According to him, the flight attendant informed him that it was considered a service dog, and there was nothing they could do about it. Additionally, they did not want to take any action during the early stages of the flight. As he observed the dog, he began to doubt whether it was a “legitimate service dog” or perhaps an emotional support animal or a regular pet.
He explained, “The dog had been roaming for a significant amount of time, and I couldn’t identify its owner. Notably, there was nothing on the dog indicating it was a service dog. It approached me, I moved my legs away, but it continued to approach, placing its legs on me and looking up as if expecting me to pet it. In response, I lifted my legs onto my seat.”
Frustrated, he called out, “Could someone please come and collect their dog?” He repeated this request twice. A woman in her 20s eventually came over from about five rows ahead to retrieve the dog. He instructed her to control her dog and keep it in its carrier. However, the woman responded with strong language, telling him to “go away” and accused him of ruining her dog’s enjoyment.
Throughout the flight, a few passengers approached her to express their appreciation for the dog, and each time, she made disparaging remarks about him. Seeking opinions on whether he had been too harsh in his response to the dog, he turned to social media for feedback.
In response, one user commented, “I love dogs, but allowing them to roam freely during a flight seems irresponsible. It also seems unusual for a service dog to behave this way. Those dogs undergo extensive training. Perhaps it was an emotional support dog?”
