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Mini-Horses Now Welcome Aboard Alaska Airlines As "Service Animals"

Good news everyone! If you've been hoping to take your trained mini-horse on your next flight to Seattle, Alaska Airlines has a seat reserved just for you. 

In April, Alaska Airlines revised their emotional support animal policy in an effort to increase safety for their employees and other passengers on-board. The airline now requires at least 48 hours notice as well as affidavits on the animal's behavior and health, as well as a doctor's note confirming the passenger's need. 

"Alaska is committed to providing accessible services to guests with disabilities and ensuring a safe environment for all flyers," said Ray Prentice, Alaska Airlines' director of customer advocacy. "We are making these changes now based on a number of recent incidents where the inappropriate behavior of emotional support animals has impacted and even injured our employees, other guests and service animals."

Starting Oct 1, only dogs and cats will be allowed to fly the friendly skies as emotional support animals, but mini-horses qualified as trained service animals will also be welcomed on-board, according to the Alaska Airlines' latest revision to their rules.

"Most animals cause no problems," said Prentice. "However, over the last few years, we have observed a steady increase in incidents from animals who haven't been adequately trained to behave in a busy airport setting or on a plane, which has prompted us to strengthen our policy." 

Alaska Airlines says they consulted with a disability advisory board and several disability advocacy groups to make sure the new policies accommodates their guests with disabilities. 

Emotional support animals are defined as animals who assist those people who have been diagnosed with a mental health disability and are not trained to perform any specific tasks. 

Service animals, include animals like guide dogs, who assist an individual who has a disability like blindness, low vision, is deaf or hard of hearing, has diabetes, seizures, mobility limitations, or other conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. 

"Emotional support animals will be limited to either a dog or cat. No other species of animal will be permitted," Alaska wrote in the release.

Alaska is the latest airline to allow miniature horses on-board their flights. Southwest announced a similar policy change in August, saying they would allow passengers with qualifying animals to fly with them. 

If you're looking travel with your mini-horse, the airline advises passengers to bring along the proper documents. Alaska Airlines requires a Animal Health Advisory form, a Mental Health form, and an Animal Behavior form before passengers can board a flight with their service animals. 

About 150 emotional support and service animals fly Alaska Airlines every day the company said in its release. 

Photo: Getty Images


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