[nagdu] TSA Screening of Service Animals

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Angie,

Awesome!  Thank you.

It may sound hard to believe, but I had so much else going on in my life at
just that time, I honestly hadn't thought more about it.  Next time, I will
certainly be better prepared!  And informed.  /smile/

I only had that problem at one of the airports, where I was changing flights
and had to go out to relieve my dog, then come back through security.  It
did happen going both ways, though.  Good grief!  How dangerous does a
half-asleep Shirley Temple clone with a black poodle look? /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Angie Matney
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 3:15 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] TSA Screening of Service Animals

Hello everyone,

I found what I was looking for through a link on Seeing Eye's access page
(www.seeingeye.org/access). Here is information from the TSA about the
screening process. The direct link is:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1056.shtm

I'm reproducing part of this information below. Note that you will not be
required to be separated from your dog; that your dog's equipment and
belongings will not be removed from the dog; that if your dog sets off the
alarm but you don't, only the 
dog must be searched; and that TSA screeners must ask your permission before
touching your dog. Tami, I couldn't find anything directly related to a
cavity search, but...I'm pretty sure that's not what the TSA had in mind.

Here's the info:

General 
list of 7 items
" If you have a service animal, you are encouraged to inform the Security
Officer that the animal accompanying you is a service animal and not a pet.
This
will provide you with an opportunity to move to the front of the screening
line since the Security Officer may need to spend more time with you. 

" It is recommended that persons using an animal for assistance carry
appropriate identification. Identification may include: cards or
documentation, presence
of a harness or markings on the harness, or other credible assurance of the
passenger using the animal for their disability. 

" At no time during the screening process will you be required to be
separated from your service animal. 

" Security Officers have been trained not to communicate, distract,
interact, play, feed, or pet service animals. 

" The Security Officer should ask permission before touching your service
animal or its belongings. 

" You must assist with the inspection process by controlling the service
animal while the Security Officer conducts the inspection. You are required
to
maintain control of the animal in a manner that ensures the animal cannot
harm the Security Officer. 

" If you need to leave the secure boarding area to relieve your animal, you
must undergo the full screening process again. Inform the Security Officer
upon
your return to the security checkpoint and she/him will move you to the
front of the screening line to expedite the screening process. 
list end

Back To Top

Service Dogs 
list of 4 items
" Advise the Security Officer how you and your dog can best achieve
screening when going through the metal detector as a team (i.e., whether
walking together
or with the service dog walking in front of or behind you). 

" If the walk through metal detector alarms in the situation where you and
your service dog have walked together, both you and the dog must undergo
additional
screening. 

" If the walk through metal detector alarms on either you or your service
dog individually (because you walked through separately), additional
screening
must be conducted on whoever alarmed the walk through metal detector. 

" If your service dog alarms the walk through metal detector, the Security
Officer will ask your permission and assistance before they touch you
service
dog and its belongings. The Security Officer will then perform a physical
inspection of your dog and its belongings (collar, harness, leash, backpack,
vest, etc.) The belongings will not be removed from your dog at any time. 
list end





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