The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is cracking down on emotional support animals on airplanes.<br />The agency announced that airlines are not required to recognize emotional support animals as service animals.<br />The new rule states that airlines may treat emotional support animals as pets and require them to be handled as such.<br />Airlines asked the DOT to regulate the issue due to their concern that passengers were taking advantage of the system.<br />Airlines claim that passengers fraudulently passed off their pets as emotional support animals to avoid paying fees.<br />Emotional support animals provide comfort but unlike service animals, they are not required to have training in specific tasks.<br />According to CNN, pigs, peacocks, and other animals have previously flown as emotional support animals.
