The U.S. Department of Transportation may soon be putting limits on which emotional support animals will be allowed on commercial passenger jets during flights.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a new rule is being proposed that would permit airlines to stop accepting emotional support animals, with the exception of service dogs that are professionally trained to perform tasks or assist passengers with physical and mental disabilities, including psychiatric disorders.
Up to this point, airlines have been required to allow emotional support animals to be treated as service animals, bypassing all fees their owners would otherwise be responsible for.
In the past, there have been cases reported where a passenger tried to bring an animal such as an emotional support squirrel onto a commercial flight:
If the rule passes, passengers will need to fill out a federal form to prove their service dog is healthy and properly trained, according to The New York Times.
In 2018, airline officials received more than 3,000 complaints of animals biting passengers, defecating, urinating or fighting with other animals during flights, according to The Wall Street Journal.
(PHOTO: Getty Images)