Southwest Airlines does not accept therapy dogs (such as those that provide comfort in a hospital or nursing home) or unusual or exotic animals (including, but not limited to: rodents, ferrets, insects, spiders, reptiles, hedgehogs, rabbits, or sugar gliders)
acting as emotional support animals.
This post, with the help of CertaPet, a site that can help educate people and certify
dogs as emotional support animals, will explain what an ESA is and provide resources you may find valuable as you consider an ESA for yourself.
Also note that Psychiatric Service Dogs, a specific type of Service Dog that assists people with psychiatric disabilities, are not the
same as Emotional Support Animals.
Indeed, a key catalyst for holding this discussion today was the recent news account — and this photo that went viral — of the turkey ostensibly
functioning as an emotional support animal on a commercial airline flight.
We found that while they require passengers to provide documentation proving their emotional support animals are not merely pets, they leave the job of determining what
qualifies as an emotional support animal to licensed medical professionals — with some exceptions.
Our lightweight, silent, highly durable 30 mil graphic quality PVC personalized ESA collar ID tags quickly identify your pet
as an emotional support animal.
Order and receive two (2) 30 mil thick PVC credit card - sized ID cards that can go in your wallet or clip to your ESA's collar, leash, or harness to help visibly identify your pet
as an emotional support animal.
Your pet may already be assisting
you as an emotional support animal without any formal designation.
If your psychiatric SDiT is providing necessary emotional support to you in addition to its other duties, then they qualify
as an emotional support animal.
By registering with Emotional Pet Registry you will receive one ID card and a certificate that can be used to clearly indicate your pet
as an Emotional Support Animal.
Many passengers looking to avoid this fee have started to classify their pets
as emotional support animals.