flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

has anyone done this?

i've talked to a couple people who have done this. basically they just bought a "service animal" vest or whatever online. then they told the airline they had a disability and would be traveling with their "service dog".

apparently airlines are very sensitive about the ADA, and don't ask a lot of questions. people have service dogs for all kinds of disabilities: i.e., "seizure alert" dogs, etc. there is no governmental agency that certifies dogs for these purposes. so basically they can't really challenge your claim that your dog is a service dog protected under the ADA.

so, you can be a perfectly normal/capable looking person, traveling with a service dog that does not look/act like a service dog, and get the following benefits:

1) your dog can travel with you in the cabin. the airline makes sure to seat you in the bulkhead so that your dog has plenty of room. obviously much preferable to stuffing your dog in a crate in the cargo hold for hours of travel, having to give them tranquilizers, etc. etc.

2) you don't have to pay the $1-200 fee (each way) most airlines charge for traveling with your pet.

anyways, i'm considering giving this a shot on an international flight soon. i'd appreciate any/all advice.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

You better have a super obedient dog and a good story. Also, a lack of remorse would help too.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

whoa - this is awesome.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.


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not in this case.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

What if your dog went apechit and pee'd all over and tried to hump the stewardess' leg??


Good luck on explaining that one.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

This is awesome and I would do it in a heartbeat. Please do it and post a trip report with pictures

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.


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not in this case.

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Actually, I think it would.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.

[/ QUOTE ]

my dog means the world to me. if i was 100% certain of her safety and confident in the airline's ability to get her back to me, i would not be considering this plan. but the fact is that i can't count on the airlines to ensure my dog's safety. even members of my family have related their troublesome experiences to me. i've read many horror stories online. and if an airline can lose a VIP, best-of-breed show dog, i can't help but worry that they could possibly somehow lose mine. especially when i'm traveling out of the country. (it doesn't help that i've had to rescue my dog from a thief seconds before he disappeared with her in his truck...)

bottom line is that i would much rather keep my dog with me at all times.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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[ QUOTE ]

Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.


[/ QUOTE ]

not in this case.

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Yeah, he's a douchebag because he wants to take his dog on an airplane and make someone like me deal with it smelling like a dog for 12 hours. 9 people will get sick because of the pet dander flying around in the air, all so he can land at Disneyland Paris and rent a wheelchair to skip all the long lines for the rides after parking in a handicapped spot at the domestic airport with his photoshopped permit.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Yeah, he's a douchebag because he wants to take his dog on an airplane and make someone like me deal with it smelling like a dog for 12 hours. 9 people will get sick because of the pet dander flying around in the air, all so he can land at Disneyland Paris and rent a wheelchair to skip all the long lines for the rides after parking in a handicapped spot at the domestic airport with his photoshopped permit.


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wow man, i guess you're right.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a man with admirable gumption.


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anyway, youre going to have to have a very obedient dog (or a wily con-artist dog) to pull this off. and he'll also have to look like a service dog, e.g.: not a pomeranian or welsh corgi or anything.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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What if your dog went apechit and pee'd all over and tried to hump the stewardess' leg??

Good luck on explaining that one.

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i'm really not worried about this because my dog is very well-mannered, very calm and mellow, and very well potty-trained.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

I would do a bit more research to find out if you are expected to carry any kind of documentation proving that your dog is, indeed a service dog. I know that you can get through security with metal parts in your body, but you need documentation from a doctor certifying your condition. I would imagine it's similar with a service dog.

Swede

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.


[/ QUOTE ]

not in this case.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, he's a douchebag because he wants to take his dog on an airplane and make someone like me deal with it smelling like a dog for 12 hours. 9 people will get sick because of the pet dander flying around in the air, all so he can land at Disneyland Paris and rent a wheelchair to skip all the long lines for the rides after parking in a handicapped spot at the domestic airport with his photoshopped permit.

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1) my dog is short-haired & very clean. i will make sure to have her bathed and groomed the day before my flight.

2) people routinely bring smaller dogs into airline cabins. pretty much every airline permits this. so i quite likely won't be the only person with a dog on my flight. i don't think bringing a dog on an airplane is really so offensive...

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

Is there a way to make a bomb out of a live dog?

There. Now the office of homeland security is going to ban dogs on planes because of the terrorist threat.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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I would do a bit more research to find out if you are expected to carry any kind of documentation proving that your dog is, indeed a service dog. I know that you can get through security with metal parts in your body, but you need documentation from a doctor certifying your condition. I would imagine it's similar with a service dog.


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with pet issues, the only people you have to worry about are the airline personnel who are actually on your plane. the security people don't know anything about pets traveling, so they let you do whatever.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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What if your dog went apechit and pee'd all over and tried to hump the stewardess' leg??

Good luck on explaining that one.

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i'm really not worried about this because my dog is very well-mannered, very calm and mellow, and very well potty-trained.

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On a plane? Your dog could panic and [censored] everywhere and bark the whole flight.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a man with admirable gumption.


[/ QUOTE ]

anyway, youre going to have to have a very obedient dog (or a wily con-artist dog) to pull this off. and he'll also have to look like a service dog, e.g.: not a pomeranian or welsh corgi or anything.

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i've talked to one person who actually did this successfuly, and his dog is a pit bull. for things like "seizure alert", there is no "standard service dog breed". a seizure alert dog can be any breed.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

[ QUOTE ]
I would do a bit more research to find out if you are expected to carry any kind of documentation proving that your dog is, indeed a service dog. I know that you can get through security with metal parts in your body, but you need documentation from a doctor certifying your condition. I would imagine it's similar with a service dog.

Swede

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i've done quite a bit of research. the rules & regulations are quite ambiguous. i was hoping to hear from someone here as to what kind of "documentation" they brought when doing this...

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

ryan,

I bet you could probably get away with this, but if I were you I'd look into the penalties for getting caught. You would likely get caught only if something actually happened, but some airline-related penalties are pretty insane.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

There's already to many crying babies on flights, the last thing I nead is your dog barking too. You don't have to be by your dog every minute of the day, just let him fly the normal way.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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ryan,

I bet you could probably get away with this, but if I were you I'd look into the penalties for getting caught. You would likely get caught only if something actually happened, but some airline-related penalties are pretty insane.

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in the research i've done so far, i've only found some mention that the airline can refuse to allow the dog to board the airplane. the fact is that if i say i have a disability, and that my dog helps me with that disability, it pretty much is so. for example, one of the categories of service dogs that airlines are supposed to allow to fly under the ADA is: "emotional support" dog.

i think the worst case scenario here is that they won't let me board the plane with my dog. luckily, i'm going to be flying out of a very small airport. i'll bring the crate in the car, and when my dad drops me off, i'll have him wait in the parking lot. if the airline calls BS, i'll just go out and get her crate and check her in. but i just don't see that happening because even in the official guidelines i've read it's clear that airline personnel are strongly discouraged from asking questions about a passenger's disability.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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There's already to many crying babies on flights, the last thing I nead is your dog barking too. You don't have to be by your dog every minute of the day, just let him fly the normal way.

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my dog NEVER barks.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

yeah - you are correct - worst case scenario they don't let him board the plane, but there is absolutely no danger of any legal repercussions.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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There's already to many crying babies on flights, the last thing I nead is your dog barking too. You don't have to be by your dog every minute of the day, just let him fly the normal way.

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my dog NEVER barks.

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Your dog has never been trapped inside at 30,000 feet before either.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

Does he ever [censored]?

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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yeah - you are correct - worst case scenario they don't let him board the plane, but there is absolutely no danger of any legal repercussions.

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Worst case they let him board, since that impacts the lives of 100 other people negatively.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Scamming the system by pretending to be disabled would make you a huge douchebag.

[/ QUOTE ]

my dog means the world to me. if i was 100% certain of her safety and confident in the airline's ability to get her back to me, i would not be considering this plan. but the fact is that i can't count on the airlines to ensure my dog's safety. even members of my family have related their troublesome experiences to me. i've read many horror stories online. and if an airline can lose a VIP, best-of-breed show dog, i can't help but worry that they could possibly somehow lose mine. especially when i'm traveling out of the country. (it doesn't help that i've had to rescue my dog from a thief seconds before he disappeared with her in his truck...)


I agree go with seizure dog, have some medicine though with you
bottom line is that i would much rather keep my dog with me at all times.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

op,

This is such a classless move.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Is there a way to make a bomb out of a live dog?

There. Now the office of homeland security is going to ban dogs on planes because of the terrorist threat.

[/ QUOTE ]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

[ QUOTE ]
my dog means the world to me. if i was 100% certain of her safety and confident in the airline's ability to get her back to me, i would not be considering this plan. but the fact is that i can't count on the airlines to ensure my dog's safety.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're dog meant the world to you, you wouldn't be flying overseas where you have to subject a dog to the stress of air travel. Just admit that you are being selfish with respect to the other travelers on the plane as well as your own dog's comfort.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

I think its great and I wish there would be more bizare yet useful tips like this in OOT.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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[ QUOTE ]
my dog means the world to me. if i was 100% certain of her safety and confident in the airline's ability to get her back to me, i would not be considering this plan. but the fact is that i can't count on the airlines to ensure my dog's safety.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're dog meant the world to you, you wouldn't be flying overseas where you have to subject a dog to the stress of air travel. Just admit that you are being selfish with respect to the other travelers on the plane as well as your own dog's comfort.

[/ QUOTE ]

the reason i'm flying is that i'm moving. i'm taking my dog with me, tyvm.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

I ran into this once when I was a desk clerk at a small midscale motel in college 10 years ago..... We are very busy and this woman comes in the lobby with a dog that looked somewhat like a Scotty, on a 10' leash. It proceeds to bark/growl incessantly. While she is standing at the counter I have a guest come in the front door to get coffee and it seriously sounds like the dog is about to take a chunk out of him. Woman continues to ask all kinds of stupid questions during which time a couple girls wrapped in towels from the pool open the door. They never even make it over the threshold before Cujo goes berserk. Now I am getting irritated. This job really doesn't pay that much but you can get a lot of studying done during the slow hours and there are a few other perks and this damn dog just ran off a couple of the best.

It was then that I asked if she could control her dog or put him in the car as we really did not allow pets in the lobby. She became irate and said something like "this is a hearing ear dog and he can go anywhere I go just like a seeing eye dog with a blind person". I commented that her dog was disturbing the other patrons and it seemed odd that a highly trained dog was so agressive. She claimed that he was trained to become agitated whenever anyone approached her from behind. I explained that barking/growling seemed kind of stupid for the average deaf person especially when the damn dog was doing it constantly. It was then that she came unglued, asking for a manager, threatening to sue for discrimination, etc. btw, she never seemed to have any problem hearing me throughout the ordeal.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

[ QUOTE ]
I ran into this once when I was a desk clerk at a small midscale motel in college 10 years ago..... We are very busy and this woman comes in the lobby with a dog that looked somewhat like a Scotty, on a 10' leash. It proceeds to bark/growl incessantly. While she is standing at the counter I have a guest come in the front door to get coffee and it seriously sounds like the dog is about to take a chunk out of him. Woman continues to ask all kinds of stupid questions during which time a couple girls wrapped in towels from the pool open the door and never even make it over the threshold before Cujo goes berserk. Now I am getting irritated. This job really doesn't pay that much but you can get a lot of studying done during the slow hours and there are a couple other perks and this damn dog just ran off a couple of the best.

It was then that I asked if she could control her dog or put him in the car as we really did not allow pets in the lobby. She became irate and said something like "this is a hearing ear dog and he can go anywhere I go just like a seeing eye dog with a blind person". I commented that her dog was disturbing the other patrons and it seemed odd that a highly trained dog was so agressive. She claimed that he was trained to become agitated whenever anyone approached her from behind. I explained that barking/growling seemed kind of stupid for the average deaf person especially when the damn dog was doing it constantly. It was then that she came unglued, asking for a manager, threatening to sue for discrimination, etc. btw, she never seemed to have any problem hearing me throughout the ordeal.

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lol. yes, i would be much less inclined to consider this if i wasn't so confident that my dog will be very calm and not at all annoying.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

Seems like the risk/reward of him in a carrier in cargo probably is a better bet than some shennigans related to bringing him on the plane and sitting with you.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Worst case they let him board, since that impacts the lives of 100 other people negatively.

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It's a dog, dude. Now if it was a retarded guy drooling on his seat, that'd be different.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Seems like the risk/reward of him in a carrier in cargo probably is a better bet than some shennigans related to bringing him on the plane and sitting with you.

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i dunno...if i try to bring her in the cabin with me, and they don't buy my story, then i'll just have to check her into cargo. so it seems to me that i have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by trying.

i'm absolutely not worried at all about my dog causing any trouble once she gets on the plane.

Re: flying with your dog posing as a service dog
 

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Worst case they let him board, since that impacts the lives of 100 other people negatively.

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It's a dog, dude. Now if it was a retarded guy drooling on his seat, that'd be different.

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I don't have to smell or listen to drool.