Virginia: Aggressive "emotional support" pit bull banned from flight leaving Richmond; owner claims discrimination

VIRGINIA -- A woman from Richmond says her dog is now in a different state because American Airlines wouldn't allow the pit bull on the plane.

Keiko Carter says Dallas, her emotional support dog, was stigmatized for his breed and wearing a muzzle in the airport. However, American Airlines employees report the dog was showing signs of aggression, which is why it wasn't allowed on the flight.

Carter is now at her new home in California, while Dallas is being boarded at a vet in Richmond.

"The flight was a huge anxiety trigger, which is why I wanted to make sure I went through the proper channels to get (Dallas) taken care of for the flight," said Carter.

 

 

Carter says she filed all the required paperwork to bring the dog on board with passengers, ahead of time. She flew out of Richmond Tuesday, intending to bring her pit bull on board with her into the cabin. Carter says she put a muzzle on Dallas, to keep him from eating anything on the floor, which he tends to do.

So she muzzled the dog to keep him from eating stuff off the floor... um, yeah.

However, Carter says American Airlines employees stopped her, right before boarding, and unfairly pinned Dallas as dangerous because of the muzzle. "(The employee) basically said that they already decided that he wasn't going to fly. And I said, 'Well, what's the problem?' She said, 'Well, he has on a muzzle.'

A spokesperson for American Airlines talked to employees involved in the incident. The airline issued the following statement, claiming employees saw the dog lunge at someone:

"American Airlines employees at Richmond International Airport, along with the crew of flight to Dallas/Fort Worth, were concerned that this animal would pose a threat to the safety of our customers and employees. The decision was made to not allow the animal to fly in the cabin of the aircraft.

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act:  "While Emotional Support Animals or Comfort Animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals, THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED SERVICE ANIMALS UNDER THE ADA. These support animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Even though some states have laws defining therapy animals, these animals are not limited to working with people with disabilities and therefore are NOT COVERED BY FEDERAL LAWS PROTECTING THE USE OF SERVICE ANIMALS. Therapy animals provide people with therapeutic contact, usually in a clinical setting, to improve their physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning." 'The handler is responsible for the care and supervision of his or her service animal. If a service animal behaves in an unacceptable way and the person with a disability does not control the animal, a business or other entity does not have to allow the animal onto its premises. Uncontrolled barking, jumping on other people, or running away from the handler are examples of unacceptable behavior for a service animal. A business has the right to deny access to a dog that disrupts their business. For example, a service dog that barks repeatedly and disrupts another patron’s enjoyment of a movie could be asked to leave the theater. Businesses, public programs, and transportation providers may exclude a service animal when the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. If a service animal is growling at other shoppers at a grocery store, the handler may be asked to remove the animal."

"American had also received reports that the animal lunged during the security screening process. We do apologize for the inconvenience, but the safety of our customers and employees are our top priority. Our team has offered to provide a full refund to the passenger."

Carter says Dallas had not shown any aggression at any point, and laid down during the TSA security check.

American Airlines offered a full refund, but Carter chose to take a later flight. She says she's saving money so she can afford to get Dallas to California.

"They discriminated him based on his breed. And that's not fair to him because he didn't do anything to anyone," said Carter.

And she has started a GoFundMe trying to get donations... at the end of her Facebook post, you get to what she really wants from American Airlines: MONEY.

 

(WNEM - Aug 4, 2016)