The surprisingly weak scientific case for emotional support animals

A college student wanted to bring a hamster on a plane and then flushed it down an airport toilet after Spirit Airlines told her she wasn’t allowed to board with it. A United Airlines passenger attempted to get on a flight with a peacock. Another air traveler took a turkey on a plane. Yet another brought on a duck wearing red booties. Just Wednesday, a dog’s teeth scraped a little girl’s head on a Southwest Airlines flight.
                                                   

These were real events that happened in America: travelers toting “emotional support animals,” claiming they need the ESAs (which are distinct from service animals trained to help those with physical disabilities) to stay calm while flying. And there are more of them out there: in January, Delta reported that it carries around 700 service or support animals daily and has had to create a special support desk for them.

How is it legal to bring your duck on the plane? Under the federal Air Carrier Access Act, passengers are allowed to bring animals aboard by showing a letter from a mental health clinician or doctor asserting that the pet is part of their therapy. But the law is surprisingly vague about which species can come on board and gives airlines significant discretion. “You are never required to accommodate certain unusual service animals (e.g., snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders) as service animals in the cabin,” it reads.

Crossman’s research is about finding ways to reduce the mental health treatment gaps in America. “Traditional models of treatment therapy and medication reach a very small proportion of the people who actually need services,” she says.

And given that one in five Americans experience mental illness in a given year, she thinks animals are an intriguing option to help more people. They could also be crucial for combating the loneliness that comes with an aging population.