Delta Airlines says it will soon require additional documentation for passengers flying with service animals.

  • Delta Airlines to change service animal policies starting March 1
  • Passengers will have to get forms filled out by a doctor
  • Passengers would also have to sign a promissory note
  • JUMP TO: Service animals FAQ  ▼

Federal law requires airlines to allow people with trained service and support animals to fly free of charge, although airlines do charge a fee to allow regular pets on board.

Delta says it is seeing a growing number of people posing their pets as service animals when they are really not.

“Delta has seen an 84 percent increase in reported animal incidents since 2016, including urination/defecation, biting, and even a widely reported attack by a 70-pound dog,” Delta said in a statement.

The airline says they have seen passengers try to fly with comfort turkeys, sugar gliders and snakes.

“Ignoring the true intent of existing rules governing the transport of service and support animals can be a disservice to customers who have real and documented needs,” Delta said in a statement.

Starting March 1, Delta Airlines will require additional documentation for service animals. This includes signed forms from a doctor verifying a service animal is authentic, and a requirement that passengers sign a promissory note stating their animal will behave.

Richard Darrington, who uses a service animal because of his visual impairment, says true service animals go through years of training, and rarely show signs of aggression or distracted behavior.

It is illegal in Florida to pretend your pet is a service animal, although Darrington cautions that is hard to prove. It is a self-contained industry, with little oversight, broad laws and no national registry.

A quick Internet search will also show just how easy it is to obtain a service animal vest or certificate, without showing proof.

Darrington says those who try to pass off their pets as a service animal, when it is not, does more harm to others.

“That’s just putting undue pressure on the system,” Darrington said. “If you travel into a hospital, or a restaurant, anything where you’re enjoying your quality of life, we’re forever screened and questioned and delayed, maybe denied access.”

Other airlines may soon follow suite. Representatives for American, United, SouthWest, JetBlue, and Spirit say they are reviewing their policies.

Service animals FAQ

What makes an animal a service animal?

The Americans With Disabilities Act defines a service animal as the following:

Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.

Examples include guide dogs for the blind, dogs who pull wheelchairs, dogs who alert and protect a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person to take medications or calming a person who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder during an anxiety attack.

A service animal is not a pet. If you see someone with a service animal in store, you shouldn't ask to pet the dog because it is most likely working.

In Florida, a service animal can be a dog or a miniature horse, according to the law.

What's the difference between a service animal, an emotional support animal or comfort animal, and a therapy animal?

Service animals go where their owners go. Because they perform specific tasks directly related to the person's needs, they are always needed anywhere.

An emotional support or comfort animal is not a service dog because they provide therapeutic benefit to an individual through the pet's companionship, but not specific tasks.

Any animal can be an emotional support animal if a doctor is willing to sign off on it. But the animal is not specifically trained to perform tasks. Because of that, an ESA does not get the kind of public access a service animal has. However, if the person has an emotional support animal that is approved by a medical professional, they can live in a housing unit that has a "no pets" rule, according to the federal Fair Housing Act. Airlines are also more willing to let an emotional support animal travel in the cabin of an airplane, under certain limitations. Check with the individual airlines.

A therapy dog, however, is neither. Therapy dogs are used in a wide variety of roles. They are best known for visiting people at facilities like hospitals, nursing homes and schools. They can provide comfort and stress relief for patients. They can also help in nursing homes or rehabilitation centers as a tool in therapy and treatment. But they do not have the public access a service dog has.

Where are service dogs allowed?

Essentially every where. Even at places like restaurants and supermarkets where dogs are not usually allowed, or other places where state or local health codes would prohibit animals. However, there are rules:

They must be properly harnesses, leashed or tethered unless the devices interfere with a service animal's work, or the individual's disability prevents them from using them. Then the individual has to maintain control of the animal through voice, signal or other controls.

Also, the animal must be well-trained. A person who uses a service dog has to make sure that dog goes through multiple levels of training, from basic obedience to the Public Access Test. While they do not have to show a license or any evidence to training to a business, if they are dragged into court they will have to show documentation that the dog can pass the Public Access Test.

Is it true businesses are not allowed to question people with service dogs?

Businesses are not allowed to ask for proof of certification or medical documentation regarding a service dog. They are not allowed to ask specifically about the person's disability or if the dog is a service dog. They are, however, allowed to ask TWO questions, per the ADA:

  1. Is the animal required because of a disability?
  2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

The business also cannot charge a person with a service animal extra fees or isolate them from other patrons.

If the animal is out of control and the owner doesn't take action to control it, or the animal poses a direct threat to other patrons, the business can be asked to remove the dog from the premises. The disabled person can then come on the property without the dog.

And allergies and fear of animals are not valid reasons for denying access to a service dog, per the ADA.

A FAQ for businesses from the ADA can be found here.

Is it true you can just register your dog online as a service dog?

No. There are many websites that claim you can register your dog, by a vest or a patch and your dog is a service dog. Unless that dog is properly trained, that dog is not a service dog. A service dog shouldn't bark unless it is to alert the patient to something they need. They should be house broken. They should follow all handler commands. They shouldn't scratch or bite. They should almost be invisible, only active and visible when they need to be to work for their handler. Even if the dog was trained by the handler, and not by an organization, their training must be absolutely stellar and obvious.

Is there actually a problem with fake service dogs?

Finding statistics on documented fake service dogs are not easy. Faking a service dog is a federal crime, and now also a misdemeanor punishable with up to 60 days of jail time in Florida. Fake service dogs become a problem for people with real service dogs because these people face added discimination from businesses and individuals who have had bad experience. It can affect their access.

Some organizations, like Canine Companions for Independence, are looking for ways to work with The U.S. Justice Dept., and this may lead to a standard for service dogs. They've collected thousands of signatures on a petition to get the Justice Dept. to look into this. CCI said they are increasingly hearing complaints from their clients that they have been denied access to public places because business owners have had bad experiences with fake service dogs.