Nope. I stand correct.
All service animals must be dogs ... no pigs, etc.
Originally posted as slight sarcasm but now that you mention it...
No where does it say "
i.e. must be DOGS, etc." nor "
All service animals must be dogs ... no pigs, etc." that is your opinion.
What it does say is
"While an emotional support
animal calms its owner by its presence with no training, a psychiatric service
animal is trained to provide psychiatric support to its owner."
"How will people prove that they need a psychiatric service
animal? They don’t need to:"
"Psychiatric service
animal users will no longer be required to provide a letter from a licensed mental health professional detailing the passenger’s need for the
animal, nor will they be required to check in one hour before the check-in time for other passengers."
"To recap, psychiatric service
animals can be trained by their owners, and there’s no documentation required that details a passenger’s need for this.
Now, airlines can require travelers to fill out the DOT service
animal form. This makes you agree to certain conditions, with the following warning:"
"The Department would monitor the experience of airlines in accommodating the use of psychiatric service
animals, particularly given the concern that unscrupulous passengers may attempt to pass off their
pets as psychiatric service
animals. We indicated that we would “consider revisiting whether it is reasonable and appropriate to allow additional requirements for the use of such
animals if there is a demonstrated need — for example, if there is a notable increase in instances of passengers falsely representing pets as mental-health-related service
animals."
(Also) From the "Loophole" article:
"For all practical purposes, it sounds like people could use psychiatric service
animals in the same way that some people previously used emotional support
animals."
That's why their calling it a "loophole".
