Since on this forum I have never divulged the airline I fly for, I’ll tell you about an experience I had a few years ago.
Before a flight out of Miami a passenger asked to talk to me. I took her out into the jetway and listened. She told me that while she was at the ticket counter she overheard a gentleman talking to the agent about his Chihuahua. He was planning to hand carry the dog and keep dog on his lap for the flight. The agent informed the passenger that was not permitted, he would have to buy a small crate and can keep him under the seat in front of him. When the agent told him the cost, I think it was $50 or $75, the conversation quickly switched to Spanish. Fortunately, the passenger that overheard the conversation spoke Spanish.
The man with the dog said he didn’t have the money. There was no way he could afford to buy a carrier. The agent then asks if the dog is a support dog, the man had no idea what that meant. The agent asked if he had any conditions like seizures or diabetes. The man said no. She said if you had diabetes, he could be a support dog (this whole conversation is being done with a smile and a wink). The man smiles and says, yes yes I have diabetes.
The agent smiles and says, go ahead and take your support dog on board.
So what do I do with this information? Nothing, I did not feel comfortable kicking off man and dog based solely on the word of one passenger. Did I believe her, yes. The story was just too specific for it to be fabricated. But still not enough for me to act on.
From my experience, as a Captain with a major airline, either we have an abuse of support animal regulation epidemic or a mental/physical illness epidemic.
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