You may have heard that in 2021 airlines have stopped accepting emotional support animals on flights. Due to regulatory changes from the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines no longer accommodate ESAs, even if you have a current ESA letter.
The DOT’s new rules, however, mandates that airlines accept psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) on flights. PSDs can fly in the cabin with their owners free of charge and are exempt from size and weight restrictions. If you are an ESA owner, it may be possible to train your dog to become a psychiatric service dog. Not all ESA owners have a need for a PSD, not all dogs are qualified to become PSDs, and the training process can be a challenge.
If you would like to fly with a psychiatric service dog, you are required to submit a special form from the Department of Transportation to the airline prior to departure. Owners must certify on this DOT form that their dog is a psychiatric service dog that is fully trained to perform tasks relating to their mental or emotional health disability.
If you are interested in owning a psychiatric service dog or training a dog to become one, a licensed healthcare professional can first help assess whether you meet the criteria for having a disability under the ADA and Air Carrier Access Act.
ESA Doctors works with licensed professionals that can evaluate you for a PSD letter. These professionals offer their services online, and you can see if you qualify without leaving your home.
Good News! All airlines still accept Psychiatric Service Dogs on all flights.
If you are interested in a Psychiatric Service Dog Letter, we would be happy to connect you with a licensed healthcare provider so they may assist you.
Get your Psychiatric Service Dog Letter Today
Question #1 – Should I register my psychiatric service dog?
You do not need to register a psychiatric service dog. There is also no service animal specific license issued to psychiatric service dogs. In order to qualify for a psychiatric service dog, you must fulfill the following two requirements:
- You have a qualifying mental health disability (which a licensed healthcare professional can help evaluate).
- Your dog must be fully trained to work and perform a task relating to your disability.
Question #2 – What is a PSD letter?
A PSD letter is a signed letter from a licensed healthcare professional that has evaluated your mental and emotional health. A PSD letter can come from someone like a psychologist, social worker, psychiatrist, doctor, nurse, counselor, therapist or other licensed professional. A PSD letter helps to establish whether you meet the criteria for having a mental health disability under the ADA and Air Carrier Access Act.
The following conditions can qualify for a PSD letter if they substantially limit one or more of your major life activities (such as your work, school, sleep or social life):
- Severe Anxiety
- Chronic Depression
- PTSD
- Bi-Polar Disorder
- Phobias
- ADHD
- Autism
- Panic Disorders
See if you would qualify for a Psychiatric Service Dog. Order your PSD Letter today.
Question #3 – Can my psychiatric service dog be a large dog?
Yes! There are no weight or breed restrictions for psychiatric service dogs. PSDs are often larger dogs such as Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and German Shepherds. Airlines must make reasonable accommodations for you and your psychiatric service dog.
Note that there are some limitations: your PSD must fit in your foot space and cannot block the aisles. Psychiatric service dogs are also not allowed to sit in the exit rows. PSDs are also expected to be model citizens — they cannot disturb other passengers or airplane crew members.
Question #4 – What training is required for a psychiatric service dog?
Psychiatric service dogs are differentiated from emotional support animals in that they are individually trained to perform tasks relating to the owner’s disability. ESAs do not require any special training — they perform their duties just by being around their owners.
Before boarding a flight, the PSD must have fully completed its job-related training. In addition, PSDs must be trained so that they are capable of handling public environments. A misbehaving PSD can be kicked out of the airport or off a flight. Examples of unacceptable behaviors for a psychiatric service dog include lunging at others, growling, excessive barking, and being out of control or destructive.
Question #5 – How do I prepare my psychiatric service dog for their first flight?
Flying with your psychiatric service dog can be a liberating experience. Many PSDs are the reason that their owners are able to fly and travel comfortably in the first place. However, the first time flying with your psychiatric service dog can be stressful, especially if they are larger in size. Below are a few tips you may find helpful:
- The first flight should be a short flight — 1-2 hours max. This will give you a good sense of how your PSD may respond to flying and help acclimate them to the experience.
- Do not provide excessive food or drink to your dog 2-3 hours before the flight. Give them at least 30 minutes outside before heading to the airport.
- 1-2 hours of intense exercise for your PSD on the day of the flight can help make your dog less anxious during the flight.
- Bring treats to the airport and use the entire experience as a training drill. Dogs naturally enjoy having a job, so this can be a fun experience for them.
- Consult your veterinarian about feeding your psychiatric service dog Benadryl or Dramamine for motion sickness and anxiety.
- A PSD must be under the handler’s control at all times, so don’t forget to bring a leash, harness, or tether because the airline staff can insist on it.
Question #6 – How do I tell the airline I have a psychiatric service dog?
Each airline has their own process for flying with a psychiatric service dog, but generally, you will indicate that you are traveling with a service animal when you book your flight. You must submit the DOT Form before departure (some airlines accept the form electronically through their website). For a guide to flying with a PSD on some popular airlines, click on the links below:
Question #7 – Does my psychiatric service dog need to wear a vest?
Under the latest DOT regulations, psychiatric service dogs are not required to wear vests, tags, or other accessories that indicate they are service dogs. You probably have seen service dogs with these items — they are popular with service dog owners who want to signal that their dog is on duty. Under the DOT’s rules, airlines can look at these items as one indicator that a dog is a service dog, but they are not necessary. The most important piece of verification for the airline is the DOT Form which you will submit to the airline in advance.
Need a PSD letter from a licensed therapist?
See if you qualify by clicking the link below.
What happens now after the new ruling on ESA. How will I be able to fly without my emotional support dog
You can read more about the new ESA rules here: https://esadoctors.com/new-dot-rules-for-emotional-support-animals/
Can you travel in business class with an ESA?
Yes, ESAs are allowed in any class in the airplane.
Can I bring both of my ESA dogs on a flight? One is 16 lbs and the other is 7lbs.
Airlines will generally limit you to just one ESA.
Some airlines (Delta) will NOT allow “pitbull type dogs”, contrary to what this article states. And all of the airlines I’ve checked this week state the dog cannot sit on the airplane seat. The dog must fit either on your lap (it cannot be larger than a 2 year old child, they say), or on the floor in front of you. You can buy a seat for your dog, but I would not expect the airlines to allow it on the seat. If someone with the airlines tells you they can sit on the seat, I would get it in writing, including their name.
I urge people to check with individual airlines about all rules. Most have their own forms you have to fill out. I was once held up by American Airlines at Dallas Fort Worth for 13 hours with my 2 dogs (only 1 was an ESA) because they said I didn’t have the correct documentation, even though I DID, and American had approved it weeks before. We’d driven over 12 hours to that airport, and couldn’t fly until the next day. That was back when just a letter was required. It was a horrendous experience, and even though it’s more common now to fly with an ESA, I would urge travelers to be cautious and make certain you have the correct documentation, or the airlines can deny you your flight.
Sorry to hear about your troubles. You are correct that airlines are continuing to impose their own rules and restrictions. We always recommend that passengers check well ahead of their departure to see what their airline’s specific requirements are regarding ESAs.
Can I buy my ESA a seat on an airplane? He is a rather large dog (100lbs) and I don’t think he would fit on the floor.
We recommend you check with your airline. Airlines may not impose a categorical restriction on ESAs over a certain weight but the Air Carrier Access Act does allow the airline to determine “whether the animal is too large or too heavy to be accommodated in the cabin….” Under this rule, an ESA may be excluded from the cabin if it is too large or too heavy to be accommodated in the aircraft.
If my dog is a small 15 lbs and beyond mellow and loving , can be sit in my lap ?
That was the whole point of me taking my ESA as I have flight anxiety ..
I just got the ESA letter from a doctors sink can atleast travel a little.
I just don’t want the airlines forcing me to put him in a bag . I’m hope the fact that I have an ESA letter , I have the right to have him in my lap or floor but not in a bad.
Please advise ! Ty!!
You can have your ESA sit on your lap or on the floor during a flight.
I want to take my emotional support dog to srilanka its 26 hr journey , long journey please advice
Being cooped up for 26 hours may be hard on you and the dog. Ask your specific airline what you would need to do in order to bring your ESA for a long flight.
My dog is tall and 108lbs, he curls up very small and would fit in the bulkhead floor infront of me, will the airlines say he is too heavy or large to fly and I will not be able to get to my Destination?
Most airlines have restrictions on how large an ESA can be to fly in the cabin, and unfortunately your dog’s size likely exceeds those limits.
I have an esa dog but we arent allowed to have dogs in our house/apartment but since we gave them the letter they didnt say anything but now we built him a small house outside and I dont know if that’s pushing it to far? Or if its okay? And can they make us get rid of it?
This seems like a reasonable accommodation for your ESA.
Can an airline refuse you & your ESA if the crew or other passengers are allergic?
No, an airline cannot refuse an ESA unless it is dangerous or it is excessively smelly/dirty.
Some airline websites state that you should be prepared to speak with “employees trained to ask fact-finding questions.” As an esa owner, I thought you had privacy rights as to what they can ask? Just the thought of being interrogated at the airport has my anxiety flaring.