Wait, why stop with a pony . . .?

As you may know, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been interpreted to allow those with anxiety disorders to travel with an emotional support pony on the airlines.

Emotional support service animals are service animals that provide emotional support to an individual with a mental health-related disability. Per the Department of transportation, we require appropriate documentation to permit emotional support animals to travel in the passenger cabin.

Specifically, we require a letter on letterhead from a mental health care professional (physician or psychologist) stating the following:

· that the passenger has a mental health-related disability

· a mental health-related disability (any individual who has a mental impairment that, on a permanent or temporary basis, substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment)

· major life activities (functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and walking)

· that the person providing the documentation is a licensed mental health care professional or physician

· that the passenger is under his or her professional care for the mental health related disability for which the passenger needs an emotional support animal

· and that having the animal travel with the passenger is necessary to the passenger's mental health and/or treatment or to assist the passenger with his or her mental health-related disability

All of the above specific criteria must be provided to accept your emotional support animal for travel in the passenger cabin.

This opens up worlds for me . . .