Talk about an uncomfortable reason for a diversion…
In this post:
American Eagle jet diverts to Colorado Springs over dog bite
This incident happened on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, and involves American flight AA4980, scheduled to operate from Provo (PVU) to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW). The flight was operated by a SkyWest CRJ-700 with the registration code N767SK, on behalf of American Eagle.
The flight took off at 2:02PM local time, and climbed up to 37,000 feet. The first hour of the flight was routine, as the plane flew southeast over Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. However, the aircraft then made a sharp turn to the left, and diverted to Colorado Springs (COS). It touched down there at 3:28PM, just under 90 minutes after it first departed Provo.
The plane spent a bit over an hour on the ground in Colorado Springs, so that a patient could be transported from the airport to a local hospital due to the dog bite. It’s not known how serious the injury was.
After a little over an hour on the ground, the plane once again continued to Dallas Fort Worth. It took off at 4:39PM, and landed there at 7:31PM, just under 2.5 hours behind the scheduled 5:05PM arrival.
This is a terrible situation all-around
First and foremost, I hope that the person who was injured makes a speedy recovery. I hope the injury wasn’t that serious (in terms of having a long term impact), and it was simply that they weren’t equipped to handle this well onboard the flight.
Dogs on planes have been a contentious topic in the United States for years. Back in the day, we had the concept of “emotional support animals,” whereby people could self-certify that they needed to travel with animals in the cabin for emotional support reasons (as the name suggests). While that loophole was closed, it was replaced by another one, which is that people can now self-certify that they need psychiatric service animals. This is a similar concept, except there are more limits on animal types and breeds.
So a lot of dogs flying around in cabins aren’t actually traditional service dogs that are performing specific functions (like for the visually impaired), but instead, are psychiatric service animals.
Generally when a dog misbehaves and bites someone on a plane, it’s not a formally trained service animal, but rather, a self-certified psychiatric service animal.
As a dog lover, I feel kind of bad for dogs being put into this situation:
- Flying must be really stressful for dogs, and they’re in a confined environment, potentially very close to strangers
- The whole reason we see this psychiatric service animal concept to begin with is because the lack of humane options that airlines provide for transporting dogs and other pets, as live animals really shouldn’t be put in the cargo hold
Bottom line
An American flight from Provo to Dallas diverted to Colorado Springs, after a service dog bit another passenger, requiring hospitalization. The plane spent a bit over an hour on the ground, and ultimately landed in Dallas around 2.5 hours behind schedule.
What do you make of this American diversion?
There is absolutely not enough information in this article (AS USUAL) to assume ANYTHING. How do you know the HUMAN didn’t provoke the dog? How do you know the dog was not a trained service dog? YOU DON'T because this article doesn't provide any of that information. SO QUIT ASSUMING.
Seriously, why are muzzles not already required for in-cabin pets? I haven’t really thought about it before reading the comments.
I like dogs but I detest this nonsense. Only professionally trained service animals for people with real disabilities should be allowed to fly outside of a carrier - it’s common sense (and no issue outside of the US).
Psychiatric disabilities a real. Just because its not a physical disability and YOU can't see it doesnt mean it not real. This is what's wrong with the world. Quick to judge or make an assumption because YOU don't understand. This person was negligent, doesn't mean the rest of us are. My Psychiatric service dog is trained, graduated from his service classes, and performs tasks. He fetches my meds. He comforts me when he sees I'm...
Psychiatric disabilities a real. Just because its not a physical disability and YOU can't see it doesnt mean it not real. This is what's wrong with the world. Quick to judge or make an assumption because YOU don't understand. This person was negligent, doesn't mean the rest of us are. My Psychiatric service dog is trained, graduated from his service classes, and performs tasks. He fetches my meds. He comforts me when he sees I'm about to panic and pass out. He knows how to find help when I'm unconsious and on the ground. Don't speak to something you know nothing about.
No matter how much you love your dog, it's still a dog. No matter how much you love your miniature horse, your cat. It's still a miniature horse. It's still a cat. They will survive and pressurize cargo. I am a huge animal lover by putting your animal in cargo. You're not torturing your animal quit pretending like it's your real child or baby. If you can't fly for 3 or 4 hours without your...
No matter how much you love your dog, it's still a dog. No matter how much you love your miniature horse, your cat. It's still a miniature horse. It's still a cat. They will survive and pressurize cargo. I am a huge animal lover by putting your animal in cargo. You're not torturing your animal quit pretending like it's your real child or baby. If you can't fly for 3 or 4 hours without your animal. Stay home. Don't fly. You're putting your animal through that stress. I have four dogs, five cats, couple pet ducks. I love my animals but I would never put them through stress of a plane ride. Stay home with your pets. You don't need to bring them with you everywhere.
I cant believe all these comments. No real information was given in the article for everyone to jump off like this. There was more information given about the flight than what actually happened. This is horrible that some people are tripping out without facts or any real information. All we know is a dog bit someone.
All fake service dogs should be muzzled. Period. They simple are no train or tested and therefore unreliable when put in a stressful situation.
Let's see how many psychiatrist service dogs are needed then
Why is everyone assuming it is the dog's fault? I have seen people attack animals too many times. Let's have the facts before you ASSUME it's a dog issue. Maybe it's a people issue.
FIRST off the person who represented this dog as a service dog should be banned, charged for the fuel, crew cost, and be charged. These people who lie and present THIER dogs as service dogs give people like me who's has a service dog for 13 years cardiac rehab should be arrested!! These people turn my stomach!! The airline should get all the relevant information and inform the owner that they will be assisting the...
FIRST off the person who represented this dog as a service dog should be banned, charged for the fuel, crew cost, and be charged. These people who lie and present THIER dogs as service dogs give people like me who's has a service dog for 13 years cardiac rehab should be arrested!! These people turn my stomach!! The airline should get all the relevant information and inform the owner that they will be assisting the victim to file a lawsuit because y'all know the victim is going to sue the airline!!
This is a very bad thing. Has anybody that commented on here heard exactly what happened? I can't seem to find that anywhere. Was the owner of the dog in control at all times where was the child's parent? Where was the child? I'm just too factual I guess. I love animals and full-fledged service dogs should be trained to behave in all circumstances including small spaces. Unfortunately at the end of the day it's...
This is a very bad thing. Has anybody that commented on here heard exactly what happened? I can't seem to find that anywhere. Was the owner of the dog in control at all times where was the child's parent? Where was the child? I'm just too factual I guess. I love animals and full-fledged service dogs should be trained to behave in all circumstances including small spaces. Unfortunately at the end of the day it's still a dog and should be muzzled in certain circumstances this being a perfect one.Simple fix.
Was the dog in question a legitimate "service dog" as defined in the ADA? If not, even if you canned confirm, please remove the term "service dog" from the headline and anywhere else the article refers to dog in question as a "service dog" such as "after a service dog bit another passenge" in the last paragraph. Otherwise this article is contains false information. As a legitimate service dog owner, this article as is, creates...
Was the dog in question a legitimate "service dog" as defined in the ADA? If not, even if you canned confirm, please remove the term "service dog" from the headline and anywhere else the article refers to dog in question as a "service dog" such as "after a service dog bit another passenge" in the last paragraph. Otherwise this article is contains false information. As a legitimate service dog owner, this article as is, creates a very negative connotation and unnecessary fear of properly trained service dogs.
I have to totally agree. And shame on the posters who equate a true service dog with a pet. They are highly trained, working animals and most people are smart enough to know that you DO NOT touch or interact with the animal without permission.
The last time my sister traveled with her highly trained & certified service dog, some imbecile kept bothering the dog. She asked him several times to leave the dog...
I have to totally agree. And shame on the posters who equate a true service dog with a pet. They are highly trained, working animals and most people are smart enough to know that you DO NOT touch or interact with the animal without permission.
The last time my sister traveled with her highly trained & certified service dog, some imbecile kept bothering the dog. She asked him several times to leave the dog alone, he's a working animal. That passenger was an arrogant idiot. Even family needs to wait for the dog to get a release command when they're working.
My question is, what was the injured passenger doing to provoke this dog?!?
There is nothing wrong with Dogs or Cats traveling in approved pet carriers with their owners in the cabin. The issue is with allowing pets to travel without being contained in a pet carrier. Only certified and trained service dogs should be allowed to roam free.
Having raised/trained Real assistance dogs it ruffles my fur when I see a fake emotional support or obviously a dog wearing a vest from an online store. True assistance dogs would never be aggressive. Put the customer in the cargo hold.
It’s cruel to put a dog alone in a cage in the cargo hold. Make the owner travel down there with it.
I am someone who is not obviously disabled but I suffer from seizures and have mobility issues after the fact. I have a very large (110lb) trained service dog. He does take up space when we travel but on more then one occasion due to him curling up as much as possible he has been mistaken as my fur coat at my feet and I've been asked to stow him in an overhead bin! I...
I am someone who is not obviously disabled but I suffer from seizures and have mobility issues after the fact. I have a very large (110lb) trained service dog. He does take up space when we travel but on more then one occasion due to him curling up as much as possible he has been mistaken as my fur coat at my feet and I've been asked to stow him in an overhead bin! I deal with issues often. He does wonderfully but sometimes we run into other "service dogs" while in stores that will bark and growl at him. He ignores it as he should but on several occasions I've had to get indignant with the other person to get there "service dog" under control (all while my boy is staring at me with a slight tail wag waiting on what he should do). It starts at the state level and their individual guidelines. Some states say all you have to do is put a service vest on your dog and POOF they are a service dog! If you are ever questioned by authority in that state all you have to have is a Dr. Note (yes any of your Dr's) stating you would benefit from an assistant animal. No other training proof needed. Just a current rabies certificate and your set!
Fix it there... require testing/certification. Help save everyone the headache.
Have we become so fragile and self-absorbed as a nation that we can't function on any level without screaming LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I'M SPECIAL! If someone is so mentally impaired that they can't walk in public without an animal to help them- they shouldn't be in public. Get a grip. It's way past time to stop accommodating these entitled crybabies. I 100% support genuine trained service animals, but it's clear that people can't be trusted to "self-identify".
@Lucky... NOT A SERVICE DOG... Another misbehaving pet that is called a 'service animal'. And other passengers are paying the price.
This is not fair to the real service dogs. This madness needs to stop!
Checking a dog for travel in a proper crate is safer for the dog and everyone around them. A proper service animal is not stressed in a confined space in cabin and is comfortable with how it is to behave.
I love my animals and am nervous when checking them but safety checks and airlines that approach it responsibly keep the dog happier and safer than if it is in a confined place in...
Checking a dog for travel in a proper crate is safer for the dog and everyone around them. A proper service animal is not stressed in a confined space in cabin and is comfortable with how it is to behave.
I love my animals and am nervous when checking them but safety checks and airlines that approach it responsibly keep the dog happier and safer than if it is in a confined place in a row of seats that it isn't used to.
Those who need a properly trained service animal end up being shamed in the long run. Those dogs are not stressed or uncomfortable in cabin because they are trained for their serious job
A true service l not bite anyone they are trained not to.
This nonsense needs to stop. I have seen these so called self certified service animals and their owners. They need to be in a crate unless they are a certified service dogs period or maybe that person should stay home
That owner should be charged, go to jail and have the dog taken away.one of these so called service dogs was barking and nipping at folks in the airport and the owner was oblivious. She...
This nonsense needs to stop. I have seen these so called self certified service animals and their owners. They need to be in a crate unless they are a certified service dogs period or maybe that person should stay home
That owner should be charged, go to jail and have the dog taken away.one of these so called service dogs was barking and nipping at folks in the airport and the owner was oblivious. She sat down next to me and the dog started growling at me and the other person and I said, "you might want to move now. If your dog bites me, I bite back, it and the owner." She got up and I wrote American about it and the airport.
If you need anything emotional support dog, stay home because most folks are too lazy to train their animals and something bad is bound to happen
On a recent flight there was a large "Service Dog" (as the vest so clearly indicated) which took up most of bulkhead area, and at times was seated in the aisle. Half way through flight, owner took dog for a walk up to the business class galley where they stayed for a half hour chatting with the FAs. Complete disregard for rules.
As a flyer, and a person in need of my service dog, I cringe when I see what some pass off as 'service dog'. First, I never expect a free seat for my large (75 lb) husky. I purchase the seat bext to me, and he is safely belted in.
The problem is in training. If you're going to self-certify your animal, then you need to be constantly socializing and training your dog. Though...
As a flyer, and a person in need of my service dog, I cringe when I see what some pass off as 'service dog'. First, I never expect a free seat for my large (75 lb) husky. I purchase the seat bext to me, and he is safely belted in.
The problem is in training. If you're going to self-certify your animal, then you need to be constantly socializing and training your dog. Though my dog and I went through several weeks of training for my mobility issues, I trained him to be comfortable in airports, to be comfortable in confined spaces, and to only concentrate on me when we are together. We train every single day.
People need to take responsibility for their animal. They need to understand that simply because you say your dog is a Service Dog does not mean they are.
You owe your fellow travelers the courtesy of having a calm, well behaved and well trained animal. Short of someone attacking the dog or handler, there is absolutely no excuse for a dog bite to occur. It is the selfish behavior of these people that make traveling difficult for those of us who dearly need our 4 legged companions.
My heart goes out to anyone who suffers to such the degree that they need a companion. How hard it must be day-to-day, let alone on travel days that are stressful for even the most able bodied. Animals who provide trained support are Top of Their Class. They able to do jobs that even people can not. (See Seizure Assistant dogs, if you want an example.)
But I digress...
I would suggest to...
My heart goes out to anyone who suffers to such the degree that they need a companion. How hard it must be day-to-day, let alone on travel days that are stressful for even the most able bodied. Animals who provide trained support are Top of Their Class. They able to do jobs that even people can not. (See Seizure Assistant dogs, if you want an example.)
But I digress...
I would suggest to those who grant Service Animal Permits to consider granting this status to those people, and then require they fly companion 100% of the time. I know more than a few people who claim to need their pets, then travel without them to Europe, or Hawaii, or a weekend in Vegas without them.
I hate to add another regulation, but maybe?
The dog was provoked.
My good friend loves dogs, is EXTREMELY allergic to them. She hasn’t been able to get on a plane in years, since nearly everyone needs a support dog nowadays. I feel so bad for her that when we vacation in the U.S. she hasn’t to drive while the rest of us fly. When we travel Internationally she’s left out.
Ironic that airlines no longer hand out peanuts in deference to those with allergies but those with animal allergies don't get the same consideration.
Probably because peanut allergies tend to cause severe enough anaphylaxis that death is a realistic outcome, while dog/cat dander allergies tend to just cause temporary discomfort. And last I checked, no peanut has ever successfully detected a seizure for its owner.
Headline made me wonder whether America has an issue with the temperament of its service dogs as well as of its politicians and it's self-defence weapons.
But it seems that the headline is misleading in saying "service dog" rather than "dog" ?
As a dog owner, I sometimes bring my small dog with me when traveling , especially when traveling to locations for family get togethers, as my dog loves to be with family and vice versa. That being said, she always travels in a pet carrier, underneath the seat in front of me, and I pay for this. AA charges $150 per leg for your pet to come on board, so it does get expensive. I...
As a dog owner, I sometimes bring my small dog with me when traveling , especially when traveling to locations for family get togethers, as my dog loves to be with family and vice versa. That being said, she always travels in a pet carrier, underneath the seat in front of me, and I pay for this. AA charges $150 per leg for your pet to come on board, so it does get expensive. I realize that for larger dogs, this isn't an option. But for smaller dogs, perhaps removing the pet fee would encourage more owners to bring their pets as a carryon, rather than loose in the cabin. For larger dogs, the owners should be responsible enough to know when it's best to leave their dog with a responsible pet sitter.
Lucky - I've been reading your blog for a long time, and I generally enjoy reading your analysis, but I have to say that this post made me sick. It is ridiculously politically correct to say that nobody was at fault for this incident. Your article doesn't even mention the most likely cause of this "service dog" attack, which is that the owner lied about their dog being a service dog. Fake service dogs are...
Lucky - I've been reading your blog for a long time, and I generally enjoy reading your analysis, but I have to say that this post made me sick. It is ridiculously politically correct to say that nobody was at fault for this incident. Your article doesn't even mention the most likely cause of this "service dog" attack, which is that the owner lied about their dog being a service dog. Fake service dogs are becoming a huge problem. Just this month a woman was violently attacked in the Alaska Lounge at SEA by a fake service dog, and on another Alaska flight last year a passenger was attacked and bloodied by a fake "service" pitbull, causing an emergency landing. Lying about whether a dog is a service dog is not only incredibly thoughtfulness, but it is also a crime in many states. It threatens the safety of the flying public, and it makes life more difficult for people who actually have legitimate service animals. Merely saying that nobody is at fault while ignoring the likely cause of the problem is giving these irresponsible dog owners a free pass, and I have a problem with that.
Another example of a few bad apples ruining it for everyone else. I recognize that not everyone wants to see dogs in the cabin. And I certainly agree that it's not ideal, and no dogs that bite or are otherwise aggressive should ever be in the cabin. That said, I prefer a well-behaved dog over many of the humans I encounter these days, or, for that matter, some badly behaved small dogs in crates that...
Another example of a few bad apples ruining it for everyone else. I recognize that not everyone wants to see dogs in the cabin. And I certainly agree that it's not ideal, and no dogs that bite or are otherwise aggressive should ever be in the cabin. That said, I prefer a well-behaved dog over many of the humans I encounter these days, or, for that matter, some badly behaved small dogs in crates that are allowed in the cabin. And as Ben noted, airlines in the U.S. make it very difficult to transport a dog larger than 10 pounds these days, which has contributed to this situation. Just like before with emotional support animals, people will leverage the loopholes if they see no good other options.
Sometimes your dog needs to travel - probably not if you're going on vacation for a week, but perhaps if you spend a whole month somewhere or if you're relocating. Other than the cargo hold, which on many planes is not climate controlled properly and does traumatize many dogs, there are often zero options.
Unlikely this was a certified service animal. It's a shame frauds are ruining it for truly disabled people and their real service dogs, who are being misjudged and denied service more and more.
The US is one of the few countries with such relaxed policies on this. Most other places only allow actual service animals for the blind, deaf, etc and need to show the related documentation. What a joke - one loophole is fixed but another was opened
I love cats, but would never take my cat on a plane.When I have flown to New York to see family I always board at the vet There is Rover who will watch your pet.My boss,s sister has watched pets, for like a week That,s her actual job Only Service animals that are certified and have proof should be allowed with the disabled person , whether blind, a veteran ,etc in the cabin with the...
I love cats, but would never take my cat on a plane.When I have flown to New York to see family I always board at the vet There is Rover who will watch your pet.My boss,s sister has watched pets, for like a week That,s her actual job Only Service animals that are certified and have proof should be allowed with the disabled person , whether blind, a veteran ,etc in the cabin with the rest of the people.Plus it,s stressful for an untrained animal.Cats maybe stressed, but they also sleep Alot, unlike dogs . And what about turbulence on a plane Was flying back to Texas from New York, and we hit some.A lady started freaking out,her husband or boyfriend tried to calm her.That would also freak an animal out It didn't bother me, but her reaction to it started to getting to me I remembered my late father who flew in WW2, and if he could survive anti aircraft guns and other planes shooting at his, so would I.That would be horrible for the poor dog..
I want to know the real situation. Service/emotional support animal or not, far too many idiots think it's funny to pull tails/ears or otherwise instigate aggressive behavior then claim innocence when animal reacts. Human arrogance has gone to ridiculous lows.
Definitely need to end the self-certified thing. "emotional support" dogs are usually just...dogs. And most dog owners are like most parents, absolutely certain their animal (or child) is amazingly and consistently well-behaved, except they're observably not.
(service & law enforcement-trained animals are a different thing)
I feel bad for the person who was injured. Dog bites can require major recovery time, physical therapy, etc. I'd be furious to be injured thusly because somebody had insisted...
Definitely need to end the self-certified thing. "emotional support" dogs are usually just...dogs. And most dog owners are like most parents, absolutely certain their animal (or child) is amazingly and consistently well-behaved, except they're observably not.
(service & law enforcement-trained animals are a different thing)
I feel bad for the person who was injured. Dog bites can require major recovery time, physical therapy, etc. I'd be furious to be injured thusly because somebody had insisted on traveling with their unsuitable-in-public animal...
The dog and owner should have been taken off the plane and not allowed to go to their destination
absolutely agree, how did they know the dog would not bite another passenger ? AA is useless
Legally and formally trained service dogs receive specialized training in ordinarily stressful situations so they DON'T become stressed and bite or react in some other negative way. They are trained to the extent they are always on duty.
Whomever had this so-called service dog didn't actually have a real service dog. They had an "emotional support animal."
The rules need to change and we as a society need to stop pandering to every...
Legally and formally trained service dogs receive specialized training in ordinarily stressful situations so they DON'T become stressed and bite or react in some other negative way. They are trained to the extent they are always on duty.
Whomever had this so-called service dog didn't actually have a real service dog. They had an "emotional support animal."
The rules need to change and we as a society need to stop pandering to every self-proclaimed precious rose petal with a fluffy pet and a penchant for bringing them with them everywhere they go. Not an actual service animal? GTFO
This ADA loophole “hey listen, I declare my animal to be a service dog and I need no certificate whatsoever” needs to end. The same way that you need a certificate to get disabled placards for your car there should be a state registry for service animals. Animals must come from a certified facility that trains them.
They should require all dogs wear a muzzle on board, it is very stressful for a dog to travel with so many people. I am surprised they don't already require it.
Every news report I've seen is really sketchy about the dog and if it was a "real service dog." I'm a senior so I've been around for a lot of years and have only seen two service dogs attack an individual and those two animals were seriously provoked, one because it was intentionally kicked by a thug in a mall and the other because its owner was knocked to the ground by a jerk who...
Every news report I've seen is really sketchy about the dog and if it was a "real service dog." I'm a senior so I've been around for a lot of years and have only seen two service dogs attack an individual and those two animals were seriously provoked, one because it was intentionally kicked by a thug in a mall and the other because its owner was knocked to the ground by a jerk who was making fun of the owner for being blind.
I continue to oppose all animals being on planes including all pets and emotional support animals, unless they are certified, trained service animals working for a disabled persons. I stress "certified," "trained" and "working." I believe that no service animal should be allowed on a plane unless their certification as a service animal and their certification of training comes from a recognized company that's been certified by a government authority to train service animals.
Self-certification cannot be permitted.
I am sick to death of these people with self taught service dogs and the emotional support animal. So I guess that means all 3 of my dogs are emotional support dogs. OH wait i can go online and get fake documents to say my dog is a service animal. What a pile of dog poo. My youngest pooch is a therapy dog and I would never claim she is a service dog, despite her training. The disability act needs to take a harder approach with this problem.
I'm sorry to read about this situation. Service animals have been flying in air planes since Morris Frank flew with the very first Seeing Eye dog, Buddy, in the thirties.
There is a standard of behavior for service animals, and they are bred to have excellent temperaments, and trained to ride happily and quietly under plane seats.
With that said, any dog can bite in a situation that might cause pain. Their instinct...
I'm sorry to read about this situation. Service animals have been flying in air planes since Morris Frank flew with the very first Seeing Eye dog, Buddy, in the thirties.
There is a standard of behavior for service animals, and they are bred to have excellent temperaments, and trained to ride happily and quietly under plane seats.
With that said, any dog can bite in a situation that might cause pain. Their instinct is to strike out at what they perceive as the cause of pain.
Given the lack of detail in the article, it's hard to know why this happened.
True, there has been a abundance of individuals who travel with fake service animals. These animals have not been trained to behave in public and ride on public transportation. Nor have they been trained to behave around other dogs in public. Some cause interference problems with legitimate service dogs, or cause aggressive encounters that put the service animal handler at risk of injury.
Service animals are well behaved and their handlers have as much right to fly with them as any other member of the public on a flight.
I'm very sorry that someone was injured on a flight, and am sorry for the others on the flight who were inconvenienced by being diverted.
Please consider supporting legitimate service dogs, and report the dogs who are not well behaved.
These are fake service dogs......they go into stores like Walmart and the store managers just don't care.They even bring in cats, mice birds. It makes it really bad for people who really need their service dog
"The whole reason we see this psychiatric service animal concept to begin with is because the lack of humane options that airlines provide for transporting dogs and other pets, as live animals really shouldn’t be put in the cargo hold"
You hit the nail on the head right there, Ben. Hopefully BARK Air continues to grow as a business and they add a few more destinations.
And drop the price by 80% so that ordinary people can afford it?
You can also get bitten by another dog on BARK.
Pets travel around the world as cargo all day, every day. There are specialist freight handlers who only do pets. Cargo holds are heated pressurised. If Fluffy or Tiddles is so highly strung that a few hours as cargo will cause them irreparable psychological harm, then they’re not going to do well in a crowded cabin either. Leave them at home with a sitter. They’ll probably be happier. And if you’re so highly strung that...
Pets travel around the world as cargo all day, every day. There are specialist freight handlers who only do pets. Cargo holds are heated pressurised. If Fluffy or Tiddles is so highly strung that a few hours as cargo will cause them irreparable psychological harm, then they’re not going to do well in a crowded cabin either. Leave them at home with a sitter. They’ll probably be happier. And if you’re so highly strung that you can’t cope for a few days or weeks without your pet you need to see a psychiatrist, because that’s not normal.
WTF WTF WTF!!!!!
"Flying must be really stressful for dogs, and they’re in a confined environment, potentially very close to strangers"
Trained service animals don't get stressed like this. That's the whole point of service training. If an untrained animal gets stressed, don't bring it.
So soon we'll be seeing a ESA for the ESA?
A self-certified psychiatric service animal for the fake service dog because it gets stressed?
Sir, you can't bring that donkey...
WTF WTF WTF!!!!!
"Flying must be really stressful for dogs, and they’re in a confined environment, potentially very close to strangers"
Trained service animals don't get stressed like this. That's the whole point of service training. If an untrained animal gets stressed, don't bring it.
So soon we'll be seeing a ESA for the ESA?
A self-certified psychiatric service animal for the fake service dog because it gets stressed?
Sir, you can't bring that donkey on board.
Oh no, it a service animal for my service kangaroo. I don't need the donkey. My service kangaroo needs it. My kangaroo self certified the donkey. I just self certified the kangaroo.
@Eskimo, yes and no. Properly trained service dogs in theory should do okay on planes (or at least have a higher distress tolerance than most dogs) but that is a VERY difficult thing to train. Even the best service training schools do not routinely take dogs to high elevation in confined spaces, so Ben's point still stands.
@Redacted
You can always comfort my kangaroo. I'll make sure it self certified you as it's ESA.
If a trained service animal can't perform its duty, it should be retired from its responsibilities.
LOL
First, I'm a dog owner and absolutely love dogs. However, people have gone way overboard with traveling with pets. The main scenario where you need to travel with a pet is for a permanent or seasonal move. If you are going on vacation, you do not need your pet with you. If you can't afford to have someone watch your dog while you vacation, you need to reevaluate your budget and priorities.
The reason people...
First, I'm a dog owner and absolutely love dogs. However, people have gone way overboard with traveling with pets. The main scenario where you need to travel with a pet is for a permanent or seasonal move. If you are going on vacation, you do not need your pet with you. If you can't afford to have someone watch your dog while you vacation, you need to reevaluate your budget and priorities.
The reason people bring their dogs with them on short trips is usually selfish - they want the dog there or they want to save money. If you have an anxious dog you can have a close friend stay at your place so they maintain their normal environment for example, and if they aren't good with anyone else watching them...they need better training AND are an even bigger liability on a plane around tons of strangers.
And if you're moving or doing a seasonal move, there is always the option to just drive with your pet in the continental US. The scenarios requiring dogs to be on planes are relatively rare compared with how many people travel with their dogs.
Some people don't have cars, Amtrak also doesn't allow pets and their long-haul trains don't keep schedule worth a damn anyways thanks to the Class 1 freight railroad's business practices, intercity bus lines also don't allow pets and have also been reducing service since the pandemic, and also have their own reliability issues a-la Amtrak.
And I don't fault anyone for not wanting to drive cross-country. It's one thing to do a 500 mile...
Some people don't have cars, Amtrak also doesn't allow pets and their long-haul trains don't keep schedule worth a damn anyways thanks to the Class 1 freight railroad's business practices, intercity bus lines also don't allow pets and have also been reducing service since the pandemic, and also have their own reliability issues a-la Amtrak.
And I don't fault anyone for not wanting to drive cross-country. It's one thing to do a 500 mile 8 hour drive, it's another thing entirely to do a pair of 12 hour days with a hotel in the middle. I've done that to visit friends with my dogs, and it's hell. Not everybody enjoys driving to begin with, being on the road that long even with another driver to switch off with is exhausting, and to boot driving is the most dangerous form of transportation in the country.
Clearly, the issue is that we don't have a better way for people to travel with regular pets that doesn't mean they drive themselves. In Italy and Spain I saw multiple people on the metros and regional rail with dogs on leashes and the dogs were never a problem.
If you don't have a car no problem Enterprise would give you one. Kindly use it and move. One way car rentals are a thing United States.
@Rukml
One-way car rentals exist sure, but they are expensive, and as I stated long distance driving SUCKS. Not to mention not everyone who needs to CAN drive. Either due to no license, physical handicaps, age, etc. There's a surprisingly high segment of the adult population that cannot drive. Which goes back to my first post, there has to be other, affordable options. Forcing everyone to be able to drive their own personal automobile...
@Rukml
One-way car rentals exist sure, but they are expensive, and as I stated long distance driving SUCKS. Not to mention not everyone who needs to CAN drive. Either due to no license, physical handicaps, age, etc. There's a surprisingly high segment of the adult population that cannot drive. Which goes back to my first post, there has to be other, affordable options. Forcing everyone to be able to drive their own personal automobile in order to fully participate in society makes for a poorer and less healthy society.
@Dusty
Thank you for doing the responsible thing and drive.
Having pet is your choice and your responsibility.
Others passenger don't have a choice or responsibility over you pets.
My dogs enjoy flying. They have done it since they were babies. I enjoy having them with me to visit family and friends on shorter nonstop flights, and I pay the fees to have them with me. They are not service dogs or emotional support animals. They stay in their carriers the whole time when on the plane and are sleeping peacefully under the seat. Without any drugs. It costs way more to take them...
My dogs enjoy flying. They have done it since they were babies. I enjoy having them with me to visit family and friends on shorter nonstop flights, and I pay the fees to have them with me. They are not service dogs or emotional support animals. They stay in their carriers the whole time when on the plane and are sleeping peacefully under the seat. Without any drugs. It costs way more to take them with me than to stay with the pet sitter on most of my short trips.
You can just keep your high and mighty blanket statements about traveling with pets to yourself.
The people that cheat the system are the problem. Taking big dogs on the plane as fake service animals so they don’t have to pay even bigger fees to put them under the plane. That is the problem. Not traveling with legit paid for small “in the travel bag” pets.
Everyone nowadays pretends to have a "service animal" it's been exacerbated since Covid since people turned to pets to fill the void of the lack of social interaction. Tiktok also was able to teach everyone the extremely vague law that you can say it's a service animal and everyone basically has to allow it until it's an issue.
Honestly, when I'm on a Skywest CRJ-700, those planes are such a dump that I often think about biting people. Obviously this dog got my play list.
If you need a pet as support then you should consider flying.
You really should add a third bullet point to your list, and that is, to avoid paying any pet fees and also to have the dog in the cabin with you rather than in the cargo hold. Yes, I'm aware this doesn't apply to everyone, but I also know it's not 0% for the people trying to skirt the system.
I've dealt with a lot of animals in cabin through all iterations of "emotional support" free-for-all to current regulation. And even a miniature pony. A lot of service monkeys (“Liebe meine Abschminke!") and the occasional bird. Even one emotional support hamster that was on the news....
Service animals in training, legit trained service animals, and pets declared as pets with responsible owners are not a problem... though I have seen other passengers torment all...
I've dealt with a lot of animals in cabin through all iterations of "emotional support" free-for-all to current regulation. And even a miniature pony. A lot of service monkeys (“Liebe meine Abschminke!") and the occasional bird. Even one emotional support hamster that was on the news....
Service animals in training, legit trained service animals, and pets declared as pets with responsible owners are not a problem... though I have seen other passengers torment all of the above into a reaction. Kicking, petting when clearly told not to, offering food, etc. Sorry to say but sometimes other passengers are their own person to blame for eliciting a reaction for tormenting an animal. I've seen far and away more animals that behave properly, or as prescribed, than those that did not, especially as the ACAA tightened up.
I guess it's always easy to second guess diversion airports, but I wonder if COS was just the planned diversion point. AMA and, in particular, LBB both would've been closer with a high level of trauma care.
Stopping in NM anywhere for medical care would be suicide, but I wonder why COS was chosen over AMA or LBB...
They should have diverted to Springfield, OH, where they could have unloaded the dog in order to be eaten.
I’m surprised that this isn’t advertised more, but many airlines have a process to purchase additional seats for large or bulky items. Usually this is for musical instruments, but I’ve seen the cabin baggage be a larger dog or a breed that’s restricted from traveling in the hold. They stay in their crate and it’s strapped to the seat. It’s more expensive than putting them in the hold since you’re buying additional seats, but I...
I’m surprised that this isn’t advertised more, but many airlines have a process to purchase additional seats for large or bulky items. Usually this is for musical instruments, but I’ve seen the cabin baggage be a larger dog or a breed that’s restricted from traveling in the hold. They stay in their crate and it’s strapped to the seat. It’s more expensive than putting them in the hold since you’re buying additional seats, but I imagine much less stressful for the animal and safer for those around.
We just did this on Alaska for our move from SF to NY for our 40lb dog. There are specific dimensions for the type of carrier you can use and you'll need a seatbelt extender to strap in larger carriers but it worked really well for us. To my knowledge Alaska is the only carrier that does this but please let me know of other options that allow you to bring pets as in cabin baggage!
People are morons. They think Fido will get a real kick out of flying when in fact for an untrained dog it's torture. No wonder a dog will bite. It's scared out of it's wits and has no idea of what's happening. Dogs are far more sensitive to noise.
No "psychological" dogs, period. Somehow the human race flew for over 70 years without them and no one died.
hi! i am a service dog handler of a medical alert service dog! we have flown many times now. it is a very stressful environment for untrained dogs! i'd like to point out some misinformation in your article though! per the ada, a dog may be task-trained to mitigate a psychiatric disability. this includes responding to ptsd attacks, alerting someone to increased cortisol levels, and more! there are also no restrictions on what breed can...
hi! i am a service dog handler of a medical alert service dog! we have flown many times now. it is a very stressful environment for untrained dogs! i'd like to point out some misinformation in your article though! per the ada, a dog may be task-trained to mitigate a psychiatric disability. this includes responding to ptsd attacks, alerting someone to increased cortisol levels, and more! there are also no restrictions on what breed can be a service dog! please go to ada.gov to read the federal law on what qualifies as a service dog! while they are not covered by the ada when flying, spreading misinformation can be harmful to legitimate service dog handlers who rely on their task-trained dog. the difference between a real service dog of any variety and an esa is the training and whether or not the handler is disabled. this is a terrifying issue and my service dog has been lunged at by countless dogs in the airport wearing "service dog" vests. that being said i believe the issue of fraudulent service dogs is largely led by misinformation and the access to scam certifications online. (per the ada there are no certifications for service dogs or ids) thank you for covering this issue, i hope more comes out about it!
This post wins the entire comments thread.
I just had a look at the service animal section on aa.com.
I am an absolute dog LOVER. My little fella is the centre of my world. But even I am shocked at the loopholes available for carrying a 'service animal'.
So, a passenger carrying a service animal (according to aa.com) needs to complete a 'DOT service animal air transportation form' in order to verify the animals 'health, training and behaviour'.
OK, so far...
I just had a look at the service animal section on aa.com.
I am an absolute dog LOVER. My little fella is the centre of my world. But even I am shocked at the loopholes available for carrying a 'service animal'.
So, a passenger carrying a service animal (according to aa.com) needs to complete a 'DOT service animal air transportation form' in order to verify the animals 'health, training and behaviour'.
OK, so far all very reasonable.
Then looking at the actual form. Wants details of pet blah blah. Then there is a section that asks for the name and contact phone number of the organisation that trained the dog.
Alright....
Then there is a guidance section. And reading the guidance for the section requiring the details of the organisation responsible for training
'The Handler is not required to provide a training certificate or other evidence that the animal has been trained to perform a task, but the Handler must provide the name and phone number of the person or organization that trained the service animal to perform the disability-mitigating task. If the Handler trained the animal, the Handler may provide
their name and contact information.'
Whaaaaat? So not only does NO evidence of the dog receiving training need to be provided but THE HANDLER CAN SAY THEY HAVE TRAINED THE DOG THEMSELF!
Incredible
hi! per the ada (americans with disabilities act of 1990) service dogs can be owner trained. although the ada does not cover flights, it covers public access in the us and is the federal law surrounding them. this allows service dogs to remain accessible to those who do not have 20-60k to give a program for a service dog. i can understand that seems ludicrous, and i agree that the dot form does not require...
hi! per the ada (americans with disabilities act of 1990) service dogs can be owner trained. although the ada does not cover flights, it covers public access in the us and is the federal law surrounding them. this allows service dogs to remain accessible to those who do not have 20-60k to give a program for a service dog. i can understand that seems ludicrous, and i agree that the dot form does not require enough information, but many people owner train their service dogs to perform at the same level as adi (assistance dog international) accredited dogs. the problem with certification is that there are a million scam websites that require no proof of training and simply hand you a paper! to the untrained eye these look official and cause many problems for legitimate service dogs. (just look up "service dog" on google and the first three results will be for these scam websites) beyond that, not all dog trainers are created equal. there are NO regulations on the dog training industry. anyone can claim to be a dog trainer and claim to have trained your dog to be a service dog. i agree that something needs to be done, but legitimate owner trainers aren't the problem. the problem is entitled people who are going to perpetuate this problem regardless of the hoops they have to jump through.
To add to Mara’s post - not only service dogs can be trained by owner, but they don’t have to wear ‘service dog’ vests, tags, collars, etc. By law you can only ask if the dog is a service dog and what service the dog can perform. That’s it.
I know of a person who - although otherwise healthy - has very occasional but sudden drops in blood sugar that cause him to faint....
To add to Mara’s post - not only service dogs can be trained by owner, but they don’t have to wear ‘service dog’ vests, tags, collars, etc. By law you can only ask if the dog is a service dog and what service the dog can perform. That’s it.
I know of a person who - although otherwise healthy - has very occasional but sudden drops in blood sugar that cause him to faint. Couple of times he fainted and fell, luckily not injuring himself in the process. It could all be quickly remedied by a piece of sugar or a sip of orange juice. IF taken on time. Multiple doctors and multiple tests later - nobody knows why it happens or what causes it. Yet his little 30-lbs mutt - without any training - knows (feels, smells, whatever) a few minutes before this happens and alerts him. The guy takes his sugar pill, the fainting is averted. I don’t think the guy flies with his mutt or puts a ‘service dog’ vest on it, but if it’s not a service, then what is? And the mutt had no training, it doesn’t even know any commands. But its nose is golden. Either that or the connection to his owner is on a totally different level. So when people talk about special training, certifications, etc., it’s not one size fits all. Please keep an open mind. And read ADA
Now I have a service dog too!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/355577657200
LMAO, with helpful Information cards! And an "Access granted by Federal Law" dog tag! Yeah: no. Nice try.
Seriously Ben - you feel bad for the dogs? That's insane. If your dog has to be with you when you travel then get in your car and drive so it doesn't affect other passengers.
Nothing screams OMAAT like turning a dog-biting incident into feeling bad for the dogs.
Amen!
Why is it insane to feel bad for the dogs? They are not asking to fly, they aren't forcing their owners to travel with them, etc.
This is the human owner's fault. The dog doesn't want to be on the plane - so yes, you can feel bad for them being forced in a situation against their will.
Similarly, a dog that bites humans when anxious is also a reflection on the owner...
Why is it insane to feel bad for the dogs? They are not asking to fly, they aren't forcing their owners to travel with them, etc.
This is the human owner's fault. The dog doesn't want to be on the plane - so yes, you can feel bad for them being forced in a situation against their will.
Similarly, a dog that bites humans when anxious is also a reflection on the owner and not the dog. Any dog breed can be well trained and never in their life bite a human. The issue (and I find this especially with smaller dog breeds) is that owners do not adequately train their dogs and they often reinforce bad behavior.
That lawsuit will hurt them in the pockets either way, lien on their property or homeowners insurance for their medical bills.
@Ben, a potentially silly question here: do airlines have some kind of insurance to cover for this man-provoked or pet-provoked diversions? I'm struggling to figure out who gets the bill in the end...
Airlines foot the bill, which means in the end the other passengers foot the bill through higher fares.
Under the Montreal Convention for international flights , passengers can file claims against airlines for losses or damages, even if the fault lies with a third party. The airline is responsible for ensuring compensation as outlined in the treaty, although the airline may subsequently seek reimbursement from their insurance provider.
Dogs should be muzzled in flight ( as should some humans) . This dog issue is almost always American.
...(as should some humans). Haha. That's the truth!!!
Should restrict it to just cats!!
They're purrrrric companions, and very sociable.
Let’s not pretend for a second that this wasn’t an emotional support animal masquerading as a “service dog.”
Whether it was an emotional support animal or just a pet is hard to determine. Regardless, the current system needs to change.
Rarely have I seen a legitimate service dog on an airplane. Hopefully the owner will be held accountable and learn a valuable lesson.
Dog was allowed to continue in the flight after the diversion?
BAD DOG!!
Bad dog owner. The owner is responsible for the behaviour of the animal. I hope the owner gets sued both by AA and the victim and they will get fully compensated.
Why do you pronounce that “live animals shouldn’t really be put in the cargo hold?”
Have you ever been in the belly of an aircraft? Ever loaded or unloaded dogs? Mini horses? Etc?
If treated properly, there is no reason why animals cannot fly in the hold. It is pressurized and heated. Is it stressful for animals to be in a cage in an unfamiliar place, yes.
Are there issues with how ground handlers...
Why do you pronounce that “live animals shouldn’t really be put in the cargo hold?”
Have you ever been in the belly of an aircraft? Ever loaded or unloaded dogs? Mini horses? Etc?
If treated properly, there is no reason why animals cannot fly in the hold. It is pressurized and heated. Is it stressful for animals to be in a cage in an unfamiliar place, yes.
Are there issues with how ground handlers deal with pets? Sure, just like with luggage.
But people don’t NEED to travel with their pets…..
Agree. People don't need to travel with their pets, which in turn is dangerous to my asthmatic self. Priorities are skewed.
Keep animals off of the plane!
Even for the pressurized and climate controlled sections of the hold, you're putting a social animal alone in a strange environment for hours. Some handle it fine, a lot don't. And as you said, ground handling complicates the entire process significantly and is honestly probably the biggest reason people game the system. Nobody wants their pet to freeze or get die of heatstroke waiting to be loaded.
I agree that there's a big problem in...
Even for the pressurized and climate controlled sections of the hold, you're putting a social animal alone in a strange environment for hours. Some handle it fine, a lot don't. And as you said, ground handling complicates the entire process significantly and is honestly probably the biggest reason people game the system. Nobody wants their pet to freeze or get die of heatstroke waiting to be loaded.
I agree that there's a big problem in the US with people keeping poorly trained and poorly socialized dogs, and if that could be addressed then flying with pets in the cabin could be relaxed. People travel with their pets for legitimate reasons, like moving or visiting family for long term. Most people aren't taking their dog on vacations to a hotel. Boarding is expensive, and can also be harmful to a dog's health.
I have dealt with Lufthansa and carriage of animals in the cargo hold on Trans-Atlantic flights... There are not many (well, really there's just one) alternative to flying if you need to make the journey, and I'm not sure being on a ship for a week is an amazing alternative for an animal either. Great care was taken with animals through the entire chain of custody. Even the biggest grizzled ramp agent is a softie...
I have dealt with Lufthansa and carriage of animals in the cargo hold on Trans-Atlantic flights... There are not many (well, really there's just one) alternative to flying if you need to make the journey, and I'm not sure being on a ship for a week is an amazing alternative for an animal either. Great care was taken with animals through the entire chain of custody. Even the biggest grizzled ramp agent is a softie for a dog flying cargo. Never seen so much care taken in securing, checking all elements of the crate, making sure they were kept cool and loaded only at the very last moment when the hold was about to close, etc. On LH a member of the flight deck crew usually came down to verify all themself.
Not to say there have not been some horrific events with animals in cargo that are just sickening. But yes, it is perfectly safe and done correctly the majority of the time.
This really has gone too far. While I do feel for folks with invisible disabilities that are helped by service animals, it’s far past time to draw a clear line and either create a proper service animal certifying board federally or a standard for state governing boards that are strictly certifying service animals only for the most necessary cases, or restrict service animals only to those with visible disabilities such as a seeing eye dog....
This really has gone too far. While I do feel for folks with invisible disabilities that are helped by service animals, it’s far past time to draw a clear line and either create a proper service animal certifying board federally or a standard for state governing boards that are strictly certifying service animals only for the most necessary cases, or restrict service animals only to those with visible disabilities such as a seeing eye dog. No more self certifying. The incident in the article is the natural end point; I don’t want myself or my kid to be the next victim of Karen’s fake service pitbull.