US Dept. of Transportation Rules Airlines Must Allow Miniature Horses to Fly as Service Animals

An anonymous reader shares a report: For all its indignities, air travel is also surprisingly democratic — people of all stripes and shades crammed together into a small metal tube and lofted into the sky. Some of them have service animals, some of which are a hair more exotic than a vested dog. This has caused some spirited debates. But on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its final guidance on the subject and added miniature horses to the list of service animals that can fly in any cabin. You may have some questions. Yes, miniature horses make great — if rare — service animals for those with emotional and physical disabilities. Standing 2-3 feet tall, weighing around 100 pounds, and often living 35 years or longer, they’re not unlike large dogs in their comforting presence and ability to perform complex tasks. And yes, airlines have historically balked at the idea of seating a horse in Economy Plus. The DoT’s statement notes that air carriers “have asked us to declare that a wide variety of species (e.g., birds…and animals with hooves or horns) constitute ‘unusual service animals’ that may be categorically banned.” But with trained miniature horses officially recognized in the Americans with Disabilities Act as legitimate service animals, the agency has decided they must be able to fly. The declaration isn’t a law per se, but it indicates that they’ll punish U.S. airlines that violate it.