emotional support animals

[Ally Harney]

Aloha

We live half the year on Maui.  SO twice a year, I am on a plane. With all the terrorism, I am not sure I can do this.  I am sure if I had my doodle with me I would be okay. It is not to save money. Alaska only charges $100 which is so worth it.

anyone have any experience with this?

Thank you

Ally

[Kaitee and Orwell]

It's really none of my business... but, do you need an emotional support animal for just this issue? Or do you have other issues you need emotional support in?

Welcome to DK, by the way. :)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

If you spend half a year in Maui, does she go with you now?  Service dogs and emotional support dogs are two different things...does the airline you fly allow emotional support dogs?

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

To my knowledge unless a dog is a service dog-meaning it is able to preform a specific task (comforting is not a task, for example a task would be if you started to have a panic attack and the dog was trained to grab a medication you needed or apply deep pressure or act as a barrier to what is causing the stress) they do not have privileges to airlines beyond what a pet would have. For an animal to even be considered an emotional support animal I believe you would need to have a letter from the therapist actively treating you stating that they have evaluated you and the animal and this animal is more than a pet and this letter is only valid for a certain amount of time. This is just my understanding I had been reading up on the different types of service/support dogs a while back. I know the airlines are extremely up tight about this because there are so many people that do it for the free flight or their dog is just a pet and they want it with them. I have a friend with an "invisible disability", she has seizures and has a service dog but because she looks/acts not disabled she always has such a hard time- which is a shame. I know she calls the airlines before she flies so that they have a "reminder" and I believe she always flies with a letter from her doctor and a letter from whichever organization she got her dog from. Hope some of this helps!

[Ginny Nightingale]

A friend said that he flew recently and there were 11 dogs on the plane with the passengers--people are taking advantage of the loose rules and I am sure they will tighten them up because of it--as far as i know, you need to fill out forms and your therapist has to affirm the condition and the need for the animal as Jessica said.

[Ally Harney]

Yes he will be going to maui.
Thank you for your input.
I have figured it out.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Has  he gone to Maui before this date?  We have a  member here that moved from California to Hawaii and had a 6 month waiting period.  So, do plan  way in advance.  Hawaii has strict laws about bringing over dogs from the mainland

here is more information

http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/