Some Pet Owners Game the Emotional Support Animal System to Fly Pets for Free
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ABC News(NEW YORK) — Emotional support animals can help people suffering from anxiety and other emotional disorders, but some pet owners are gaming the system in order to have their everyday pets travel with them for free.
Federal regulations allow a legitimate emotional support animal, whether it be a dog, a cat, a pot-bellied pig or even a miniature horse in one case, to travel on airplanes in the cabin with the owner, outside of a carrier, and for free if the owner has proper documentation, which means a letter from a doctor or other mental health professional.
The animal must be well-behaved and there must be adequate space onboard. The airlines are allowed to ask people traveling with emotional support animals for that documentation, but they are not required to.
Genevieve from Atlanta, who asked that her last name not be used, told ABC News’ 20/20 she never had a need for an emotional support animal, or ESA. She simply wanted to fly with her dog, a lab-terrier mix named Kali, by her side in the cabin of the plane. So, about four years ago, she said she lied about having an emotional illness so that Kali could become an emotional support animal.
“I heard from a friend…that you could get your dog certified as something called an ‘emotional support animal,’ an ESA, and at the time, I thought it was a very good idea,” Genevieve said. “I had wanted to take flights with her for family functions. …At that point, I thought, ‘what’s the harm?’”
Tune in for the full story on ABC News’ 20/20 on Friday, April 3, at 10 p.m. ET.
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