Hello everyone,
My name is Adam. I am a student Pilot at Middle Tennessee State University. I am writing a paper this semester on the differences between emotional support animals and Service animals, and how they affect the aerospace community. I would love some feedback from major carrier pilots with your name, airline, and opinions on ESA’s and SA’s and what the regulations for these animals should be as far as passengers bringing them onto flights. Especially with the extreme cases I’ve seen such as emotional support peacocks, kangaroos, and snakes. How do they affect you and your ability to do your job or the flight attendants and their jobs? Any and all first hand stories, and opinions would be fantastic.
Thanks All,
-Adam

Adam,

My opinion is that it’s not too late to get out man. There are many promising and more rewarding careers out there. Have you looked into STEM fields, finance, healthcare?

I’m sure this crisis has you evaluating whether or not this is a career path you want to take bit I will still answer your question. I am a captain at an ultra low cost carrier (ULCC). The emotional support animal thing was getting ridiculous, there is even a picture of an emotional support mini horse going around. About a year ago most of the airlines were able to challenge the rule and get restrictions put on them. Now they have to have a doctors note and have to be a normal animal such as a dog or a cat and can’t be danger to passengers. This has cut down on the peacocks, horses and snakes. Hope this helps.

A grey goose or wild turkey are the only support animals I’m seeing.

They help immensely.

Have you ever seen a grown man naked? Do you like to climb the rope in gym class? Do you like gladiator movies?

I think anything other than a certified, trained service animal for a person with severe disabilities “seeing eye dog etc” no other animal belongs in the cabin of a commercial aircraft. There are safety concerns during emergency evac, attacking other passengers etc. This whole situation is out of control.

Bill Murray in the 2020 commercial based on "Groundhog Day" (service animal):

https://youtu.be/5QgBRvMmWk4?t=64

Asking for names and employers is a security risk.
I don’t take any of this as a serious request for “research”.

One longer flights, animals often poop. At the very least, other passengers in the area don’t like to smell dog poop for the last hour of flight.

I’m supposed to put credentials in my bibliography when I give people credit for what they say.
I’m going to use some of the responses I received either way but having that for my professor makes it much more viable.
otherwise my responses could be from any person pilot or not and I want first hand opinions