Wanted to go all rant on this bs but de_captain already did. I also don't think this should be equated to actual service animals, there is a huge difference between this and a seeing eye dog thing for example. Feral, wrt allergies, there are all kinds of different sensitivities. Some can only have issues after petting the dog and licking their hand or they can swell up when they enter a room that had a dog in it in the past days.

This is one of those "only in America" type things.

It's patently ridiculous to think that anybody needs an ESA. I'm positive that they would help some people - maybe even a large number of people - but that could be said of a lot of things. Maybe somebody is attached to their gun and would feel more comfortable if they could carry one when they fly.

At the same time, in most situations, it's not going to make too much of a difference. And the most egregious would only find some other way of annoying the **** out of everyone if they didn't have their pot-bellied pig with them. So even though it's extremely dumb and completely insane, it's not really something I can get too worked up about. We all have our own unique list of "dumb **** that happens in society" and this is on mine. No big deal.

It's only when I compare with discrimination against gays that I get a twinge of anger. It strikes me that a society that can so easily accept that somebody could need to have their miniature horse with them on a plane should be a LOT further on when it comes to gay rights. Because gay people definitely do not have a choice and their being gay and all that it may entail (e.g. participating in a same sex marriage) has absolutely no negative impact on society. Unless you're the type of despicable person that makes it their business to seek to oppress others.

I've been mildly trolling / playing devil's advocate (after having a few beers) previously ITT.

I think generally I'm on board with thechef above.

I think there's very few people that actually need their ESAs. Most people abuse the system to avoid the inconvenience and cost of having to put their pet in the cargo hold. The question here is though, how upsetting is this to the rest of us? For me personally, seeing some cute animal on board wouldn't be upsetting at all. If I had anxieties about animals or allergies of course that would be different, but so far I haven't heard about any people who have actually had any negative experience with that. It's hypothetical and as real examples emerge we'll see how the airlines decide to deal with it. The only bad examples we've seen are some animals misbehaving. That's clearly unacceptable and those owners should be banned from flying with their ESAs in the future.

I just see a lot of people ITT foaming at the mouth because people found a loophole and are abusing it. I guess I'm fairly lenient on these kinds of things and just find it amusing. If someone takes a miniature horse on my flight, I'm going to laugh at the absurdity rather than be upset.

I don't think this is accepted easily by society, just some subsets. Look at the reactions here, everyone pretty much hates them.

FC,

So I guess you missed the stories cited in this thread where ESAs panicked on the flights, started making noises worse than a crying baby, and starting pissing and ****ting in the cabin to the point where other passengers got sick? If it was just about seeing a cute little dog on someone's lap while you boarded, and that was it, I'd be OK. But it doesn't seem to be working out like that.

EDIT: I responded before I saw this, "The only bad examples we've seen are some animals misbehaving. That's clearly unacceptable and those owners should be banned from flying with their ESAs in the future."

I guess those are the only bad examples. The bad things that happen from allowing this stuff.

I perhaps didn't put it as well as I could. I think my point would have come across better had I compared the disability discrimination laws which enable ESAs with laws disallowing discrimination against homosexuality, which lag far behind and face ardent opposition whenever there is an attempt to make them more equitable (not even equal, because that would never happen so no point even trying).

I get that reasonable people disapprove but my point is that despite this, it seems to be tolerated. Whereas in contrast...

Yeah you're right in that regard imo. I'd say its mostly because there is no religion that feels negatively about ESAs tbh.

^^^ In Indiana there probably will be, real soon now.

Yakmelk, I completely agree.

Correct. Get rid of religion and you'll get better gay rights pretty much immediately.

Two gay men sitting next to you is no different than two straight men sitting next to you, but a pig or dog sitting there looking all tasty while you're eating your airplane food is too much.

More than half the "article" consists of some guy who sells those pigs spouting his opinion. Spoiler alert: He is strongly in favor.

Yeah, that pig salesman(lol) seems like an even worse person than the woman.

How is that even possibly that expensive? I thought they go as cargo.

Professionalpoker posted this in W0X0F's AMA thread:


Is it really so strange that people will do whatever they can to keep their beloved pet out of the cargo hold?

i was waiting for them to toss a dog out

i don't get it

seems like they were working pretty efficiently

luggage is built to be tossed around a bit and i'd rather get mine as quickly as possible

[QUOTE=de captain;46655148]

A very cursory google search says there are maybe 10k seeing eye dogs working in the US, but in the last year alone one organization registered over 11k support animals. It's amazing that people managed to live for thousands of years without this bull****.

[QUOTE]

There is no real registration organization! That is all BS. The least our government can do is shut those down.

It sucks that when you google ESA, the first four results are registries with official sounding names.

What you need, legally, is a prescription from your doctor. Which is just a small letter signed with physician office # and NPI/DEA info.

You don't need a vest. You don't need a kit. You don't need to have any training yourself nor does the animal.

It is valid for one year only.

My guess is that 80% of people with ESAs don't have a doctor's note. And the penalty for doing that is nothing. It should be comparable using a fake handicap placard, but people don't seem to really care.

Don't put your pet into your luggage.

He's got the large Asahi. True partier.

Of course. Part of his sales technique is making people aware that they may be able to take their pig anywhere.

I wonder if this 29-year old model/actress takes her ESA pig to auditions.

The problem too, even if an ESA is legally prescribed, it doesn't say you need to use it 24/7. You can pick and choose. Take it to the restaurant when you feel like it. There is no law that says because you have an ESA that you are therefore required to use it or it the script isn't valid.

He's the most interesting monkey in the world.

It was an 18 hour flight from Asia to Europe, the reputable airlines that would even come into question all charge outrageous money to send pets as cargo if they are "unaccompanied", i.e. no one responsible for them is booked on the same flight.

If I'd have been on the same flight, the price would have been about $400 iirc but wasn't possible for me. On top of the cargo fees I also had to pay off police and had her smuggled off the island we were living on via boat and bus in a 3 day journey. I paid about $25 for her as a puppy lol so worth it.

Lil Sebastian

http://youtu.be/VmhohRXn_LY

this, video looks fine to me aswell, what we missing

What do you mean "whatever they can"? I love my dog, I don't want her to go in the cargo hold, guess what I do? I DON'T ****ING TAKE MY DOG ON PLANES! I modify my behavior, instead of expecting dozens of other people to modify theirs to suit me. Revolutionary.