Confusion around service animals in training has sparked debate on Hawaii flights. It raises important questions about safety, oversight, and passenger rights. Here’s what travelers to and from Hawaii need to know.
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Confusion around service animals in training has sparked debate on Hawaii flights. It raises important questions about safety, oversight, and passenger rights. Here’s what travelers to and from Hawaii need to know.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Dogs should be made to travel in the baggage area of the aircraft as had been the case in previous years. What “Service” is a dog going to perform for a passenger on a flight since emotional service dogs are no longer allowed on flights? Go Fido, and get me a drink…. crazy.
Wow!! What “Service” is a dog going to perform for a passenger on a flight?? Apparently you have no idea what services a service dog can be trained to do! You can find a giant list of some tasks they perform at totalk9focus.com.
An emotional support dog is not covered by the regulations, but Psychiatric Service Dogs are…
And no, flight crew (and other people) cannot take the place of a service dog, which is why the laws provide for service dogs to go everywhere the handler goes.
The DOJ (ADA section) is very clear in stating simply that a “service dog” is an extension of it’s owner allowing that person to have the same access that any “normal” person would have. Therefore the provider of a service must allow the, e.g. “physically challenged” individual access to the provided service. However, when the “service animal” demonstrates disruptive behavior the service provider has the right and should deny access. Also a service dog labeled “In Training” is not a trained service animal. This kind of labeling by the dog owner is simply an attempt to abuse the system and unfortunately in this case the airline allowed it.
Totally a side note, and perhaps some wont appreciate, but a ten hour flight, plus boarding and de- boarding time, seems very cruel to subject a dog to, if it has no place to relieve itself in the plane. I doubt any of my dogs could hold their pee that long.
Itineraries of that length with a pet should require a connection, to give the dog time to eat and relive itself. LAX, SFO, PDX, and IAH are all close to midway, with a non stop on to EWR from there.
Feeling like a service dog owner would put more care into their dog’s comfort.
You are absolutely correct! 10 hours is too long for any dog. When I fly, because I am traveling from CT, I fly either to Sacramento where I have family, and stay a couple of nights, or LA where I also have family and stay a couple of nights. However, given my last experience at LAX, never again! It’s too much for a disabled traveler and the accommodations are few and far between. In the future it will be Sacramento. That said, if you must fly straight through, arrange a few hours at LAX which is very dog friendly, not just for service dogs but for pets as well. There are many pet relief stations that are clean and eady to use!
I have a pit bull service animal. He helps me with my ptsd.
Just because a animal looks vicious, doesn’t always mean he is. My pitbull runs from aggressive dogs, like chihuahuas and other small breeds. Never judge….
Many years ago we had a really nice former Marine who shopped at my retail big box. He had a Pit bull who was a legit service dog, not just an ESA. I know PTSD was at least part of the diagnosis, because we knew them well and he wasn’t embarrassed to talk about his need. Anywho…he stopped shopping with us after someone’s dog who was clearly not a service dog attacked his Pittie. A damn shame. His dog was always perfectly behaved. Im sure it didn’t help the guy’s mental health when that happened, either.
Pit bulls make excellent service dogs!! And the ADA states that any breed can be trained to provide service tasks. Therefore no breed of dog can be singled out and refused admission.
However the dog in this story was “in training” supposedly, and aggressive.
Wow!! What “Service” is a dog going to perform for a passenger on a flight?? Apparently you have no idea what services a service dog can be trained to do! You can find a giant list of some tasks they perform at totalk9focus.com.
An emotional support dog is not covered by the regulations, but Psychiatric Service Dogs are…
And no, flight crew (and other people) cannot take the place of a service dog, which is why the laws provide for service dogs to go everywhere the handler goes.
They need to Ban service animals, period.
So disabled folks should just be locked away and stuck in their homes? Been there – done that. Doing it currently because my current dog isn’t fully trained. Non-disabled folks have no clue how isolated disabled folks can already feel, let alone after being stuck at home. Not sure why I’m even taking the time to explain. Based on your heartless comment, it’s likely a lost cause with you.
This story makes me want to go absolutely ballistic, but I’m restraining myself. “Pit bull service dog in training” is a complete oxymoron, on so many levels. Don’t even try to tell me how “gentle” they really are, according to dog owners! Perhaps, yes to the specific children in the specific home that they have grown up in. Totally different story with strangers, and with children who don’t understand “personal space”, thinking that every dog on the planet is a “nice puppy”. This airline, and that “service dog” owner should be ashamed for putting animals over humans, and for not immediately producing the required official paperwork to comply with the airline’s own rules and regulations. I’m sincerely Very angry over this already,
Except for the fact that restrooms are in the rear and everyone would be forced to encounter them unless you are seated in first class.
A service animal in training, is not a service animal.
The family should have been given priority and stayed. The trainee with trainer should have disembarked.
This is the .most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. A pit bull service animal?? All service dogs should be registered and should not be allowed anywhere without showing legitimate registration papers. Once companies stop worrying about losing the business of the dishonest people then the rest of us can enjoy ourselves.
Amazing how many people are quick to want to boot the dog and the owner, without any real issues occurring. The young parents seem genuinely the ones being hyperactive about a non emergency or actual situation. They claim a dog was a specific red topic breed, claim it was in training, then claim it was aggressive and snapping. I guarantee you the animal and their owner would never have been allowed on the plane or allowed to take off if all of those were true.
Frankly I think it is interesting only this family truly felt threatened enough to do anything and only claimed others were perturbed … Yet I’m sure we’d all hear about an entire flight being delay d because of someone’s “aggressive and fake service dog”… Sounds like rage bait.
This is from working closely with new parents everyday and previously working in airports and security as well s with service animals. So please… Just say you have bias and move on.
Are you kidding me? Parents are supposed to wait to see if something really happens on a multi-hour flight across the ocean? I’ve seen far too many surgeries on children with permanent scars, that cannot just be easily fixed, even by the very best plastic surgeons. Sincerely!
I d rather sit next to a dog on a plane than a baby….
Normally i would too but not an agressively acting pitbull. Lets confirm if its true the dog was snapping it should be removed from the flight full stop if this is true. Hold these service dogs to a real standard not some bs “its a service dog cos i say so” standard. Time to go back to accountability. No one should have to feel unsafe on a plane because someone has to travel with a big dog. Not cool.
You know multiple people have been bitten by so called ‘pit bulls service animals’, right? Including On a flight. Clearly they do allow misbehaving dogs on. Pit bull type dogs are the number one source of death and severe injury among dogs by like 5 miles. If you can’t acknowledge that, that it can’t be all just coincidence or narrative, you have a screw or two loose.
Thank you for the good article. I have a service dog that has had 80 Hawaiian Air flights. (Really!) The desk clerks that check in a service dog need better training so they realize that a dog in training does not have service dog status. This is in both the ADA law and in the Air Carrier Service Act. The clerk should also observe the dog. The animal should be calm but attentive. Preferably in a “down and stay.” Because the Department of transportation now requires a form to be filled out and presented to the airline prior to the flight, if represented as a service dog on the form, that is false. It is a federal crime to give false information on the form. A pit bull is a poor choice for a service dog. The training agencies use Labs, Golden retrievers, German Shepherds, and Beagles.
About lawsuits: the Department of Justice handles all such lawsuits. I doubt the owners of the fake service dog want to go to bat with the DOJ.
This is my wife’s comment regarding her balance assistance or mobility dog. The dog was trained with short flights from Big Island to Maui and multiple trips in and out of security then home. She is a yellow Lab who wears a harness with a handle similar to a guide dog. Our travel has been exclusively inter-island but the dog is rabies certified in case we need to take her to the mainland in an emergency. Don’t get me started on the stringent and costly process to bring her back into Hawaii if this should be necessary.
I encourage BOH (not the bank) to cover the service dog matter in more detail.
Thank you guys for your informative coverage of travel to and within Hawaii. We would love to meet you on Kauai one day.
This is so woke. The dog is more important than a child. United was concerned about offending the other party. But what about offending, and causing huge inconvenience to the man and his baby? Shame on you United.
“a 9-month-old baby encountered a hyperactive pit bull close to them labeled a “service animal in training.” Not very clear if the dog was just a little excited or aggressive. Were they next to the dog or a few rows away, and the parents just don’t trust any dog? We don’t know the whole story, so it is hard to know if United did anything incorrect except that they don’t have to accommodate a service dog in training, but the service dogs do need the trips to become certified at some point in training. I think United did nothing incorrect if the dog was not aggressive and just a little excited during the boarding process. Yes, I have kids, and I have dogs that never were on a flight. However, I have two friends who have medical alert dogs – a Border Collie and a Golden Retriever and they have traveled many times by plane and have alerted in airports and on flights.
Vast difference, to say the least, between a Golden Retriever or a Border Collie, vs. a Pit Bull.
The animal was the problem. Not only for the child but for all passengers since it displayed aggressive/disruptive behavior. Service animal status is irrelevant. The animal should have been removed for the safety of all passengers.
Yes, please lets get this all worked into a controlled system. I have 2 pitties and a blue heeler. All well behaved in public. But I wouldn’t expect that I could take them wherever I want. I also have extreme anxiety but it is controlled by medication and through personal responsibility and working on it. I would love to see animals in a registry that explains privately to the company what service the animal provides. And get ready to clutch those pearls, but I am so tired of the teacup dogs being explained away as “emotional support”, how is an animal that shakes from fear and is afraid of air going to support you emotionally? I know this will piss a lot of people off but just because it’s small doesn’t mean it should be allowed either. If merely breathing oxygen looks like a substantial feat then how is that animal providing you strength and stress relief. All dogs, all breeds, all sizes should be passing the same test. And if it passes, all breeds allowed.
Service Animal On Training is not a Service Animal and should not have been allowed to board. Airline should require the animal to be documented before tickets are purchased, and be willing to lose a few customers in order to have order and the confidence of other customers and legitimate service Animal owners. The culprit and not the other passenger should have had to change their flight plans.
The airline should compensate the unoffending passenger for their inconvenience.
Unfortunately, the U.S. ADA doesn’t have a registry. I have a service dog. A Belgian Malinois. She was attacked in a store by a chihuahua (ESA). My dog didn’t fight back..she is trained to not respond. I don’t go to the store anymore. Some stupid future dog may be aggressive. And in the cart. Service dog.. 4 on the floor, or a lap if they are alert dogs.. diabetes, seizures, etc. In the cart? Somebody just doesn’t want to leave the dog at home to tear up the couch.
Should have designated area for service animals in rear of the plane
Except for the fact that restrooms are in the rear and everyone would be forced to encounter them unless you are seated in first class.
No question, the dog and its owners should have been booted from the flight. “In training”, gimme a break.
United was put in an unwinnable position. Working in hospitality, I’ve run into the same thing, an animal that is plainly not a trained service animal, but once the owner says, “It’s a service animal”, our guidance is to acknowledge and walk away. The legal liability isn’t worth the risk of even bothering to ask the two questions we are allowed to ask. Just this past weekend a guy told me his wolf (yes, a wolf) is a service animal. But push the issue with the owner and you’ll be threatened with a lawsuit in less than a minute.
I like the idea below of a national registry with a barcode on the vest and everybody else can go jump in the lake.
A wolf? C’mon, we all know that is some bs.
“Threatened with a lawsuit” is actually not a threat. The employer (airline) would be sued, not an employee personally (no “deep pockets”). All attorneys know that. And everyone should no that it does cost money to file any lawsuit, but as they say “you can sue a ham sandwich in NYC”. But “wolf as service animal” … ??!! … just proves that this whole mess is out of control.
Dog in training translates to untrained dog.
No
United should not have allowed untrained dog on the plane.
With United not removing the untrained dog, the parents should not have gotten on the flight. They had a gut feeling and they should follow it.
An aside, I was on a flight where someone brought a cat which was in a carrier. I have an extreme allergy to cats where my breathing becomes impaired. As this now seems to be a thing with people bringing their cats/pets, I will continue to travel with my inhaler.
I travel with a well trained teacup poodle service dog. Pit bulls are not an appropriate breed for a service dog! The airline is responsible for checking the animal’s documentation. And last January through February was the first time I had to fill out the DOT form. I also carry a letter from my trainer, a letter from my doctor certifying my need, a copy of my dog’s AKC canine good citizen certificate. People such as this one make it bad for those of us who really need a service animal on an airplane!
Wow…only One Dog Ever is allowed to be a service animal.. *eye rolls*
Plenty of pitbulls and pit mixes are amazing service animals. How do you know this person didn’t have all of these things? How do we know this wasn’t a required trip for final certification or just an old vest because one was broken/dirty. Who cares. How can we trust only one person’s pov when..amazingly…no one got hurt, actually threatened, and no news reports of “fake service dog attacks or scares infant on plane” except ..low and behold…here? And they even said it didn’t actually do anything except seem “aggressive”.
I know 20 people who would think your tiny dog is aggressive for just existing as well :/
I share the concern expressed by some about a “service dog in training” being allowed to board. That is not a service dog, that is a meaningless term for a dog that has not been trained or certified. It should not have been allowed on board.
That said, I am tired of people complaining about a “long” 5 hour flight. 5 hours is Not long. Sorry if that hurts some feelings, but 5 hours is a hop, skip and a jump. Try 18 hours. That is a long flight. And, yes, there are 18 hour flights. Try SFO to SIN some time, and that isn’t even the longest UA flight. The last time I looked it was their nonstop from LAX to SIN – 19 hours. And, yes, I have ridden the SFO to SIN flight more than once.
You may be addressing a different and irrelevant point. Five minutes near a pit bull showing agressive behavior towards your child is a long time.
What did I say that you are taking exception to?
Our grandson has a legitimate service dog to help him with epileptic seizures. It is a full size poodle. He recently flew cross country with the dog under the seat in front of him. Since he is 6 ft tall, there wasn’t much leg room for him. The dog behaved completely well during the trip and did not cause disruption to any other passenger.
I know people who purchase service jackets for totally untrained animals that are for companionship, not service. I think the airline should have asked the people with the unruly dog to take another flight. Service animals are not unruly and “fake” animal behavior is a disservice to those who validly need help, as well as for other passengers. Valid documentation of the animals training and the passenger’s need should be required.
All animals that are True service animals must be vet-verified and One independent verification company be allowed to issue a single certified vest And legal documentation And have a barcode on the vest and letter. No other vest or documentation without the barcode should be allowed!
There is something fundamentally wrong with this story. Service animals have an absolute right to accompany those in need. However, “…in training” is not an accepted designation. Certified service animals must have completed formal training and be fully approved for a specific task.
“…In training” is not an approved service animal. United clearly dropped the ball on this one. This story makes a complete mockery of the service dog role.
‘Service animals’ should only be for the visually impaired and the owner should have to present a State issued document attesting to the need. It’s like more and more ‘needing’ a wheel chair to get early boarding. A pit bull???? I don’t think so.
Did you read the comment
Made by the mother of an epileptic son? Service animals are used for a variety of disabilities. They may not be needed at an airport or on the plane, but are likely crucial at the passenger’s destination.
Most service dogs are not for blindness but to detect potential seizures, HR concerns that can lead to loss of consciousness and a fall such as with POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic condition that causes an abnormally rapid heart rate when standing up or sitting up). The owner can often take action quickly to avert a much bigger medical issue since these dogs are very good at detecting early onset of such problems.
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There are dozens of tasks a service dog can be trained to perform. Sure, visual impairment is one of the disabilities that can benefit from a service dog. But there are service dogs trained to help people who have hearing impairments. And Service Dogs trained to alert people of health issues such as impending seizures, heart rate and blood pressure changes, and high blood sugar as well as other things. Service Dogs can help with mobility issues, and service dogs trained to retrieve items. For a giant list of tasks, try going to totalk9focus.
Seems to me that the baby’s party should have been better accommodated. I am a dog proponent and four square against Pitbull blanket discrimination, but if the animal is acting aggressively, then it doesn’t belong on a crowded airplane, regardless of status or breed or the fact a baby is involved. I think the airline messed up and could/should have relegated the dog to a safe and secure holding area on the plane. They created the issue by allowing an “in training” animal on board in the first place.
I was on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu. Shortly after takeoff, I started having a problem breathing. I had taken three allergy pills and quickly took three more. As I strained for breath, I realized my asthma inhaler was in my checked bag. As I prayed and begged God to keep me alive, I could hear other passengers suffering too. I ended up taking all 15 allergy pills. As I waited to disembark, I saw a man about 30, 6’4, with a big white dog in tow, wearing a sign ‘Service Dog’. I am 70 and am perplexed why a man built like a football player would put fellow passengers in fear of dying, and why Hawaiian Airlines would allow it.
Totally Agree. Sounds like you need an attorney. IF this had happened to me, I would seriously be pursuing legal action. What’s helpful: “next time” is quick action: take as many photos as possible documenting your flight details, and any such apparently fake “service” animals that triggered your severe allergic reaction. This is no joke. People can actually die from an allergic reaction. Once again, the airlines are putting animals as more important than humans, and some fellow travelers totally do not care whatsoever that they are putting other humans at risk.
Thank you for your post. I Am Highly allergic to pet hair, mostly dogs, but cats, oh, it is a terrible allergy. I just think people Do Not need to take any pets on flights. I returned from Maui last year, and some gal had a Cat below her seat that she brought home from Maui. This practice should be banned. My Gosh, get medicine before you fly if you have issues for said number of hours. We never used to have this pet craze and we all survived! I realize many are saved by Dogs. But on flights, there is other choices, so Airlines need to make new rules, Ban All Pets Please.
I have a serious problem with service animals. I have family that has a “service dog” that has no need as a service animal. The dog is a Doberman and is nothing but a big lap dog. He is not aggressive at all and is well liked in his community. But – he has no business being certified as a service dog, primarily so he can fly in the cabin with his family. I feel this type of situation is all too often.
I have great respect for those that truly need a service animal. The difficulty is knowing the difference.
I have an aunt who does the same thing. I am embarrassed and frustrated to no end. I am a huge dog lover. I have 5 of my own. But loving my dogs and taking pleasure in them accompanying me absolutely does not make it ok to call them a service dog and abuse a system meant to provide actual service to those with true need of it. It only makes it harder for those with legitimate service dogs to be treated well.
If the 9-month old was seated on the parent’s lap or in a car seat and a few seats or aisles away, it should be safe from a puppy. The dog shouldn’t be allowed to move from the feet of the traveler it is accompanying. I wonder if the parents of the 9-month old planned to allow their child to roam the aisles (as some do), which then could pose a problem. That is the only reason I can think of that a dog at owner’s feet could be a problem if you’ve already moved from an adjacent seat. Maybe a little drama or entitlement? And I also believe the airlines should require legit proof of Service Animal, not just a vest.
Although my oldest began walking the day he turned 9 months, most children don’t, and even then my son couldn’t “roam,” even if I allowed it. Dogs, on the other hand can move very quickly and this breed is extremely strong. An attack could occur in a flash. The dog should have been—and kept— in a carrier. Other passengers are not responsible to be part of its “training,”
Really you crazy A s people leave your dogs at home, they will probably enjoy being away from you , we have so much other stuff going on in the world, stop the damm dog flights , period…….
The airline should have not allowed an aggressive dog “in training “ onto such a long flight. Definitely need a better system so Real service dogs don’t have problems.
I wish businesses or states would put an end to all these ESA pet special accommodations and fake service animals that all these scammers and scumbags try to pass off as legit service animals for the truly disabled.
Has the world gone mad? Or are some of the people that fly And the airlines lacking something? It seems totally insane to allow any large, non-fully trained and certified animal (let alone a pitbull or any animal that could create a Potentially unsafe situation) onto a plane where an incident could have a horrendous outcome if something went awry??
Something doesnt smell right here… there has to be more to the story.. either way, the passenger with the child should take precedent over this type of service dog request on any flight let alone one of a long flight duration?
Hawaii flights are already stressful with the longer travel times. Adding poorly behaved animals into the mix only makes it worse. I have a feeling that new regulations are forthcoming.
I agree with Becky M. Strict regulations need to be created and enforced for Service Animals. The truly trained ones I’ve encountered are very well-mannered. It doesn’t sou nd like the pit puppy was really a service animal in training but more someone’s emotional animal or even just a pet and it was an excuse to get it onboard. Hopefully, it was a home-bound trip for them because they might not be so lucky if they’re returning on another flight.
Has United Airlines had any response or comment on the incident? This seems pretty straightforward being the dog was “in training“ and not an actual service dog, especially if it was showing aggressive behavior.
I didn’t realize service animals in training could even be on flights. That seems like a loophole that needs to be addressed. People are always trying to get around rules and this is just another example.
It’s hard to blame the family for being concerned about their baby’s safety. Airlines should have handled this better, but it’s complicated.
As someone with pet allergies, untrained animals on flights are a real concern for me personally. It’s not just about safety but also health.
I’m not sure what the difference in an untrained animal and a trained animal would be in the case of pet allergies.
The difference is people with allergies must “deal” with legally ESA certified service animals. Uncertified/untrained animals are just pets being disguised to travel with their owners in public places.
Airlines need to enforce stricter and consistent guidelines for service animals. This reminds me of the wheelchair situation on airlines too and how that has been abused. This kind of situation creates unnecessary tension for everyone involved.
I’m not surprised to see more incidents like this actually. It’s frustrating when service animal rules are unclear, especially on long-haul Hawaii flights. Thanks for bringing this up.