Southwest Changes Emotional Support And Service Animal Policies

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DALLAS (CBS13) - Southwest Airlines is making changes to its emotional support and trained service animal policies.

Starting September 17, 2018, Southwest will only allow trained service dogs, cats, and miniature horses in its cabins. The airline will also accept fully trained psychiatric service animals as trained service animals.

The only emotional support animals the airline will accept are dogs or cats, and each customer can only bring one. The animal must be in a carrier that can be stowed under the seat, or on a leash at all times.

Southwest will not accept unusual or exotic animals, including, but not limited to: rodents, ferrets, insects, spiders, reptiles, hedgehogs, rabbits, or sugar gliders.

Customers who want to travel with a trained service animal must verbally agree that the animal is trained to perform a task or work for a person with a mental and/or physical disability.

Read the Full Trained Service Animal Policy HERE

Those with emotional support animals must provide current documentation (within the last year) on letterhead from a licensed health professional or doctor.

Read the Full Emotional Support Animal Policy HERE

Emotional support animals must provide support for those with a mental health-related disability. The dog or cat isn't trained to perform a specific task or work.

Disruptive animals, including those observed scratching, whining, barking, growling, biting, lunging, urinating, or defecating, may be denied boarding.