Southwest Airlines to allow miniature horses as service animals in new policy

ChuangTzu · 08-17-2018, 06:27 PM

http://www.fox5ny.com/news/southwest...-in-new-policy

frankbell · 08-17-2018, 07:37 PM

I did not know that miniature horses were legitimate service animals, but they apparently are among the top three. https://abc7chicago.com/travel/south...ngers/3962767/

I got no problems with legit service animals. I know someone who legitimately needs one because of mobility issues. She had to go away to a training course for several weeks to meet the dog and learn how to deal with him.

What gripes me are people who go out and buy a service animal vest so dear little Fifi or brutal big Butch doesn't have to fly in the baggage deck.

jefro · 08-17-2018, 07:40 PM

Horse manure I say!!!!

frankbell · 08-17-2018, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Horse manure I say!!!!

I suspect your words will prove prophetic.

ChuangTzu · 08-17-2018, 07:53 PM

I always wondered, how do they handle people with allergies to animal dander etc...?

frankbell · 08-17-2018, 08:20 PM

A search for "animal allergies service animals airlines" will turn up many articles.

Here's one: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/t...d-to-know.html

Reseating seems to be the most common option. In the confined space of a plane cabin, though, that would offer little relief to persons with severe allergies.

This really is a "no win" situation for the airlines.

DavidMcCann · 08-18-2018, 11:52 AM

I'm relieved to see that the only animals British Airways allows are trained service dogs. Service horses? How do they serve? Wikipedia tells me that they are used by the blind instead of dogs in some rural parts of the USA: trust the yanks to have to do something differently!

fido_dogstoyevsky · 08-18-2018, 08:01 PM

They're not saying who provides the plastic sheet for the floor...

ondoho · 08-19-2018, 03:01 AM

if a miniature horse can be the same size as a dog, and a dog can go on a plane, why can't a miniature horse then?
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/33/76/44/3...e10bff4870.jpg
there's nothing newsworthy here, let alone funny.

DavidMcCann · 08-19-2018, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fido_dogstoyevsky

They're not saying who provides the plastic sheet for the floor...

Apparantly you can house-train them, but normally people would train them to go outside, not to use a litter tray — and they need to relieve themselves every 3 or 4 hours and whenever they feel nervous. As I said, a silly idea: do something that only works if you live on a farm, and then expect everyone to adapt to you wherever you go.