According to a post published on LinkedIn by Riva Gold, Editor at LinkedIn, ‘New rules [proposed] would ban any service animals except professionally trained dogs on flights in the U.S. and stop requiring airlines to allow animals required uniquely for emotional support. (…) The proposed rules (…) on so-called service pets, are open to public comment for 60 days before taking effect.)
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The Airlines Are Caught in the Middle – Trying to Make the Best of a Difficult ‘Support Animal’ Situation
The airlines are in a difficult place because people on both sides of the argument can present a compelling case. And, unfortunately, there does not appear to be a clear path to reaching a potential compromise. Additionally, both sides can argue that the newly proposed law will have a negative impact on their health.
I understand why people are so passionate about their opinions on this topic – and they have every right to be. But, as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, I have seen first-hand how support animals can have a calming effect on clients. And although dogs are the most common type of support animals – legitimate support animals really do come in many different shapes and sizes.
Advocating for my Mental Health Clients and Their Need for Support Animals on Planes
As a professional working in the mental health industry, I feel it is my duty to help educate the public about emotional support animals and how they can help improve the welfare of a person struggling with mental health issues. And it is my role to be an advocate for my clients if they feel they need the support of an emotional support animal when flying.
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