Cat as an Emotional Support Animal

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines also allows emotional support animals to board the plane with their the pet owners provided they are not larger than the footprint of a passenger’s seat. Service and support animals and their associated items travel for free (Items include a kennel, blanket, toy, food or similar item)

Other Delta Airlines requirements include:

• A legitimate and authentic ESA letter signed by a qualified therapist.
• Informing the airline at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled flight that you will be traveling with your ESA
• Your ESA should not be under the age of 10 months
• Only one emotional support animal is allowed per passenger.
• Delta Airlines may require an additional airline form to be signed by your on-going treating physician. This is not a service we provide.

We know that service and support animals are highly-trained working animals. We will only refuse transportation of the animal if it engages in disruptive behavior such as:

• Growling
• Jumping on passengers
• Relieving themselves in the gate area or cabin
• Barking excessively, not in response to a handler’s need or distress
• Eating off seatback tray tables

We do not permit the following as service or support animals, as these animals pose safety and/or public health concerns. If you have additional questions, please contact the accessibility assistance line at 404-209-3434

• Hedgehogs
• Ferrets
• Insects
• Rodents
• Snakes
• Spiders
• Sugar gliders
• Reptiles
• Amphibians
• Goats
• Non-household birds (farm poultry, waterfowl, game bird, & birds of prey)
• Animals improperly cleaned and/or with a foul odor
• Animals with tusks, horns or hooves

American Airlines

Fully-trained service animals and emotional support / psychiatric service animals may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.

Requirements

• 1 emotional support / psychiatric service animal per person
• Animal must be a cat or dog (trained miniature horse may be permitted as a service animal); 4 months or older
• Animal must be clean and well-behaved
• Animals must be able to fit at your feet, under your seat or in your lap (lap animals must be smaller than a 2-year old child)
• If the animal is in a kennel, it must fit under the seat in front of you with the animal in it

Emotional support / psychiatric service animals cannot:

• Be seated in an exit row
• Protrude into or block aisles
• Occupy a seat
• Eat from tray tables

If your animal doesn’t fit within the allowed spaces, you may need to:

• Rebook on a flight with more open seats
• Buy a ticket for the animal
• Transport the animal as a checked pet

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR

Emotional support / psychiatric service animals must be trained to behave properly in public and they won’t be permitted in the cabin if they display any form of disruptive behavior that can’t be successfully corrected or controlled, including but not limited to:

• Growling
• Biting or attempting to bite
• Jumping on or lunging at people

Emotional support / psychiatric service animals must be in your control at all times by leash and / or harness.

If this behavior is observed at any point during your journey and isn’t corrected or controlled, the animal will be considered a pet and all requirements and applicable fees will apply.

ANIMAL RESTRICTIONS

Emotional support / psychiatric service animals

Emotional support / psychiatric service animals assist individuals with emotional, psychiatric or cognitive disabilities. Specific training isn’t required for animals to meet this classification.

Only cats and dogs are accepted as emotional support animals. Advanced notice and approval is required to bring an emotional support / psychiatric service animal with you in the cabin.

Fully-trained service animals and emotional support / psychiatric service animals may fly in the cabin at no charge if they meet the requirements.

Trained service animals

Trained service animals have been specifically trained to perform life functions for individuals with disabilities, including but not limited to:

• Visual impairments
• Deafness
• Seizures
• Mobility impairments

Dogs and cats are accepted as service animals; miniature horses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

We encourage advanced notice for service animals, but it isn’t required

As the requirements for transporting each type of animal differ, our employees are trained to ask certain questions to determine the classification applicable to your animal.

ADVANCE NOTICE REQUIRED

To travel with an emotional support / psychiatric service animal in the cabin, you must submit all required forms to the Special Assistance Desk at least 48 hours before your flight. We’ll notify you upon document approval.

If you don’t complete or meet all the requirements, your animal may be able to fly as a pet. All applicable fees apply.

FORMS REQUIRED FOR TRAVEL

Emotional support / psychiatric service animals

You must complete, submit and receive approval of all 3 forms before your animal will be allowed to fly:

• Medical / Mental Health Professional Form
• Veterinary Health Form, or vaccination record with current rabies vaccination information
• Confirmation of Animal Behavior Form

Download the emotional and psychiatric service animal document packet 

Instructions

1. Read and complete all 3 forms
2. Submit all 3 forms together at least 48 hours before your flight
3. Keep documents with you during your trip

Email Special Assistance 

Fax forms to: 817-967-4715

All service and support animals

If you have a flight over 8 hours in your itinerary, the Animal Sanitation Form is

United Airlines

United Airlines allows emotional support animals only on flights with 8 hours or less in duration. All the required documentation should be submitted to the United Airlines accessibility desk at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled flight via email.

United Airlines requirements include:

United requires a passenger who is a qualified individual with a disability within the meaning of Department of Transportation Rules (Part 382) who wishes to fly with a psychiatric service or emotional support animal to obtain and submit documentation:

1. from a licensed medical/mental health professional
2. a Passenger Confirmation of Liability and Emotional Support/Psychiatric Service Animal Behavior an
3. Animal must be clean and well-behaved

• These forms are valid for one year from the date of the earliest of the signed authorizations and must be submitted at least 48 hours before each trip; ideally well in advance of travel.
• Other documentation may be required for travel entering or exiting an international location or Hawaii.
• Animals must be properly controlled. If an animal kennel or other carrier will be used, it must meet the USDA guidelines and fit under the aircraft seat.
• With prior documentation and clearance, a customer may travel with no more than one emotional support animal, which cannot weigh more than 65 pounds. Multiple emotional support animals for a single customer are not permitted.

United may require an additional airline form to be signed by your on-going treating physician. This is not a service we provide.

Instructions:

Passenger:

Please submit your completed forms as soon as possible via United Airline’s secure portal. The required travel documents for your emotional support or psychiatric service animal must be submitted for approval at least 48 hours prior to your day of travel. Please bring your original forms with you while traveling and be prepared to present them to airline representatives if requested.

Note:

With respect to an animal used to assist a qualified individual with a disability, the animal must be trained to behave appropriately in a public setting. Animals found not to have been trained to behave will only be accepted in accordance with United’s current pet policies or may be denied boarding.

Alaska Airlines

Alaskan airlines support the traveling of emotional support animals for free. However, the size of the animal is restricted to the footprint or space of the passenger’s seat or foot area.

Alaska Airlines requirements include:

1. Provide a complete set of documents at least 48 hours prior to the date of departure. The documents include-

• Emotional support animal letter signed by a certified mental health professional
• Mental health form
• Animal health advisory form certified by a licensed veterinarian
• Animal behavior form

1. Emotional support animals must always be under the control of the passenger at all times. They must be leashed or carried in the approved carrier that will fit under the seat of the passenger in accordance with the FAA guidelines.
2. FAA guidelines state that an emotional support animal must always be seated under the seat in front of you at all times (either for taxi, takeoff or landing).
3. The airlines recommend avoiding overwatering or feeding your animal on the day of travel.

Alaska may require an additional airline form to be signed by your on-going treating physician. This is not a service we provide.

Emotional support animals must not-

• Occupy a seat or tray table during the flight.
• Obstruct areas that need to be cleared for emergency situations.
• Occupy the seat in the exit row.

Note:

• Emotional support animal letter signed by a certified mental health professional
• Mental health form
• Animal health advisory form certified by a licensed veterinarian
• Animal behavior form