[NAGDU] southwest new guide lines:

Fri Aug 17 03:54:45 UTC 2018

Cindy,

Not necessarily. I do know a guy (well, know *of* a guy) who has been on the assistance-dogs email reflector for about 20 years or so. I’m not exactly sure what the exact nature of his disability is, but it’s some form of autism, as I recall. At any rate, he’s been using service cats for some time now, and yes, in his state, apparently it’s all right. (Remember, state laws can afford more rights, just not fewer.) So anyway, he freely admits that yes, it takes a pretty special, even unusual cat, to be a service cat, but he’s had a couple of them. Yes, they even fetch dropped objects (like pens, other small things). His particular cats were raised from kitten hood, like they were abandoned by their mothers or lost their mothers, and he bottle fed them and raised them, so they have really bonded to him and he’s trained them to perform whatever tasks he needs from them, which again, I’m not clear on. But they definitely are actually trained to provide a disability mitigating service. Jenine may know him, it’s Jim Sinclair…I know you were on service-dogs back in the day. 

—Buddy

> On Aug 16, 2018, at 12:54 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> What exactly do cats do as service animals I wonder. That would seem to be
> more along the line of emotional support. Hrmph!
> Cindy Lou Ray
> cindyray at gmail.com
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Janell via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2018 12:24 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: nellie at culodge.com
> Subject: [NAGDU] southwest new guide lines:
> 
> FYI:
> 
> 
> 
> Southwest Airlines is changing its policies beginning September 17, 2018  to
> limit service animals to be dogs, cats, and miniature horses, and to
> classify psychiatric service animals as service animals. Confusingly,
> American classifies psychiatric service animals as emotional support
> animals. All the more need for the DOT regulations. 
> 
> 
> 
> Southwest (this link will select the Trained Service Animal tab by default;
> select the Emotional Support Animal tab to see that policy):
> https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/unique-travel-needs/customer
> s-with-disabilities-pol.html#unique_travel_needs_allergies_disabilities_pol_
> tab_list_tab_10
> 
> American (this page covers both service and emotional support animals):
> https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/service-animals.jsp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Caribbean Cruise Ships August 14, 2018
> 
> (6:15 p.m.  EDT) --
> 
> Royal Caribbean has updated its policy on emotional support animals.
> 
> Emotional support animals -- defined as those whose sole function is to
> provide comfort or emotional support -- are no longer allowed onboard its
> ships; emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals under the
> Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
> 
> 
> 
> Service animals, which support people with both physical and mental
> disabilities, are still covered under Royal Caribbean's policy; they are
> permitted in all public areas, including dining venues, as long as they are
> on a leash or harness.  Disabilities that might require service animals
> include blindness, deafness and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
> 
> 
> 
> "We are changing our policy, but the policy is being changed to better
> differentiate between emotional support animals and service animals because
> they are two very different things," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told
> Cruise Critic.
> 
> 
> 
> "Service animals that are formally trained and certified to perform a
> function are still welcome onboard with the proper paperwork and
> certifications.
> 
> 
> 
> "We just want to be able to give all our guests great vacations, and the
> reality is some emotional support animals aren't properly trained."
> 
> 
> 
> Royal Caribbean added that its director of accessibility and disability, as
> well as its travel agent partners with disabilities, were heavily involved
> with the process of determining how its policy should change.
> 
> 
> 
> On Cruise Critic's Royal Caribbean forum, members expressed their feelings
> on the news.
> 
> 
> 
> Cruise Critic member Don'tNeedAName said, "This is good, but as some above
> have alluded to, this is a very tough policy to enforce.  There is no ADA
> certificate for a service dog --merely a definition. .  
> 
> Nonetheless, there
> 
> will always be rule-breakers, but that doesn't mean the rules shouldn't be
> in place.  If nothing else, hopefully the fact that Royal now has this rule
> on the books it at least makes one or two people rethink their actions."
> 
> 
> 
> Cruise Critic member cruzer_3 added: "Never bothered me seeing dogs on the
> ship.  This new change doesn't bother me either.  To each their own.  I've
> always made the best out of all my vacations and will continue to do so."
> 
> 
> 
> Cruisers who require service animals should notify Royal Caribbean's access
> department at the time of booking.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Janell and Rosy 
> 
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