The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking comment on amending its Air Carrier Access Act(ACAA) regulation on transportation of service animals.

The DOT has heard from the airline industry, as well as individuals with disabilities, suggesting the current ACAA regulation could be improved to ensure nondiscriminatory access for individuals with disabilities reliant on legitimate service animals, while simultaneously preventing instances of individuals fraudulently attempting to pass off their pets as service animals. The DOT and the ACAA are investigating options of including the definition of service animals as protected under the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The DOT recognizes the integral role that service animals play in the lives of individuals of all abilities. Together with giants in the industry like American Airlines, My Blind Spot is working to ensure that the rights of individuals that use legitimate service animals are protected, while eliminating the fraudulent attempts of passing of a family pet as a service animal that does not meet the definition of a service animal consistent with the definition as outlined in the ADA.

Read the joint commentary offered by American Airlines and My Blind Spot visit

 

Learn about what type of animals qualify as service animals under the ADA visit the MBS definition.

Offer a comment to the DOT by the July 9, 2018 please visit