to emotional support dogs, and you may be asked to show proper documentation, such as an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional. Be sure to check with the airline before booking.

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U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced that it is revising its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transportation of service animals by air to ensure a safe and accessible air transportation system.  The final rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals can be found HERE .

The Department received more than 15,000 comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking. The final rule announced today addresses concerns raised by individuals with disabilities, airlines, flight attendants, airports, other aviation transportation stakeholders, and other members of the public, regarding service animals on aircraft. 

The final rule: 

• Defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability;
• No longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service animal;
• Requires airlines to treat psychiatric service animals the same as other service animals;
• Allows airlines to require forms developed by DOT attesting to a service animal’s health, behavior and training, and if taking a long flight attesting that the service animal can either not relieve itself, or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner;
• Allows airlines to require individuals traveling with a service animal to provide the DOT service animal form(s) up to 48 hours in advance of the date of travel if the passenger’s reservation was made prior to that time;
• Prohibits airlines from requiring passengers with a disability who are traveling with a service animal to physically check-in at the airport instead of using the online check-in process;  
• Allows airlines to require a person with a disability seeking to travel with a service animal to provide the DOT service animal form(s) at the passenger’s departure gate on the date of travel;
• Allows airlines to limit the number of service animals traveling with a single passenger with a disability to two service animals; 
• Allows airlines to require a service animal to fit within its handler’s foot space on the aircraft;
• Allows airlines to require that service animals be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times in the airport and on the aircraft;
• Continues to allow airlines to refuse transportation to service animals that exhibit aggressive behavior and that pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; and
• Continues to prohibit airlines from refusing to transport a service animal solely based on breed.

The final rule will be effective 30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register.

To read Frequently Asked Questions about this final rule, please click here .

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Service animals

Flying with a service animal.

Fully-trained service dogs may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.

A service animal is defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, including but not limited to:

• Visual impairments
• Mobility impairments
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Our team members are trained to ask certain questions to determine if your animal is a service animal acceptable for travel.

Please note, service animals in training, emotional support animals, and comfort animals may travel as pets, not as service animals. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

Forms and advanced notice

If you're traveling with a service animal on flights operated by American, we recommend that you electronically submit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form that verifies your service animal's health, training, and behavior to the Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before your flight. We’ll notify you as soon as your document is approved.

You can also present the completed form at the airport on the day of travel. Be sure to arrive early.

DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (PDF) Opens a PDF form in a new window.

This form is compatible with the latest version of JAWS and NVDA screen readers, and it may be completed and signed on a desktop or mobile device using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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If your trip includes a flight on a partner airline you’ll need to contact them and complete all required forms for traveling with a service animal.

Flights to the U.S.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a temporary suspension of dogs, including service dogs, traveling to the U.S. from countries considered high-risk for dog rabies.

Only service dogs with an approved CDC Dog Import Permit, or that meet CDC U.S. vaccination and microchip requirements may fly on American.

• CDC notice of temporary suspension Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.
• Apply for a CDC Dog Import Permit Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.
• Submit an approved CDC Dog Import Permit

Flights over 8 hours

If you have a flight over 8 hours in your itinerary, the Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation Sanitation Form is also required stating your animal won’t need to relieve itself or can do so in a way that doesn’t create a health or sanitation issue.

DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form (PDF) Opens in a new window

Instructions

• Read and complete the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form
• Complete the DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form if applicable
• Submit at least 48 hours before your flight, or present the completed form at the airport on the day of travel
• Keep the form with you during your trip

Submit the DOT Service Animal form

Service Animal ID

Once you’ve submitted your form and it’s been approved, we’ll send you an email with your Service Animal ID (SVAN ID). You can add the SVAN ID when booking future travel with this animal and be approved without resubmitting forms. Keep in mind, your SVAN ID will expire after 1 year from the date of signature or when the animal’s vaccination expires, whichever is first.

Service Dog Pass™

Handlers with a Service Dog Pass ID (SDP ID) can enjoy a more seamless travel experience thanks to our partnership with K9s For Warriors and Service Dog Pass. You can add an SDP ID instead of an American-issued Service Animal ID (SVAN ID) when booking travel with us and be approved without submitting forms.

Service Dog Pass Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Travel requirements

• Animal must be harnessed, leashed or tethered at all times
• Animals under 4 months of age may not travel as a service animal
• Animal must be clean and well-behaved
• Animal must be able to fit at your feet, under your seat or in your lap (lap animals must be smaller than a 2-year old child)
• Final approval for travel will not happen until you arrive at the airport and it is determined that the animal will safely fit at your feet.
• If the animal is in a kennel, it must fit under the seat in front of you with the animal in it.
• An individual is limited to 2 service animals

Animals may not:

• Be seated in an exit row
• Protrude into or block aisles
• Occupy a seat
• Eat from tray tables

If your animal is too large or too heavy to be safely accommodated in the cabin, you may need to:

• Rebook on a flight with more open seats
• Buy a ticket for the animal
• Transport the animal as a checked pet.

Animal behavior

Animals must be trained to behave properly in public and they won’t be permitted in the cabin if they display any form of disruptive behavior that can’t be successfully corrected or controlled, including but not limited to:

• Biting or attempting to bite
• Jumping on or lunging at people

If this behavior is observed at any point during your journey and isn't corrected or controlled, the animal will be considered a pet. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

If you don’t complete or meet all the requirements, your animal may be able to fly as a pet. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

Destinations with restrictions

Trained service dogs can travel in the cabin to / from all Hawaiian islands. All other animals (with the exception of service dogs) must first go through Honolulu for acceptance by Hawaiian quarantine officials.

Your service animals must meet our travel requirements as well as the quarantine restrictions and documentation requirements set by the state of Hawaii. You must provide applicable documentation for both at check-in.

Hawaiian animal quarantine information Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Dogs traveling to LHR need approval from the Heathrow Animal Reception Center (HARC). You should contact them as soon as possible, but at least 7 days before your flight. The HARC charges a fee (£410) for animals that do not meet the criteria for assistance animals.

British Airways doesn’t accept emotional support animals on any of its flights.

To fly to LHR:

• Notify the HARC via email
• If approved, a letter will be sent
• Print the letter and provide it at check-in

Contact the HARC Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

To fly with service dogs, email Scotland’s animal travel agency at least 48 hours before your flight. You'll need to carry an ID card or valid certificate from the organization that trained or supplied the animal.

Email Scotland’s animal travel agency Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Service dogs need pre-approval letters from the Animal Reception Center in your destination city. You’ll need to travel with the letter and any required health documentation.

Get pre-approval letter Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Service dogs can travel in the cabin to / from Ireland. All dogs must be fully compliant with the rules for entering Ireland. You’ll need to notify the Irish Authorities in advance to arrange a mandatory veterinary compliance check upon arrival.

Advance notice and veterinary compliance check Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.

Service dogs can travel in the cabin to / from India. All dogs must be fully compliant with the rules for entering India. You’ll need to notify the Indian Authorities to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) at least 7 days ahead of travel.

Animal Quarantine & Certification Service

Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Government of India Kapashera, New Delhi- 110097

Tel.: +91-11-25063272, Fax: +91-11-25060647, E-mail: [email protected]

Visit the Government of India’s Animal Quarantine & Certification Services site for more information.

Animal Quarantine & Certification Services Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.

Service dogs can travel in the cabin. You'll need to contact the Animal Quarantine Service no less than 40 days before your arrival.

Animal Quarantine Service Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Only dogs can be accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted.

Requirements for service animals Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Only dogs can be accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted. You’ll need to contact the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department at least 10 days before your arrival to complete all requirements.

Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department

Service and emotional support animals require an animal import permit from the Guyana Ministry of Agriculture. You must travel with and provide the import permit at check-in.

Importation of Animals to Guyana

Only dogs can be accepted as service animals; emotional support animals of any kind cannot be accepted. You’ll need to complete the St Vincent and the Grenadines Animal Import Permit Application and submit it to the St Vincent and the Grenadines Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. You must travel with and present the import permit and a valid health certificate at check-in for your service dog.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ministry of Agriculture

Flying on a partner airline?

Find helpful information if your trip includes 1 or more flights with our partner airlines.

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• Airport information

Your definitive guide to traveling ethically with an emotional support animal

Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Emotional support animals (ESAs) have become frequent flyers and created significant issues for airlines, from stolen seats to federal legislation. The massive uptick in passengers flying with their ESAs has led to reactions from, well, everyone.

If you're going to fly with an animal, you need to follow policies, regulations, and etiquette.

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Service vs. emotional support animals

As an owner of a service animal, it drives me crazy when people mistake one for the other.

The essential definition is this: A service animal helps a person with a disability. If used for any other purpose than emotional or psychiatric support, a service animal requires no additional documentation or advance notice (except on flights lasting eight hours or more). In contrast, animals used for emotional or psychiatric support require additional verification as designated by individual airlines.

Related: TPG's beginner's guide: everything you need to know about points, miles, airlines and credit cards

The Americans With Disabilities Act has one definition for service animals, and the Air Carrier Access Act has another. Since we're talking about flying, which falls under the ACAA's jurisdiction, here's its definition:

"A service animal is any animal that is individually trained or able to provide assistance to a person with a disability; or any animal that assists persons with disabilities by providing emotional support."

On the surface, that means that all service and support animals traveling with their owner fall under the umbrella term "service animal." However, there are additional provisions for emotional support animals (ESAs) and psychiatric support animals (PSAs), including such forms of verification, such as letters from mental health professionals and vet records, among others.

Related: The best travel cards of June 2020

In early 2020, the Department of Transportation gave a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update regulations when traveling with a service animal. The proposed amendments include:

• A revised definition of the term "service animal" : "The Department proposes to define a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability."
• A recognition of ESAs as pets: "The Department's proposed rulemaking does not require airlines to recognize emotional support animals as service animals. Airlines would be permitted to treat emotional support animals, which are not trained to do work or perform a task for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, as pets."
• A species limitation: "Under the Department's proposed rule, airlines would only be required to transport dogs as service animals. As a result, airlines would no longer be required to accommodate miniature horses, cats, rabbits, birds, and all other service animals that airlines are currently required to transport."
• New documentation guidelines: " Airlines would be permitted to require passengers with a disability traveling with a service animal to complete and submit to the airline the following forms developed by DOT as a condition of transportation: (1) U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Health Form; (2) U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Behavior and Training Attestation Form; (3) U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation. ... Under the Department's proposal, these three documents would be the only documents that an airline could require from an individual with a disability traveling with a service animal."
• Check-in requirements: "The Department proposes to allow airlines to require all passengers with a disability traveling with a service animal to check in one hour before the check-in time for the general public as a condition for travel with a service animal to allow time to process the service animal documentation and observe the animal."
• Limit on number of service animals per passenger: "The Department's NPRM proposes to require airlines to accept up to two service animals per passenger for transport on an aircraft."
• Limit on size of service animal: "The Department proposes to allow airlines to limit service animals based on whether the animal can fit onto the service animal handler's lap or within the handler's foot space."
• Required control of animal: "The Department proposes to continue to permit airlines to require that service animals be harnessed, leashed, tethered or otherwise under the control of its handler at all times in the airport and on the aircraft."
• Analysis of potential threat: "The Department proposes to continue to allow airlines to refuse to transport a service animal if the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others."
• Breed restrictions: "In the NPRM, the Department proposes explicit language that states that airlines are not permitted to refuse to transport service animals based on breed.

Related: Majority of flight attendants say emotional support animals misbehave in-flight

Currently, the rules outlined by the DOT are as follows:

• Airlines will not allow snakes, reptiles, ferrets, rodents, sugar gliders or spiders.
• Service animals cannot: be too large or heavy to be accommodated in the cabin; pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; cause a significant disruption of cabin service; be an animal prohibited from entering a foreign country.
• Airlines can determine a service animal or ESA/PSA/pet by the following: the credible verbal assurances of an individual with a disability using the animal; looking for physical indicators, such as the presence of a harness or tags; and observing the behavior of animals.
• Airlines can request specific documentation and/or 48-hours advance notice for emotional support or psychiatric service animal.

Related: A Wisconsin man is developing an app to help travelers with disabilities

OK, so what documentation do I need?

Medical professional's authorization.

The doctor's note should be a formal declaration dated no earlier than 365 days before an initially scheduled flight and usually includes the following statements:

• That the passenger has a mental or emotional health-related disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM); the note does not have to disclose the specifics of the disability
• That having the animal accompany them is necessary for their mental health or treatment, or to assist them with their disability during the flight or upon their arrival
• That the individual providing the assessment is a licensed mental health professional and that the passenger is under his or her professional care
• The date and type of the mental health professional's license and the state or other jurisdiction in which it was issued
• The doctor's signature

Related: This airport tech makes flying easier for passengers with disabilities

Veterinary documentation

This form is filled out by the animal's primary care provider and lets the airline know the animal's breed/size and whether it is up to date on all shots. As with the medical professional's statement, the vet form must be dated within one year of the initial departure date.

The veterinarian should complete and sign off on the following information:

• Animal type
• Animal breed
• Animal weight, if more than 20 pounds
• The last date the animal received the following vaccinations, if applicable to the breed:
• rabies (include date vaccine was administered)
• distemper (include date vaccine was administered)

Related: Delta further restricts emotional support animal policy

The vet should also state whether the animal can safely travel in the passenger cabin and what measures, if any, would be helpful to safely transport the animal in the aircraft cabin:

• This animal should only travel in the cargo hold

Finally, passengers need the vet's license and contact information:

• Date and type of license
• License number
• State or other jurisdiction in which license was issued
• Veterinarian's name, signature and date of statement
• Business phone number and email address

Related: Traveling with a disability? Why you should consider a cruise.

Passenger's guarantee of behavior

A handful of carriers require one more form to be personally completed by the passenger. There are no formal requirements for the format of this statement. Still, it should include evidence that the animal has been trained to behave in public, if applicable, such as behavior school certification, as well as the passenger's full name, signature, phone number and email address.

Related: Spirit Airlines adds restrictions on emotional support animals

What should I do with these forms?

Every carrier has different requirements for how the forms should be submitted. Some require them to be submitted at least 48 hours before travel time, while others simply appreciate a heads-up in advance. To simplify the process, here are the individual requirements and relevant resource pages for bringing emotional support animals onboard the most popular carriers.

While an airline can request that those traveling with their ESA/PSA submit a doctor's letter, veterinary health form, and testament to good behavior, airlines cannot require their own specific forms. They must accept documentation that fulfills the requirements as defined by the Air Carrier Access Act.

U.S. Airline policies

Onboard etiquette.

Now we come to the meat of the issues with emotional support animals: passengers who bring untrained personal pets on board. It can be a real pain for everyone when an animal comes on board. As an owner, you have to jump through tons of hoops to verify that your animal can travel with you.

Your dog has to figure out this new and very different environment. And your fellow passengers have to contend with this unexpected guest that comes with all the panting, smells and fur that you'd expect, but in a much more confined space. Sometimes, if they can't control their animal, chaos ensues .

Related: Did American Airlines remove a passenger with a disability from a flight—with no explanation?

When a person with a disability receives a service animal, they should make sure that their animal is fit for public access. The Americans with Disabilities Act outlines some guidelines that owners must follow, and we added a few that we think are important to make your trip less stressful:

• Your animal is required to remain under your control at all times. The easiest way to do this is to use a harness, leash or tether. A harness or identifying tags will most easily alert carriers that the animal is a service animal.
• You will make sure that your animal is trained not to relieve itself in a public setting . I think this is self-explanatory.
• Your animal should not climb on seats . This is true whether you're in a restaurant or a movie theater or on an airplane. It may seem fun and cute, but putting your animal in your lap (or on a seat next to you) is a bad idea for several reasons. It can make your animal even more anxious as it's physically closer to people. It eliminates nearly all freedom of movement for your animal and it brings dander/fur/dust nearer to everyone, especially allergy sufferers . U nless the animal absolutely needs to be near your face (it might be a medical necessity), keep them on the floor, in your designated foot space.
• You will ensure that your animal behaves properly in a public setting . It's easy to make sure my dog doesn't growl or solicit snuggles while she's working because an organization spent an entire year and countless hours training her not to. But just because an animal is thoroughly trained, a person traveling with an ESA or PSA is not off the hook. Part of the reason for the passenger guarantee above is that airlines are making people accountable for their animal's behavior. Will it take a professional organization a year to train an animal to behave in stressful situations? No. But a puppy class, some dog treats and a few hours a week will go a long way in making sure that your animal is fit for airline travel.

Related: Top 5 challenges when traveling with a child who has special needs

Bottom line

The entire world is reacting to the proliferation of emotional support animals. Airlines are tightening regulations. The DOT is trying to rectify vague wording in dated documents to ensure that those flying truly need their animals and prevent any unnecessary discrimination.

When one sensational story after another goes viral, it can seem like the entire world of service and emotional support animals is under the spotlight. Do your part: make sure your documents are in order. Take your animal to the bathroom before you get on the plane. Make sure that you are maintaining accountability for your animal so that everyone, including Fido, can safely get to their destination.

Additional reporting by Mimi Wright

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10 Tips for Traveling With an Emotional Support Animal

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Emotional support animals on planes are no longer a given — at least not for free. While passengers were once able to bring just about any type of animal on board for no extra fee, as long as they had a doctor’s note declaring it an emotional support animal, that’s no longer the case.

As of December 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation, or DOT, eliminated the requirement that airlines allow emotional support animals on board free of charge. Of course, certified service animals will still be permitted on planes. However, it pays to plan ahead if you’re expecting to fly with any other support companion. Here are helpful tips for traveling with an emotional support animal going forward.

Advice for traveling with an emotional support animal on a plane

1. know the new rules.

Passengers used to be permitted to bring just about any animal on board if they had a doctor’s note saying they needed it for emotional support. Not anymore. Now, only service dogs that are trained to assist passengers with specific physical and psychiatric disabilities are required to be allowed on board at no extra charge.

So if your animal isn't an actual service dog, you can no longer expect to bring it on board with you without paying the same fees as any other pet.

Why the change? The DOT cited reasons like animals misbehaving because they haven’t been trained as service animals, as well as the public taking advantage of airlines to bring on a variety of creatures that wouldn’t normally be allowed.

2. Have the right paperwork for a service dog

Be prepared to provide paperwork certifying that your service dog is an official support animal. Airlines have the right to require that documentation as proof up to 48 hours before your scheduled flight.

3. Prepare for fees

No more free emotional support animals in the cabin means you should expect fees when bringing your pet. Alaska Airlines charges $100 each way. Traveling with an emotional support animal on United, Delta or American Airlines will cost you $125 each way.

4. Be aware of restrictions for large pets

Other factors, like your emotional support animal's age and size, may impact whether you can bring it in the cabin or in cargo. Often, dogs and cats will need to be of a certain age, and their kennel or carrier will need to meet specific dimensions to fit under the seat. You may have to buy an extra ticket if you’ll be carrying on more than one pet.

If your companion isn’t small enough to fit under the seat or isn’t an animal that’s permitted in the cabin, airlines have varying policies regarding when and how to book or schedule it for shipment, including crate size, required documentation and more. Always check with your airline to make sure you're abiding by its rules and restrictions.

5. Check for breed restrictions

Some types of animals aren't allowed on board at all, so you'll want to check your airline's specific policies. For example, American allows only cats and dogs, Delta permits some birds and Alaska is OK with rabbits.

Some airlines may also restrict which breeds they allow either in the cabin or cargo compartment for the safety of pets and passengers. Alaska and American, for example, don’t allow short-nosed breeds like pit bulls, pugs or Himalayan cats in the cargo hold due to breathing concerns. Certain animals can often still travel in the cabin so long as their carrier fits under the seat (for a fee, of course).

6. Consider the weather

If your emotional support animal must be checked into the cargo compartment, keep the outside temperature in mind. If it's extremely hot or cold outside, you could be putting your pet at risk. Schedule direct flights so your animal spends less time on the tarmac, and travel during the cooler parts of the day in summer (early morning and late evening) and the warmest part of the day in winter (midday).

Some airlines, like American, won’t even allow pets in the cargo area if the outside temperature exceeds certain thresholds.

7. Check for destination restrictions

Airlines may not allow you to carry on an animal to certain destinations based on the rules and regulations where you’ll land. For example, you’ll have to check an emotional support animal in the cargo area to places such as:

New Zealand.

Republic of Ireland.

South Africa.

United Arab Emirates.

United Kingdom.

Check to see if there are restrictions to your specific destination regarding how your pet can travel.

8. Get proof that your pet is healthy

Whether checking or carrying on your emotional support animal, some airlines require you to provide proof from your veterinarian that it's healthy enough to travel. For example, when flying American Airlines and Delta, emotional support animals can board only when health records are provided.

9. Know when these rules go into effect

If you’ve already booked a flight with an emotional support animal, it may still be permitted on board free of charge depending on the airline. For instance, Delta Air Lines will honor bookings that were made before Jan. 11. Review airline websites ahead of travel to confirm how emotional support pets are accommodated.

10. Adjust as needed for pet travel during COVID

If you're flying during the pandemic, be aware that many airlines have suspended transporting animals in the cargo compartment, which limits the ability to travel with large animals. Check with your airline and plan accordingly.

The bottom line

From now on, if your support animal isn’t a certified service dog assisting you with a specific disability, you’ll be expected to pay for it to come on board when flying the major U.S. airlines — just like any other pet. This change requires some additional planning, and likely additional costs, if you want to bring it along on your next flight.

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Service animals and emotional support animals.

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Where are they allowed and under what conditions?

 jacquie brennan vinh nguyen (ed.) southwest ada center a program of ilru at tirr memorial hermann.

This manual is dedicated to the memory of Pax, a devoted guide dog, and to all the handler and dog teams working together across the nation. Guide dogs make it possible for their handlers to travel safely with independence, freedom and dignity.

Pax was born in the kennels of The Seeing Eye in the beautiful Washington Valley of New Jersey in March 2000. He lived with a puppy-raiser family for almost a year where he learned basic obedience and was exposed to the sights and sounds of community life—the same experiences he would soon face as a guide dog. He then went through four months of intensive training where he learned how to guide and ensure the safety of the person with whom he would be matched. In November 2001 he was matched with his handler and they worked as a team until Pax’s retirement in January 2012, after a long and successful career. Pax retired with his handler’s family, where he lived with two other dogs. His life was full of play, long naps, and recreational walks until his death in January 2014.

It is the sincere hope of Pax’s handler that this guide will be useful in improving the understanding about service animals, their purpose and role, their extensive training, and the rights of their handlers to travel freely and to experience the same access to employment, public accommodations, transportation, and services that others take for granted.

I.  Introduction

Individuals with disabilities may use service animals and emotional support animals for a variety of reasons. This guide provides an overview of how major Federal civil rights laws govern the rights of a person requiring a service animal. These laws, as well as instructions on how to file a complaint, are listed in the last section of this publication. Many states also have laws that provide a different definition of service animal. You should check your state’s law and follow the law that offers the most protection for service animals.  The document discusses service animals in a number of different settings as the rules and allowances related to access with service animals will vary according to the law applied and the setting.

II. Service Animal Defined by Title II and Title III of the ADA

A service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Tasks performed can include, among other things, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button.

Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not considered service animals either. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. It does not matter if a person has a note from a doctor that states that the person has a disability and needs to have the animal for emotional support. A doctor’s letter does not turn an animal into a service animal.

Examples of animals that fit the ADA’s definition of “service animal” because they have been specifically trained to perform a task for the person with a disability:

• Guide Dog or Seeing Eye® Dog 1 is a carefully trained dog that serves as a travel tool for persons who have severe visual impairments or are blind.
• Hearing or Signal Dog is a dog that has been trained to alert a person who has a significant hearing loss or is deaf when a sound occurs, such as a knock on the door.
• Psychiatric Service Dog is a dog that has been trained to perform tasks that assist individuals with disabilities to detect the onset of psychiatric episodes and lessen their effects. Tasks performed by psychiatric service animals may include reminding the handler to take medicine, providing safety checks or room searches, or turning on lights for persons with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, interrupting self-mutilation by persons with dissociative identity disorders, and keeping disoriented individuals from danger.
• A sensory signal dog or social signal dog (SSigDOG) is a dog trained to assist an autistic person or their caregiver. These dogs are trained to do a variety of social or sensory tasks based on the needs of the individual. For example, a dog might cue a person to pay attention to street crossings and crosswalks when walking to their job. Or a dog might listen for a parent calling a child’s name and guide the parent to the child.
• Seizure Response Dog is a dog trained to assist a person with a seizure disorder. How the dog serves the person depends on the person’s needs. The dog may stand guard over the person during a seizure or the dog may go for help. A few dogs have learned to predict a seizure and warn the person in advance to sit down or move to a safe place.

Under Title II and III of the ADA, service animals are limited to dogs. However, entities must make reasonable modifications in policies to allow individuals with disabilities to use miniature horses if they have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.

III. Other Support or Therapy Animals

While Emotional Support Animals or Comfort Animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals, they are not considered service animals under the ADA. These support animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Even though some states have laws defining therapy animals, these animals are not limited to working with people with disabilities and therefore are not covered by federal laws protecting the use of service animals.  Therapy animals provide people with therapeutic contact, usually in a clinical setting, to improve their physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning.

IV. Handler’s Responsibilities

• The ADA requires the animal to be under the control of the handler.  This can occur using a harness, leash, or other tether.  However, in cases where either the handler is unable to hold a tether because of a disability or its use would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, the service animal must be under the handler’s control by some other means, such as voice control. 2
• The animal must be housebroken. 3
• The ADA does not require covered entities to provide for the care or supervision of a service animal, including cleaning up after the animal.
• The animal should be vaccinated in accordance with state and local laws.
• An entity may also assess the type, size, and weight of a miniature horse in determining whether or not the horse will be allowed access to the facility.

V. Handler’s Rights

A) public facilities and accommodations.

Titles II and III of the ADA makes it clear that service animals are allowed in public facilities and accommodations. A service animal must be allowed to accompany the handler to any place in the building or facility where members of the public, program participants, customers, or clients are allowed. Even if the business or public program has a “no pets” policy, it may not deny entry to a person with a service animal. Service animals are not pets. So, although a “no pets” policy is perfectly legal, it does not allow a business to exclude service animals.

When a person with a service animal enters a public facility or place of public accommodation, the person cannot be asked about the nature or extent of his disability. Only two questions may be asked:

1. Is the animal required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

These questions should not be asked, however, if the animal’s service tasks are obvious. For example, the questions may not be asked if the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person’s wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability. 4

A public accommodation or facility is not allowed to ask for documentation or proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Local laws that prohibit specific breeds of dogs do not apply to service animals. 5

A place of public accommodation or public entity may not ask an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people accompanied by pets are required to pay fees. Entities cannot require anything of people with service animals that they do not require of individuals in general, with or without pets. If a public accommodation normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal. 6

b) Employment

Documentation might include a detailed description of how the animal would help the employee in performing job tasks and how the animal is trained to behave in the workplace.  A person seeking such an accommodation may suggest that the employer permit the animal to accompany them to work on a trial basis.

Both service and emotional support animals may be excluded from the workplace if they pose either an undue hardship or a direct threat in the workplace.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects a person with a disability from discrimination in obtaining housing. Under this law, a landlord or homeowner’s association must provide reasonable accommodation to people with disabilities so that they have an equal opportunity to enjoy and use a dwelling. 8 Emotional support animals that do not qualify as service animals under the ADA may nevertheless qualify as reasonable accommodations under the FHA. 9 In cases when a person with a disability uses a service animal or an emotional support animal, a reasonable accommodation may include waiving a no-pet rule or a pet deposit. 10 This animal is not considered a pet.

A landlord or homeowner’s association may not ask a housing applicant about the existence, nature, and extent of his or her disability. However, an individual with a disability who requests a reasonable accommodation may be asked to provide documentation so that the landlord or homeowner’s association can properly review the accommodation request. 11 They can ask a person to certify, in writing, (1) that the tenant or a member of his or her family is a person with a disability; (2) the need for the animal to assist the person with that specific disability; and (3) that the animal actually assists the person with a disability.  It is important to keep in mind that the ADA may apply in the housing context as well, for example with student housing. Where the ADA applies, requiring documentation or certification would not be permitted with regard to an animal that qualifies as a “service animal.”

d) Education

Service animals in public schools (K-12) 13 – The ADA permits a student with a disability who uses a service animal to have the animal at school.  In addition, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act allow a student to use an animal that does not meet the ADA definition of a service animal if that student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Section 504 team decides the animal is necessary for the student to receive a free and appropriate education.  Where the ADA applies, however, schools should be mindful that the use of a service animal is a right that is not dependent upon the decision of an IEP or Section 504 team. 14

Emotional support animals, therapy animals, and companion animals are seldom allowed to accompany students in public schools. Indeed, the ADA does not contemplate the use of animals other than those meeting the definition of “service animal.”  Ultimately, the determination whether a student may utilize an animal other than a service animal should be made on a case-by-case basis by the IEP or Section 504 team.

Colleges and universities may have a policy asking students who use service animals to contact the school’s Disability Services Coordinator to register as a student with a disability. Higher education institutions may not require any documentation about the training or certification of a service animal. They may, however, require proof that a service animal has any vaccinations required by state or local laws that apply to all animals.

e) Transportation

A person traveling with a service animal cannot be denied access to transportation, even if there is a “no pets” policy. In addition, the person with a service animal cannot be forced to sit in a particular spot; no additional fees can be charged because the person uses a service animal; and the customer does not have to provide advance notice that s/he will be traveling with a service animal.

The laws apply to both public and private transportation providers and include subways, fixed-route buses, Paratransit, rail, light-rail, taxicabs, shuttles and limousine services.

f) Air Travel

At the end of 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it revised its Air Carrier Access Act regulation on the transportation of service animals by air. We are working to update the information provided below to align with the changes. While we take the time to update our information, check out a  summary of the changes  available on DOT’s website. You can also find some additional information in DOT’s  Aviation Consumer Protection’s article about service animals .

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) requires airlines to allow service animals and emotional support animals to accompany their handlers in the cabin of the aircraft.

Service animals – For evidence that an animal is a service animal, air carriers may ask to see identification cards, written documentation, presence of harnesses or tags, or ask for verbal assurances from the individual with a disability using the animal. If airline personnel are uncertain that an animal is a service animal, they may ask one of the following:

1. What tasks or functions does your animal perform for you?

2. What has your animal been trained to do for you?

3. Would you describe how the animal performs this task for you? 15

Emotional support and psychiatric service animals – Individuals who travel with emotional support animals or psychiatric service animals may need to provide specific documentation to establish that they have a disability and the reason the animal must travel with them. Individuals who wish to travel with their emotional support or psychiatric animals should contact the airline ahead of time to find out what kind of documentation is required.

Examples of documentation that may be requested by the airline: Current documentation (not more than one year old) on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional stating (1) the passenger has a mental health-related disability listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV); (2) having the animal accompany the passenger is necessary to the passenger’s mental health or treatment; (3) the individual providing the assessment of the passenger is a licensed mental health professional and the passenger is under his or her professional care; and (4) the date and type of the mental health professional’s license and the state or other jurisdiction in which it was issued. 16 This documentation may be required as a condition of permitting the animal to accompany the passenger in the cabin.

Other animals – According to the ACAA, airlines are not required otherwise to carry animals of any kind either in the cabin or in the cargo hold. Airlines are free to adopt any policy they choose regarding the carriage of pets and other animals (for example, search and rescue dogs) provided that they comply with other applicable requirements (for example, the Animal Welfare Act).

Animals such as miniature horses, pigs, and monkeys may be considered service animals. A carrier must decide on a case-by-case basis according to factors such as the animal’s size and weight; state and foreign country restrictions; whether or not the animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; or cause a fundamental alteration in the cabin service. 17 Individuals should contact the airlines ahead of travel to find out what is permitted.

Airlines are not required to transport unusual animals such as snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders. Foreign carriers are not required to transport animals other than dogs. 18

VI. Reaction/Response of Others

Allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals.  If employees, fellow travelers, or customers are afraid of service animals, a solution may be to allow enough space for that person to avoid getting close to the service animal.

Most allergies to animals are caused by direct contact with the animal. A separated space might be adequate to avoid allergic reactions.

If a person is at risk of a significant allergic reaction to an animal, it is the responsibility of the business or government entity to find a way to accommodate both the individual using the service animal and the individual with the allergy. 

VII. Service Animals in Training

A) air travel.

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) does not allow “service animals in training” in the cabin of the aircraft because “in training” status indicates that they do not yet meet the legal definition of service animal. However, like pet policies, airline policies regarding service animals in training vary. Some airlines permit qualified trainers to bring service animals in training aboard an aircraft for training purposes. Trainers of service animals should consult with airlines and become familiar with their policies.

 b) Employment

In the employment setting, employers may be obligated to permit employees to bring their “service animal in training” into the workplace as a reasonable accommodation, especially if the animal is being trained to assist the employee with work-related tasks. The untrained animal may be excluded, however, if it becomes a workplace disruption or causes an undue hardship in the workplace.

c) Public Facilities and Accommodations

Title II and III of the ADA does not cover “service animals in training” but several states have laws when they should be allowed access.

VIII. Laws & Enforcement

Title II of the ADA covers state and local government facilities, activities, and programs. Title III of the ADA covers places of public accommodations. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act covers federal government facilities, activities, and programs. It also covers the entities that receive federal funding.

Title II and Title III Complaints – These can be filed through private lawsuits in federal court or directed to the U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Civil Rights Division Disability Rights Section – NYA Washington, DC 20530 http://www.ada.gov 800-514-0301 (v) 800-514-0383 (TTY)

Section 504 Complaints – These must be made to the specific federal agency that oversees the program or funding.

Title I of the ADA and Section 501 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination in employment. The ADA covers private employers with 15 or more employees; Section 501 applies to federal agencies, and Section 504 applies to any program or entity receiving federal financial assistance.

ADA Complaints - A person must file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of an alleged violation of the ADA. This deadline may be extended to 300 days if there is a state or local fair employment practices agency that also has jurisdiction over this matter. Complaints may be filed in person, by mail, or by telephone by contacting the nearest EEOC office. This number is listed in most telephone directories under “U.S. Government.” For more information:

http://www.eeoc.gov/contact/index.cfm 800-669-4000 (voice) 800-669-6820 (TTY)

Section 501 Complaints - Federal employees must contact their agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) officer within 45 days of an alleged Section 501 violation.

Section 504 Complaints – These must be filed with the federal agency that funded the employer.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA), as amended in 1988, applies to housing. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all housing programs and activities that are either conducted by the federal government or receive federal financial assistance. Title II of the ADA applies to housing provided by state or local government entities.

Complaints – Housing complaints may be filed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

http://www.hud.gov/fairhousing

800-669-9777 (voice)

800-927-9275 (TTY)

Students with disabilities in public schools (K-12) are covered by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Title II of the ADA, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Students with disabilities in public postsecondary education are covered by Title II and Section 504.  Title III of the ADA applies to private schools (K-12 and post-secondary) that are not operated by religious entities. Private schools that receive federal funding are also covered by Section 504.

IDEA Complaints - Parents can request a due process hearing and a review from the state educational agency if applicable in that state. They also can appeal the state agency’s decision to state or federal court. You may contact the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) for further information or to provide your own thoughts and ideas on how they may better serve individuals with disabilities, their families and their communities.

For more information contact:

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, DC 20202-7100

202-245-7468 (voice)

Title II of the ADA and Section 504 Complaints - The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the Department of Education enforces Title II of the ADA and Section 504 as they apply to education. Those who have had access denied due to a service animal may file a complaint with OCR or file a private lawsuit in federal court. An OCR complaint must be filed within 180 calendar days of the date of the alleged discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended for good cause. Before filing an OCR complaint against an institution, an individual may want to find out about the institution’s grievance process and use that process to have the complaint resolved. However, an individual is not required by law to use the institutional grievance process before filing a complaint with OCR. If someone uses an institutional grievance process and then chooses to file the complaint with OCR, the complaint must be filed with OCR within 60 days after the last act of the institutional grievance process.

Office for Civil Rights

Washington, DC 20202-1100

Customer Service: 800-421-3481 (voice)

800-877-8339 (TTY)

E-mail: [email protected]

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html

Title III Complaints – These may be filed with the Department of Justice.

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Civil Rights Division

Disability Rights Section – NYA

Washington, DC 20530

http://www.ada.gov/

800-514-0301 (v)

800-514-0383 (TTY)

Title II of the ADA applies to public transportation while Title III of the ADA applies to transportation provided by private entities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to federal entities and recipients of federal funding that provide transportation.

Title II and Section 504 Complaints – These may be filed with the Federal Transit Administration’s Office of Civil Rights. For more information, contact:

Director, FTA Office of Civil Rights

East Building – 5th Floor, TCR

1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.

Washington, DC 20590 FTA ADA Assistance Line: 888-446-4511 (Voice) 800-877-8339 (Federal Information Relay Service) http://www.fta.dot.gov/civil_rights.html http://www.fta.dot.gov/12874_3889.html (Complaint Form)

http://www.ada.gov 800-514-0301 (v)

Note: A person does not have to file a complaint with the respective federal agency before filing a lawsuit in federal court.

f) Air Transportation

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) covers airlines. Its regulations clarify what animals are considered service animals and explain how each type of animal should be treated.

ACAA complaints may be submitted to the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division. Air travelers who experience disability-related air travel service problems may call the hotline at 800-778-4838 (voice) or 800- 455-9880 (TTY) to obtain assistance. Air travelers who would like the Department of Transportation (DOT) to investigate a complaint about a disability issue must submit their complaint in writing or via e-mail to:

Aviation Consumer Protection Division Attn: C-75-D U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E. Washington, DC 20590

For additional information and questions about your rights under any of these laws, contact your regional ADA center at 800-949-4232 (voice/TTY).

Acknowledgements

The contents of this booklet were developed by the Southwest ADA Center under a grant (#H133A110027) from the Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Southwest ADA Center at ILRU TIRR Memorial Hermann Research Center 1333 Moursund St. Houston, Texas 77030 713.520.0232 (voice/TTY) 800.949.4232 (voice/TTY) http://www.southwestada.org

The Southwest ADA Center is a program of ILRU (Independent Living Research Utilization) at TIRR Memorial Hermann.  The Southwest ADA Center is part of a national network of ten regional ADA Centers that provide up-to-date information, referrals, resources, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The centers serve a variety of audiences, including businesses, employers, government entities, and individuals with disabilities. Call 1-800-949-4232 v/tty to reach the center that serves your region or visit http://www.adata.org .

This book is printed courtesy of the ADA National Network. The Southwest ADA Center would like to thank Jacquie Brennan (author) , Ramin Taheri, Richard Petty, Kathy Gips, Sally Weiss, Wendy Strobel Gower, Erin Marie Sember-Chase, Marian Vessels, and the ADA Knowledge Translation Center at the University of Washington for their contributions to this booklet.

© Southwest ADA Center 2014. All rights reserved

Principal Investigator: Lex Frieden Project Director: Vinh Nguyen Publication staff: Maria DelBosque, Marisa Demaya, and George Powers

[1] http://www.seeingeye.org

[2] 28 C.F.R. 36.302(c)(4); 28 C.F.,R. § 35.136(d).

[3] 28 C.F.R. 36.302(c)(2); 28 C.F.,R. §35.136(b)(2).

[4] 28 C.F.R. 36.302(c)(6).

[5] See 28 C.F.R. Pt. 35, App. A; Sak v. Aurelia, City of,  C 11-4111-MWB (N.D. Iowa Dec. 28, 2011)

[6] 28 C.F.R. 36.302(c)(8).

[7] 29 C.F.R. Pt. 1630 App. The EEOC, in the Interpretive Guidance accompanying the regulations, stated that guide dogs may be an accommodation...”For example, it would be a reasonable accommodation for an employer to permit an individual who is blind to use a guide dog at work, even though the employer would not be required to provide a guide dog for the employee.”

[8] 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(3)(B).

[9] Fair Housing of the Dakotas, Inc. v. Goldmark Prop. Mgmt., Inc., 3:09-cv-58 (D.N.D. Mar. 30, 2011): “… the FHA encompasses all types of assistance animals regardless of training, including those that ameliorate a physical disability and those that ameliorate a mental disability.”

[10] See Bronk v. Ineichen, 54 F.3d 425, 428-429 (7th Cir. 1995); HUD v. Purkett, FH-FL 19372 (HUDALJ July 31, 1990) Green v. Housing Authority of Clackamas County, 994 F.Supp. 1253 (D. Ore. 1998).

[11] Hawn v. Shoreline Towers Phase 1 Condominium Association, Inc., 347 Fed. Appx. 464 (11th Cir. 2009).

[12] See “Pet Ownership for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities”, 73 Federal Register 208 (27 October 2008), pp. 63834-63838; United States. (2004). Reasonable Accommodations under the Fair Housing Act: Joint Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Justice. Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Justice [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 03/06/2014 from http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/jointstatement_ra.php .

[13] Private schools that are not operated by religious entities are considered public accommodations. Please refer to Section V(a).

[14] Sullivan v. Vallejo City Unified Sch. Dist., 731 F. Supp. 947 (E.D. Cal. 1990).

[15] “Guidance Concerning Service Animals in Air Transportation”, 68 Federal Register 90 (9 May 2003), p. 24875.

[16] 14 C.F.R. § 382.117(e).

[17] 14 C.F.R. § 382.117(f).

Language: 

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Accessibility

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Airline Policies For Service Dogs & ESA Dogs

Flying with your service dog or emotional support dog.

As of March 3, 2023

Below we've compiled a list of policies for service and emotional support dogs from popular air carriers in the US for your convenience. As these policies may change from time to time, we encourage you to double check with your airline before departure to avoid any last-minute surprises.

In general, service dogs and emotional support animals that accompany you on the aircraft in the cabin are expected to be well-behaved, quiet, and may not encroach on the space of another passenger. Please also be mindful of other passengers who may be allergic to dogs and be ready to switch seats should airline staff make such a request. Very large service dogs may have to fly in a kennel and checked, so if you are in that situation we encourage you to check with your airline before you book a ticket.

Be sure to be familiar with the following forms and have them ready for your flight:

DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (PDF)

DOT Relief Attestation Form (PDF)

American Airlines

Fully-trained service dogs may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.

A service animal is defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability, including but not limited to:

• Visual impairments
• Mobility impairments
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Our team members are trained to ask certain questions to determine if your animal is a service animal acceptable for travel.

Please note, service animals in training, emotional support animals, and comfort animals may travel as pets, not as service animals. All requirements and applicable fees will apply.

Forms and advance notice

To travel with a service animal on flights operated by American, you must submit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Service Animal Air Transportation Form attesting to the animal’s health, training, and behavior to the Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before your flight. We’ll notify you upon document approval.

You can complete the form at the airport if you bought your ticket within 48 hours before the flight. Be sure to arrive early.

View Full Amercian Airlines Policy Here >

Service animals are accepted in cabin for qualified individuals with a disability. Delta accepts only trained service animals that are dogs. Customers traveling with a trained service dog(s) must complete the required DOT form(s) available on this page. Delta no longer recognizes emotional support animals as service animals.

For questions, call 404-209-3434 (dial 711 for relay services).

On Delta flights, trained service animals are expected to be seated in the floor space below a customer’s seat or seated in a customer’s lap - they are not permitted to occupy seats. Trained service animals and their associated items travel for free. The size of the animal must not exceed the “footprint” of the passenger’s seat.

• Items include a kennel, blanket, food or similar item

NOTE: If you encounter any issues with your trained service animal while at the airport or on board, please ask to speak to a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO). These trained Delta representatives are ready to assist passengers with accessibility needs and protect your rights when you travel by air.

Trained Service Animals

Trained service animals are defined as only dogs specifically trained to assist a person with a disability. Customers may travel with up to two trained service animals. Trained service animals must be properly cleaned and must not have a foul odor.

Customers must submit the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form for validation prior to their flight attesting to the animal’s health, training and behavior.

To protect public health, Delta Air Lines requires all dogs including service animals to be current on all vaccinations. Dogs can be vaccinated against rabies at a minimum of 12 weeks (three months) of age and must wait an additional 30 days for the vaccine to become effective.

For travel booked 48 hours or more prior to departure, customers must submit this documentation in advance for validation through the Accessibility Service Request Form located in My Trips.

For travel booked less than 48 hours prior to departure, customers may present the U.S. DOT Service Animal Air Travel Form at the check-in counter or departure gate.

For flights scheduled for 8 hours or more, customers must also submit a DOT Relief Attestation Form , attesting that the dog will not relieve itself in the aircraft or can do so in a sanitary manner.

View Full Delta Policy Here >

Service animals—defined as a dog that’s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability—are welcome on board JetBlue flights. Find all the requirements and need-to-knows for you and your service animal to travel easily and comfortably.

• JetBlue accepts trained service dogs only.
• JetBlue requires all service animals to be under the control of the handler at all times—in the airport and on the plane—and harnessed, leashed, or otherwise tethered.
• The behavior of all service animals will be assessed at the airport to ensure safety requirements are met.
• Requesting service-animal travel is a two-step process that must be completed at least 48 hours prior to your flight. We recommend starting this process as soon as you book your reservation.

If you have booked your flight within 48 hours of departure, please start your request as soon as possible and plan to arrive at the airport early to avoid possible delays.

• If you are traveling to London Heathrow or London Gatwick with a service dog, you must have Animal Reception Centre approval in advance.
• Service animals in training are not accepted for travel on JetBlue.
• If you are traveling with a large service animal or two service animals, your animal(s) must fit within the footprint of the seat(s) you have purchased. If your animal(s) is too large to fit in the seat(s) foot space you have purchased, you may purchase additional seat(s) to guarantee travel or wait for a flight that has sufficient empty seats available.
• No animal is ever allowed to occupy a seat.
• All animals must remain on the floor, unless the animal is small enough to fit fully on the traveler's lap without touching any part of the seat, tray table, or nearby travelers.
• Upon request, assistance will be provided by a JetBlue crewmember to and from the animal relief area. Please ask an airport crewmember for assistance. 

Documentation

We’ve partnered with Open Doors Organization to streamline service animal travel requests.

Requesting service animal travel is a two-step process that must be completed at least 48 hours prior to your flight. We recommend starting this process as soon as you book your reservation.

If your trip includes a flight on a partner airline, you'll need to contact them separately as their process may be different.

Please review JetBlue's full policy using the link below to follow the specific steps necessary to fly with your service dog on JetBlue airlines.

View Full JetBlue Policy Here >

Southwest Airlines

A fully trained service animal is individually trained to perform tasks or work for a person with a physical and/or mental disability. Dogs are the only trained service animals we accept onboard.

Customers can notify us in advance if they will be traveling with a trained service animal. When booking a new reservation:

• On the Passenger & Payment Info page, click the Special Assistance link.
• Select relevant options.
• Scroll down to complete your reservation.

Southwest requires a completed DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form (PDF) before flying with your service dog. Please see Southwest's full policy using the link below to ensure a smooth experience with your service dog.

View Southwest Policy Here >

United Airlines

Service animals are accepted in cabin free of charge for qualified individuals with a disability. A service animal is a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is

• over the age of 4 months
• individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability
• Qualified individuals with a disability are permitted to travel with a maximum of only two service dogs.

If you’re traveling with a service dog, the dog should sit in the floor space in front of your assigned seat and cannot extend into the aisles or the foot space of adjacent travelers. You may use an approved in-cabin kennel for smaller dogs provided its use meets stowage requirements. Exit row seating is prohibited.

Required Department of Transportation (DOT) forms for service animals

Everyone traveling with a service animal is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to complete certain forms. We require the following DOT forms for each service dog traveling with a customer:

• U.S. Department of Transportation Air Transportation Service Animal Training and Behavior Attestation Form
• U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation Form (Relief Form) (for flights scheduled to take 8 hours or more)

These forms can be completed electronically and saved to your reservation once you’ve booked your flight (for domestic U.S. flights only). To do so, visit the Trip details page after your tickets are purchased and go to the “Special accommodations” section to add your task-trained dog. These forms must be completed and saved to your reservation at least 24 hours before departure. You can also download and print them to present when traveling or save for your records.

To complete these forms, your service animal’s weight, breed, rabies vaccination dates and veterinarian information will be needed.

For international flights and flights to or from Hawaii and Guam: We require the U.S. Department of Transportation Air Transportation Service Animal Training and Behavior Attestation Form and, if applicable, the Relief Form to be completed and carried with you when you travel. Contact the United Accessibility desk at 1-800-228-2744 in advance of your travel date to add your service dog to your trip. Additional destination-specific documentation may be required for your service dog traveling to certain destinations.

Only individually trained service dogs that are traveling with a qualified disabled person are allowed on United flights. Service dogs training to assist disabled travelers can fly with their trainers for free.

Therapy animals are pets that have been trained and registered by a therapy organization in order to visit nursing homes, hospitals, schools and other facilities; they are not considered to be service animals. When traveling with a therapy animal, standard pet-related regulations and restrictions will apply.

United does not transport emotional support animals.

View Full United Policy Here >

US Airways has merged with American Airlines. Please see American Airlines policy on service dogs and emotional support animals.

Alaska Airlines

Traveling with service animals

We welcome trained service animals on Alaska Airlines at no charge.

To ensure that both you and your service animal travel easily and comfortably, please review this entire page carefully to understand the requirements that are applicable to your travel.

The only service animal permitted on Alaska Airlines is a service dog.

Alaska Airlines will accept service dogs which are trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability. This includes psychiatric service animals.

A maximum of two service dogs will be accepted per guest. The size of your service animal(s) must not exceed the footprint or personal space of your seat or foot area during the entire flight.

Requesting service animal travel is a two-step process that must be completed at least 48 hours prior to your flight. We recommend starting this process at least 5 days prior to departure.

Additional requirements may apply to international travel or travel to Hawaii.

We’ve partnered with Service Animal Travel Solutions (SATS) to streamline service animal travel requests.

Requesting travel with a service animal on Alaska Airlines is a two-step process that must be completed at least 48 hours prior to your flight. We recommend starting this process at least 5 days prior to departure.

Alaska Airlines does not make special accommodations for emotional support animals (the airline considers them pets).

Please follow the link below to review Alaska Airline's specific instructions to ensure a smooth trip with your service dog.

View Full Alaska Airlines Policy Here >

International Travel

International destinations, even on US based carriers, may have different policies and may not always conform to the guidelines set forth by the ADA. Some countries require proof of vaccination, specialized vet forms and documentation, or may forbid service dogs from entering at all due to quarantine or other policies. We strongly encourage you to call your airline in advance to check their policy before attempting to board your international flight with a service dog or emotional support animal.

What To Know Before Flying With Your Emotional Support Animal

Flying can be an extremely stressful event for some people. This is why traveling with an emotional support animal (ESA) can be essential for people who have anxiety or other mental health issues that require the presence and comfort of an  animal .

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act National Network , it's important to make the distinction between service animals (including psychiatric service dogs) and emotional support animals. ESAs are any pet that provides comfort to a person living with a disability and alleviates their symptoms; however, they do not have special training like a service animal.

ESAs have become increasingly popular in recent years as people look for alternative ways to deal with their mental health issues. However, they have also become slightly controversial, too. People have been known to bring animals such as ducks and miniature horses onto planes. While it can be odd to see a small horse trotting down the aisle of your airplane, these animals provide companionship and comfort. However, not all airlines will accept them onboard.

Rules Regarding Emotional Support Animals

When flying with an emotional support animal (ESA), it's important to be aware of the rules and regulations set by airlines. And yes, we said airlines, not the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), since ESAs are not regulated by the ADA but by the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).

Per the DOT, the ACAA "makes it illegal for airlines to discriminate against passengers because of their disability." What does this mean for ESAs? Well, in most cases the DOT essentially treats ESAs the same as service animals with a few exceptions.

Where ESAs and service animals are similar is in the limitations on what kind of animals you can bring onboard. Any animal can be barred from boarding a flight with a passenger if it's too large for the cabin, poses a risk to passengers or crew, is disruptive to the flight crew's ability to serve other passengers, or is prohibited from entering a country.

The ways ESA and service animals begin to differ, though, is in how they are identified. Airlines are permitted to rely on verbal and visual cues to determine if an animal is a service animal. For ESAs, they can request specific documentation or advanced notice. The documentation cannot be dated more than a year from the day you fly and must include an assessment from a licensed healthcare provider that states the passenger has a mental or emotional disability that requires an ESA.

You Can Fly With Your ESA On These Airlines

Not all airlines are created equal when it comes to emotional support animals (ESAs). Despite the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) requiring airlines to accept service animals, as of March 2021, it does not protect ESAs and their owners, leaving the decision up to the airlines. As a result, some airlines are considered more accommodating than others.

Unfortunately, most U.S. domestic airlines do not permit ESAs onboard (though many airlines still allow you to travel with a pet either as a carry-on or in a  cargo hold ). However, there are still a few airlines that accept them, including LatAm Airlines, Volaris, and Westjet. That said, they are limited to certain routes. For example, LatAm Airlines permits ESA dogs on routes to or from Colombia and Mexico and cats to or from Colombia as long as they remain in their carrier. Volaris allows an ESA on routes within and between Mexico, Central, and South America. Currently, you can also bring an ESA on international airlines such as Air France, Asiana Air, and KLM, to name a few, but be sure to check the rules of the specific airline just to be sure.

Read this next: 18 Best Ways To Help You Get Through Airport Security Faster

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Airline Travel Policies For Emotional Support Animals | ESARA

Flying with your esa, emotional support animal (esa) airline policies, what to know when flying with your esa.

As of March 2018, major US airlines including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta changed their travel policies for emotional support animals. It is our expectation that additional US based carriers will adopt similar changes in the future. Thus, our goal at the ESA Registration of America is to inform and educate our community while providing the necessary tools to make travel with an ESA a seamless and stress-free process. Understating the changes to airline ESA regulations will ensure a smooth flying experience for and other passengers onboard.

If you’re traveling with an ESA you should now expect to provide more information to the airline well in advance of your departure date. Here’s what you should know:

ESA Airline Forms and Information

View American Airlines Policies

View United Airlines Policies

View Delta Airlines Policies

View Southwest Airlines Policies

View JetBlue Airlines Policies

View Spirit Airlines Policies

View Alaska Airlines Policies

View Allegiant Air Policies

View Hawaiian Airlines Policies

Additional Travel Forms

Veterinary health forms.

Certain carriers such as Delta also require proof (see above link) of your ESA’s vaccinations. A Veterinary Health Form must be completed by a veterinary professional and submitted to the airline prior to travel. Delta allows a traveler to submit a copy of vaccination records in lieu of this form if the records include vaccination dates and veterinary office information. Airlines want to ensure that ESAs on board have had rabies and distemper vaccines. We recommend reaching out to your vet a minimum of a week in advance before a flight.

Knowing the laws and individual airline rules for emotional support animals is critical before traveling with your ESA. It’s more important than ever to prove that your ESA is well trained and vaccinated days before you travel. Planning ahead is always the best policy and being in touch with your vet to provide airlines this documentation is necessary. As the ESA Registration we work with a team of therapists that are available via HIPAA compliant video conference software to assess clients. Booking a session to see if you qualify for a housing or travel letter is simple with most assessments completed within 48-72 hours. We have a team of therapists across the country that are waiting to be matched with clients.

Additional Information

Confirmation of animal training.

Airlines are paying closer attention to animal training and rightfully so. After all, an unruly ESA makes travel stressful for both its owner and everyone around. As of March 2018, Delta passengers are required to sign a document that ensures the airline that their animal has been trained to behave in a public setting and takes direction upon command. Further, Delta passengers must sign off that if their animal acts will be denied boarding or will be removed from the aircraft. It is our expectation that other airlines will follow Delta’s lead when it comes to ensuring only calm and trained ESA’s are aboard their flights.

We always recommend that ESA owners use their best judgement before getting on a plane. ESA’s that have not had proper toilet training or basic socialization skills training should probably not be flying on a plane.

Unacceptable ESA Animals

According to the law any animal can be considered an emotional support animal regardless of size or species. However, airlines are adopting policies to limit the types of ESA’s allowed to fly. At ESA Registration we support this policy and believe that ESA owners and fellow passengers should adhere to societal norms when flying. There have been instances of passengers attempting to fly with peacocks, ducks, and other exotic animals. Here is a typical list of unacceptable ESA’s that many airlines have adopted:

• Non-household birds (farm poultry, waterfowl, game bird, & birds of prey)
• Animals improperly cleaned and/or with a foul odor
• Animals with tusk
• Sugar gliders

ESA Travel Size Limits

Already registered your emotional support animal, pre-flight checklist, 1. airline travel form.

Most airlines provide their own form you must fill out before you can check-in your ESA.

View Airlines

2. Veterinary Health Forms

3. confirmation of training, 4. unacceptable esa animals, 5. esa travel size limits.

Airlines Allowing an Emotional Support Animal on International Flight [2023]

Unfortunately, taking an emotional support animal on an international flight is not as easy as it used to be. As of January 2021, the rules and regulations for taking emotional support animals on planes has gotten stricter. Many airlines, that previous permitted flying with ESAs, no longer recognise ESAs as service dogs. This means that in many cases, ESAs will no longer have the same rights and will often be treated as standard pets. Furthermore, many airlines will only permit flying with ESAs on domestic flights, however there are some which permit taking an emotional support animal on an international flight. 

The following airlines allow taking an emotional support animal on an international flight:

Norwegian Air

Singapore Air

Virgin Australia

In this article, we will discuss the rules and regulations for taking an emotional support animal on international flights. We will also outline some tips for taking ESAs on international flights, and answer some frequently asked questions. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What are Emotional Support Animals?
• Which airlines allow an Emotional Support Animal on international flights (in cabin)

Airlines Accepting Psychiatric Service Dogs

• What is the process of taking with an Emotional Support Animal on an international flight?
• Tips for taking an Emotional Support Animal on an international flight
• Do I need to pay to fly with my ESA dog?
• Can I fly with a large emotional support dog?
• What other animal’s are permitted as emotional support animals on planes?
• Can I take my emotional support dog on international flights?

What are Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)?

Emotional support animals (ESAs) are pets that are required for a person’s ongoing mental health treatment by a licensed therapist, psychologist, doctor (GP) or any licensed mental health professional. The ESA is there to bring comfort and minimise the negative symptoms the person’s emotional or psychological ‘disability’.

Unlike service animals, Emotional Support Animals do not need any specific task-training because their simple companionship alleviates the symptoms associated with a psychological or emotional disability. The only requirement is that the animal is well behaved and in control in public, thus they must not create a nuisance in or around the domestic environment. 

It’s important to note that there is no official registry for ESAs, and no official certificate. Rather, in order to prove your animal is your ESA, you will need an official letter signed by a credited medical health practitioner. 

What’s the difference between an Emotional Support Animal and a Service Animal?

When considering to have your pet assigned as your emotional support animal, it helps to understand what makes ESAs different from other types of “specialty” animals, most notably service, therapy and psychiatry animals.

In their most basic definition, ESAs are simply animals who provide their owners with therapeutic benefits. An ESA provides emotional support to their human through love and companionship. As anyone who has ever had a pet knows, animals have an incredible ability to connect with humans on a deep level. For many people, a beloved animal friend may be the first one a person goes to when they need someone to comfort them and talk to without judgement. This comes without the training that a service animal or therapy animal must go through.

Though they provide incredibly important services, emotional support animals are considered to be somewhere in between the realms of service or psychiatry animals and standard pets. So, while they don’t generally get the same legal rights as service animals, they do get some. This includes being able to fly with their owners, and being allowed to live in some ‘no-pet’ housing. 

Airlines that allow Emotional Support Animal on international flights (in cabin)

Unfortunately, many airlines will only permit an emotional support animal on domestic flights, however there are still some airlines which will permit them on international flights. 

However, the rules and regulations for flying with an emotional support animal on international flights differ. In many cases, emotional support animals on international flights are only permitted to and from the US. We will outline the different policies in detail below. 

China Air’s emotional support animal on international flights policies are as follows:

• Only dogs are accepted as emotional support animals when flying with china air.
• Professional medical or mental certificate signed by the passenger’s physician or psychiatrist
• Service dogs declaration form
• Emotional support animals are only accepted free of charge in the cabin on the direct flights to/from the U.S.A. (including Guam). For other routes, emotional support animals are recognized as pets and need to be transported as checked baggage. You will have to pay for this.
• You must inform China Air at least 48 hours prior to departure, and passengers are obliged to meet the relevant animal transit and entry requirements with all the necessary documents.
• Your ESA must be vaccinated from rabies and must be free of pests and diseases that would endanger people or public health.
• Emotional support animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered or stayed in their travel carrier at all times.
• Passengers travelling with emotional support animal’s are not permitted to seat in the exit row, for safety reasons.
• The ESA dog should be able to fit on the lap or within the foot space of passengers on the aircraft.
• ESA dogs must be well behaved and obey commands. If disruptive behavior is observed at any point during the journey and isn’t corrected or controlled, in the reasonable exercise of our discretion, China Air reserve the right to refuse carriage or to claim for any loss and damage caused by the service dogs.

Norwegian Air’s emotional support animal on international flights policies are as follows:

• Only dogs are accepted as emotional support animals on international flights. 
• That you have a mental or emotional disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—Fourth Edition (DSM IV).
• That you need the emotional support or psychiatric service animal as an accommodation for air travel and/or for activity at the passenger’s destination.
• The individual providing the assessment is a licensed mental health professional, and the passenger is under his or her professional care.
• The date and type of the mental health professional’s license and the state or other jurisdiction in which it was issued.
• Documentation must not be older than one year from the date of your flight. 
• Emotional support dogs are only allowed in the cabin on direct flights to and from the U.S (excl. flights to the UK). 
• You must notify Norwegian Air that you’re flying with an emotional support animal at least 48 hours prior to departure.
• All emotional support dogs are expected to be sufficiently trained to behave in public.
• Norwegian air do not accept emotional support dogs under 4 months.
• Only one emotional support dog per passenger is permitted.
• You are only permitted to fly with your emotional support dog, mentioned in your ESA letter. 
• On flights lasting over 8 hours, Norwegian Air require documentation stating that your ESA will not need to relieve itself on the flight or that they can relieve itself in a way that does not create a health or sanitation issue on the flight.

Singapore Air’s emotional support animal on international flights policies are as follows:

• Only dogs are permitted to fly as emotional support animals on international flights.
• Dogs must be at least 4 months of age.
• ESA Dogs must be trained to obey commands, behave appropriately, and must not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other customers.
• Smaller dogs (no larger than the size of a 2-year old child) are allowed sit on the your lap, while larger dogs must sit on the cabin floor in front of the passenger seat.
• A moisture absorbent material must also be placed on the cabin floor underneath your ESA dog at all times during the flight.
• ESA dogs must not occupy a seat.
• ESA dogs must be harnessed and leashed, or remain in a pet carrier at all times.
• Your ESA dog is not allowed to obstruct the legroom of other customers, and must not block the aircraft aisle or emergency exit. 
• Bull Terrier
• Doberman Pinscher
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• German Shepherd Dog, Belgian Shepherd Dog, East European Shepherd Dog
• Mastiffs, including Bull Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Cane Corso and Dogue De Bordeaux
• Perro De Presa Canario
• Pit Bull, including American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog
• Import/transshipment/export permits (subject to country-specific regulations)
• Veterinary health certificate
• Rabies vaccination letter
• A completed acknowledgement form
• you have a mental or emotional disability recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and is under his or her professional care
• you need the emotional support dog for air travel and/or for activities at your destination
• licence information of the mental health professional (issue date, licence type, and jurisdiction and state where it was issued)
• If your flight duration is over 8 hours, you will have to provide an additional document (sanitary form) to certify that your ESA will not need to relieve itself on the flight, or that it can do so in a way that does not create a health or sanitation issue on the flight.

Virgin Australia’s emotional support animal on international flights policies are as follows:

• Only dogs are recognised as Emotional Support Animals.
• Emotional Support Animals are only permitted on board flights to and from the United States.
• You must request to travel with an emotional support animal on an international flight, prior to your flight. You will need to call their  Guest Contact Centre .
• Your ESA dog must be harnessed at all times. It must also wear an identifying coat. Handlers must supply a suitable restraint or an approved in-cabin kennel for smaller Service Dogs in-flight.
• You must accompany your emotional support animal at all times at the airport and during the flight. 
• Emotional support animals must sit at your feet, without obstructing aisles and other passengers seats.
• Your dog must sit on an absorbant mat for the whole duration of the flight. 
• If you are travelling on our international long haul services with a group of 10 or more Service Dogs, you must contact Virgin Australia at least 10 days before departure so that they can ensure your needs are met on board.
• 13 Airlines That Allow Flying With Dogs In-Cabin
• 13 Airlines That Allow Flying With a Cat In-Cabin 
• 7 Airlines that Allow Rabbits in the Plane Cabin
• Which Airlines Allow Ferrets In Cabin?

Psychiatric support dogs (PSDs) are not the same as emotional support animals (ESAs), in fact psychiatric animals have more legal rights than ESAs. However, it is possible in the right circumstances and with some effort to train an emotional support animal to become a PSD. 

The main difference between an ESA and a PSD is that a PSD must be trained to perform tasks related to the handler’s disability. These tasks include providing pressure therapy during moments of crisis, retrieving medication, helping the handler maintain daily routines, among many more. On the other hand, ESAs have no specific training requirements and alleviate symptoms of mental illness simply through their companionship. Furthermore, unlike ESAs, only dogs can serve as psychiatric service animals. 

All airlines flying to and from the United States allow psychiatric service dogs on their flights.

PSDs are allowed to board flights in the cabin free of charge. In order to fly with a psychiatric dog, you must submit a DOT’s Service Animal Transportation Form prior to your flight.

On the form, you must self-certify that your dog has been trained to perform tasks relating to your disability. PSD owners have a right to privacy and dignity: airlines are not allowed to ask what the passenger’s specific disability is, and they are now allowed to ask you to demonstrate the task your PSD has been trained to perform.

Furthermore, the form requires the name of the PSD’s trainer, which can be the owner (third-party training is not a requirement for PSDs). 

What is the process of taking an Emotional Support Animal on an international flight?

The process of taking emotional support animals on an international flight is as follows:

• Obtain a medical assessment letter / ESA letter
• Obtain your pet’s pet passport

Book flights and inform your airline you will be bringing an Emotional Support Animal

Complete required forms

Obtain a Medical Assessment Letter / ESA Letter

It’s important to note that there are no official certificates and no official registration database for Emotional Support Animals. In order to take Emotional Support Animals on international flights, you will need an ESA letter, an official letter from a medical health professional.

When taking an Emotional Support Animal on an international flight, you do not require a certificate, just a ESA letter. This is a recommendation letter from a licensed medical professional stating your need for an ESA. Medical professionals include psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists or other duly-licensed and/or certified mental health professionals.

The letter must:

• Be legitimate—i.e., on professional letterhead and written by a qualified physician and/or mental health provider.
• Clearly explain your need for an emotional support animal.
• Include your medical professional’s license number, as well as their signature and the date the letter was signed. 

If you don’t already have a mental health provider, you have two options:

• You can either make an appointment with one and get your letter that way, or;
• You can use an online ESA letter service, such as Emotional Pet Support ,  ESA Doctors , or  CertaPet . These services do charge, and you will be required to undergo a mental health evaluation before receiving your letter.

What qualifies you to own an emotional service animal?

Many people who suffer from a variety of illnesses, including mild to severe depression, phobias, PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks have found that companionship of an Emotional Support Animal alleviates symptoms, sometimes even when prescription medications failed or had adverse side effects.

To qualify for an ESA, a licensed medical health care professional will determine whether you have a disability and whether an ESA would help manage your symptoms. A “disability” for purposes of qualifying for an Emotional Support Dog means a mental health condition like depression or severe anxiety that substantially limits one or more major life activities, like the ability to study, work, travel or sleep. 

Obtain your Emotional Support Animal’s pet passport

In order to take an Emotional Support animal on an international flight, they must have a pet passport. 

The requirements for obtaining your Emotional Support Animal’s pet passport will differ depending on where you are travelling to and from, and the species of your pet. However it is likely that your pet will require the following:

• Rabies vaccination
• Animal health certificate
• Additional vaccinations
• Rabies titer test
• Parasite treatment

This is just a guide on what is required, please check the requirements for the specific country you and your ESA are visiting. 

• How to get a UK Pet Passport [Complete Guide]
• Bringing a dog into the USA [Pet Passport Guide]
• Bringing Pets to New Zealand [Pet Passport Guide]
• Importing Pets to Australia [Pet Passport Guide]
• Bringing Pets to Japan [Pet Passport Guide]

a) Microchipping your ESA.

A microchip is a electronic chip that’s inserted under the skin of your dog or cat. A microchip holds a number unique to your pet, and will be connected to a database with your contact details.

Your Emotional Support Animal can get microchipped at your local vet or a charity, such as RSPCA .

Not only is a microchip usually a requirement when getting a pet passport, it is in your best interest. If your ESA was to go missing, then you are far more likely to be reunited. 

b) Rabies vaccinations.

If you want your take an Emotional Support Animal on an international flight, it is mandatory that he/she has a valid rabies vaccination. This is a requirement for entering most countries.

Most countries require dogs to have their rabies vaccination between 30 days and 12 months prior to importing. However, this differs depending on your destination country. Furthermore, some countries recognise both 1 year and 3 year vaccinations, while others only accept 1 year vaccinations. 

You can get your pet’s rabies vaccination at your local vet, alternatively some charities offer this service for free or for a discounted price. 

c) Animal health certificate.

In order to export and import pets most countries will require an official animal health certificate issued by an accredited veterinarian.

Of course, it differs between countries, but most require the animal health certificate to be obtained within 5-10 days of travel. 

In most cases, your health certificate will also need to be endorsed by the country’s authority responsible for the import and export of animals. For example, if you are traveling from the US, you will need your documents endorsed by the USDA . Alternatively, if you are traveling from Canada, you will need to have your documents endorsed by CFIA .

d) Additional vaccinations.

Depending on where you are flying to, your ESA may also require additional vaccinations or treatments. Common required vaccinations include:

• leptospirosis
• parainfluenza

e) Rabies titer test.

Some countries require pets to have a rabies titer test before entering, to show that your pet’s rabies vaccination was successful. This is often the case when you are traveling from a country that is considered high risk for rabies.

The process for getting a rabies titer test is as follows:

• Your pet will have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.
• Your vet will then send the blood sample to an approved blood testing laboratory.
• Your pet’s blood test results must show a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml.
• You must wait 3 months from the date the blood sample was taken before you travel.
• The vet will give you a copy of the test results.

f) Parasite treatment.

Many countries require that dogs are treated against internal and/or external parasites before importation. This includes treatment for tapeworm, fleas, ticks, nematodes and cestodes. 

It’s important to check that your airline allows Emotional Support Animals on board, as many do not. If your airline does not allow Emotional Support Animals on planes, your animal will need to adhere to the airlines standard pet policies, which usually means flying as checked baggage. 

When booking your flight, it’s important to note that you may be restricted to sit in specific seats on the plane. Most airlines require that passengers travelling with ESAs sit in certain seats on the plane. Therefore, it is important to check these specific requirements, when booking your flight or reserving your seats.

Generally, you will need to inform the airline that you will be bringing an ESA, at least 48 hours before the flight.

As well as providing your ESA letter, some airlines may also require you to complete a form. The document will state the address and jurisdiction of the health professional who approved your use of an ESA. Additionally, it will state that you have a mental health related disability and are under the care of a health professional.

The amount of notice the airline will need, may differ between airlines. So, again, please check the policies before booking your flight. If you fail to give some airports sufficient notice, then your ESA may need to be checked into the kennel compartment of the plane.

Airlines usually require you or your medical health professional to complete forms before taking emotional support animals on international flights.

Forms usually ask to verify that you have a mental health related disability, and that your ESA is necessary for your treatment.  

Furthermore, a sanitation form is often required by airlines, if your flight is over 8 hours long. This form states that during the flight, your service animal or ESA will not defecate or urinate on a flight. Furthermore, the forms requires you to inform the airline how you’d go about dealing with a scenario in which they will need to defecate or urinate.

Check the airline policy of who you are flying with, to see which forms are required.

Tips for taking an Emotional Support Animal on international flights

1. Train your ESA to stay calm.

Your ESA will need to stay calm on the flight otherwise they risk being sent into the cargo area of the plane. Being obedient to orders is a requirement when taking emotional support animals on international flights. 

2. Exhaust your ESA before the flight.

Try to exhaust your ESA a little by increasing the level of activity before your trip. A sleepy animal will be less prone to getting stressed out on the flight, and will likely be better behaved on the flight. 

3. Limit access to food and water before the flight.

Limit your ESA’s access to food. Therefore, it’ll be less likely that they will need to ‘defecate or urinate’ on the flight.

Additionally, some animals may experience motion sickness if they eat just before a flight. If you are flying in the morning, then feed them the night before.

4. Get your ESA used to it’s travel carrier.

You want to ensure that the journey is as stress-free as possible for your ESA.

If you are using a carrier, let your ESA get used to it, so that they feel a little at home in there. Lure your ESA into their carrier with plenty of treats, and let him/her play and sleep in there as much as possible.

In addition, pop some of their favourite toys in their travel home, for extra comfort.

5. Familiarise yourself with the airport that you are departing from and arriving to.

Most airports will have a dedicated area for pets and service animals to rest. It is actually a legal requirement that all U.S. airports have pet-relief areas available for working animals and pets to rest. Take some photos of the airport maps, so you don’t have to wander around on the day trying to find a resting place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay to take my emotional support animal on international flights?

No. You will not need to pay to take your emotional support animal on planes. Of course this is as long as the airline you are flying with allow emotional support animals, and your ESA complies to all of the airlines regulations.

Can I take a large emotional support animal on international flights with me?

This depends on which airline you are flying with. Most airlines will not allow very large emotional support animals in their cabins as they will often need to fit in the space by your feet. However, if you call your airline at least 48 hours prior to your flight, they may be able to reserve a special space for you on the plane.

What animal's are permitted as an emotional support animal on an international flight?

Usually, just dogs are permitted as emotional support animals.

Where will my emotional support animal have to sit on the flight?

This depends on which airline you are flying with as they all have different regulations. Some airlines require animals to travel in an airline approved carrier, that will be placed under the seat in front of you. However, other airlines may allow emotional support animals to sit on their human companions lap, as long as they are no bigger than a 2 year old child

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