Flying With Service Dogs: The Details

Despite the difficulty, several airlines allow pets onboard. Whether you're traveling with a little pet or a larger one in the cargo hold, your carrier may aid.  

However, do service dog rules change? The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has explicit working dog rules for airlines.  

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) defines a service animal as a canine trained to help a person with a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.  

A dog may sense a diabetic human's blood pressure is high, remind a depressed person to take their medication, or help an epileptic stay safe during a seizure.  

Like Save And Share

Many have benefited from Emotional Support Animals. ESAs, even if dogs, may not be Psychiatric Service Dogs for regulatory purposes.   

Service animals are dogs that can sense an anxiety episode coming on and take action to prevent or reduce its impact.  

Dogs are the only service animals allowed to fly, according to the DOT. There are no breed or size limits, and airlines can allow other animals, but service dogs must be transported with their owners.  

Check For More stories