To Joe, posted 5/29/09:
NOTHING is worse than 2nd - hand smoke. 2nd-hand smoke KILLS PEOPLE. Pet odors can be unpleasant, for sure, but THEY DO NOT CAUSE CANCER, COPD, EMPHESYMA, or other serious, fatal diseases for which there is no cure, like tobacco smoke does. And pet odors are not radioactive, either - unlike tobacco products. (Cigarettes do contain a small amount of radioactivity - this is what causes the lung cancer after many years of smoking or being around 2nd-hand smoke, folks.)
And to the poster who thinks that every animal that ever gets on a plane will have an accident, even on short flights - that simply IS NOT TRUE. Housebroken pets often go more than 8 hours every day without relieving themselves in the house. They wait until their owners get home & take them out. Animals typically do not like to relieve themselves in small spaces. My flight will be 2 1/2 hours, and I am very confident that my little service dog will not have an accident. She will also be clean - not smelly as many posters (haters) are alleging. How about babies on flights with smelly diapers? You know, the bathrooms on flights typically don't smell that good either - why don't you guys complain about that?
True, no one asks to have allergies - but I never asked for my disability, either. No one does - so please remember that, those of you who would hassle people with service dogs. There are MANY kinds of disabilities besides the ones you can see, and a service dog does not have to be a large breed to help its owner. Small dogs like mine are legitimate service animals. And medical and psychological disabilities are legitimate too, and if an animal helps these people, then let them fly.
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First of all, to all you anonymous ANIMAL-HATERS: There is no reason for ANY pet today to have fleas & ticks. Ever heard of pet medications like ADVANTAGE, FRONTLINE, ADVANTIX, etc.??? Ever seen the commercials on TV??? There are many, many medications available so no pet has to suffer these harmful pests - and no human has to suffer them either! SO LIGHTEN UP!!! Yes, they are for cats too.
Most allergic reactions do not rise to the level of one needing an epi-pen or immediate medical attention. They do include red, itchy eyes, watery eyes, coughing, sneezing & the like - no fun, for sure, but they can be treated with OTC medications like Benadryl. So again, LIGHTEN UP!!
I have a small service dog and will be traveling on Southwest Airlines next month. She has never bitten anybody and never will. She is well-socialized, well-trained and well-behaved. She is so quiet most people around us don't even notice her, UNLIKE SMALL CHILDREN ON FLIGHTS. She will never kick anyone's seat; she will never scream & cry for the entire duration of a flight; she will never run loose all over the plane. SO LIGHTEN UP!!
I would never put her on a tray table, or on an empty seat. She may sit in my lap, but mostly she will lay quietly at my feet. I will make sure she's clean & well-groomed. She does have long hair, but she doesn't shed much because I keep her well-groomed. A healthy, well-groomed animal DOES NOT SHED EXCESSIVELY. AND YOU WILL NOT GET DIRTY OR CATCH ANY DISEASES BECAUSE THERE WAS A DOG OR CAT ON YOUR FLIGHT. SO LIGHTEN UP!!
If my service dog throws up due to motion-sickness, I will clean it up myself & then go wash my hands. NO BIG DEAL - SO LIGHTEN UP!!! IT IS NOT A BIOHAZARD!! THAT IS RIDICULOUS!!! People can get motion-sickness and throw up too - that's why airlines generally stock those little sick bags. You know, in the seat pockets with the magazines. SO LIGHTEN UP!!!
Yes, the air is recirculated, but it is also filtered from what I understand, and I've read that most planes have extremely good air filters - the best around. SO LIGHTEN UP!!
Look, it comes down to this: passengers just need to respect each others' rights. Period. I need to have my dog with me, and she won't hurt you or make you sick. If you have dog allergies, sit at the opposite end of the plane. That will be enough, I promise. My dog will be in my control at all times and will not be running rampant down the aisle, I assure you. And if you do not like animals, DO NOT SIT NEXT TO US. I won't be offended in the least.
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