US: Airlines can’t bar pit bulls or other breeds from cabins, feds say

A month after a flight attendant was bitten by an emotional support animal, the US DoT told the airline industry Thursday that carriers can’t bar certain dog breeds because airlines deem them dangerous, handing a victory to pit bull fans. But the federal agency gave airlines the green light to require passengers to produce records on vaccinations and training to determine if a specific animal poses a threat on a plane. And bans on certain species — snakes, for instance — will be allowed to stand. The effort by the DoT to clarify its policy on animals in planes is the latest chapter in the long-running saga over emotional support animals. A4A said that many fliers have been fraudulently passing off their pets as emotional support animals to avoid having to pay animal transport fees. <br/>