On my connecting flight home yesterday I had the good fortune of sitting across from 1 of the 2 ESA dogs on the flight. Two "normal" looking guys each had an ESA Dog they kept on their laps. Thank goodness the flight was not full and their was room to spread out. These ESAs appeared to be nothing more than pets.

How and why have we started to allow This? Shouldn't it be that if you need an ESA to Fly than YOU shouldn't fly.

On a side note, why is it that American Airlines serves Belgium cookies?

As some of you might remember, I show dogs. Many, many show dogs fly as ESA's-during their career. Funny how when the dogs are retired, their owners' incurable fear of flying is gone too!

How and why have we allowed this to start?

I agree; it's ridiculous; it's silly; it's absurd; it's abused.

It's not worth worrying about usually. I'm not allergic to critters, and I make a habit of carrying ear buds/ear plugs with me every time I take public transit.

Now if my wife is on a plane, she's allergic to dogs. I'll just ask her to sneeze wad of drippy snot all over the person and his/her dog...

The real issue is the abuse. The reason this whole problem exists is that there ARE legit people with these sorts of animals. They are FEW and FAR BETWEEN. So, everyone else with a pet that just wants to take them can easily fake this.

And, as mentioned in the first post, you certainly CAN'T tell just by looking who does and does not have a legitimate need for one. You can't "see" mental disabilities most of the time.

But that's the real key. There ARE legit people with disabilities who need and deserve these animals. But we don't have a good way to weed out the wheat from the chaff.

- John...

Ally hit on a point too-it's usually $150 extra one way(if your dog can fit under the seat in its carrier);WAY MORE expensive if you have to fly your dog in the belly of the plane (must get a health cert. as well from a vet.) BUT-fly as a service animal and it's free...

No wonder people are working the system.

A passenger with a severe allergy or asthma triggered by the animal has a real gripe.

I fly with Scooter. I've done it a couple of times, and will be taking him to LL Boot Camp. He is a real SD. He isn't perfect, but he passed his ADI based public access test and he DOES provide me a service. You wouldn't know it to look at me, though. Plus, he hates flying. He does it, but doesn't like it.

If we are flying, I get to the gate a good hour before we are to board in most cases. It is enough of a drive that I leave a LOT of time to get there. As such, any other passenger will know that I'm there with my SD. Plus, he isn't a little dog - 65 lbs of mostly Lab. We sit in the front seat as it is the only place he really fits.

It is an issue for discussion. Who has the right to the flight if I'm booked with my SD and another passenger is booked with a bad allergy or asthma triggered by my dog? One of us may have to take a different flight. Which one of us? I agree that severe allergies or asthma can be as much of a disability. Had that discussion at my SD class on day. The instructor kept going on about MY rights, but the other passenger has rights as well. There isn't a good answer.

As for ESAs, I have a friend with a child likely to end up with an ESA, if not a full SD due to anxiety. It is bad enough the child is home schooled. She can function with a cat on her lap, and has one that likes to be there and seems to sense it when she is getting anxious. If she can be a functioning, taxpaying, member of society with the assistance of an animal, why not? Better than NOT functioning and paying taxes.

Plenty: I know people who are severely allergic and/or affected by strong deodorants and perfumes. Does there have to be perfume-free flights too?

Sorry, but some people will just have to deal with some things to try to make things better for others.

And, again, I'm referring to those that are NOT abusing the system and have legitimate animals. We can't group them all together just because some cheat the system.

- John...

Here's what I think on who's rights prevail (in cases of allergic to dogs vs service dogs).

The law that applies is our Air Carrier Access Act. It covers Service Animals and ESAs and is why airlines are forced to allow them.

Again, I think it is a GOOD law -- that is being abused. If someone is blind and has a Seeing Eye Dog, then that dog should be able to be on a flight and I agree with no charging them for it. This is how we, as a country, support people with disabilities.

If a person has severe anxiety and an emotional support animals calms them enough to fly, then I agree with allowing them to fly just like the Service Animal.

The PROBLEM, as we all know, is the rampant ABUSE of that law. We simply need a better verification process for ESAs. But that is always very hard to do -- easier said than done -- because mental health is a tricky beast.

- John...

I agree that entitlement is the main problem. However, there is a difference between someone that is "a bit afraid to fly so I have a drink" and someone with debilitating anxious that is a mental disability.

In other words, I don't think those with a real mental disability related to anxiety are the problem. When we talk about abuse, we're talking about people that just SAY they have anxiety so that they can fly their pet for free.