The DOT said in a guidance document on how it plans to enforce regulations of service animals in aircraft cabins that it “views a limitation based exclusively on breed of the service animal to not be allowed under its service animal regulation.”
DOT listened to all of the stakeholders, reviewed the law, and laid out guidelines that will allow airlines to balance their operational needs, the comfort needs of all passengers, while ensuring that restrictions put in place don’t preclude having mental health needs met.
While that may not mean the end of passengers getting bitten by poorly controlled and vicious animals, it allows some controls to be put in place that may reduce the frequency and severity of incidents.
“I’ve lost a total of 33 friends… a great deal of them in combat, but also quite a few of them to suicide,” Dosedel said. “If they would have had a service dog, they might still be here… saved my life.”
The relationship between man and dog really highlights the fact that well-being goes beyond the physical. It’s mental, it’s emotional, it’s all that put together. That’s what K9s for Warriors is all about.
While the V.A. covers the veterinary care and the equipment costs of service dogs for veterans with certain physical disabilities, like blindness or vision impairment, department leaders have long contended that there isn’t enough clinical evidence to prove their benefits for treating mental-health issues.