Since early 2018, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has been reviewing the Airline Carrier Access Act and its implementing regulation, 14 CFR Part 382 (Part 382) after much pressure from the airlines regarding fraudulent mis-use of this legislation by owners of so-called emotional support animals. After collecting over 9,400 comments, the DOT has rejected any effort to ban a specific breed from being defined as a service or emotional support animal. Also, the duration of the flight is not grounds to support rejecting service or emotional support animals.The DOT has supported the airlines' rights to restrict animals less than 4 months old from flying as a service or emotional support animal. It will also support airline restrictions on animal species other than cats, dogs and miniature horses to fly as service or emotional support animals.Most importantly, the DOT will allow the airlines to request documentation regarding the need for and the training of emotional support animals prior to departure of the flight. Airline procedures regarding confirmation of this documentation will remain in effect.More information about airline pet policies for service and emotional support animals can be found here: https://www.pettravel.com/blog/index.php/emotional-support-service-animals-airline-policies-and-how-they-are-changing/
