SINGAPORE — From April 1, 2023, Singapore Airlines (SIA) passengers will no longer be allowed to bring their emotional support dogs on board flights.
Meanwhile, assistance dogs are still accepted for travel on board SIA flights. The airlines defined assistance dogs as those trained to perform certain tasks to assist persons with disabilities, while emotional support dogs are companion dogs that alleviate psychological disabilities.
“Emotional support dogs are not recognized as assistance dogs in Singapore. If you are bringing an emotional support dog into Singapore, you will have to comply with the Singapore Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) procedures and requirements for importing dogs,” said SIA on its website.
This includes checking in an empty pet transport container that conforms to IATA (International Air Transport Association) standards. The dog crate will count towards the check-in baggage allowance.
On arrival, the emotional support dog will undergo an inspection at the AVS Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) Station.
Before the upcoming changes, passengers could fly with their emotional support dogs without additional weight or booking charges as long as it complies with specific conditions and the regulations of their departure, transit, or destination country.
An SIA representative told Channel News Asia that the airline “continuously reviews and benchmarks its policies against the industry norm,” although it did not elaborate on the policy revision.
Travellers departing from Singapore can still travel with their emotional support dogs after April 1 if they submit a request before the cut-off date, said the airline representative.
The passenger must fill in an acknowledgement form and a signed statement from within a year of their flight date from a licensed mental health professional stating that the passenger has a mental or emotional disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and is under the professional’s care.
The statement should indicate that the passenger needs an emotional support dog for air travel or for activities at the destination. Dogs who meet such requirements will be allowed to fly without additional charges.
Netizens have since voiced their opinions on the matter, many taking the airlines’ side in prohibiting emotional support animals in the cabin.
“If you are able to board a flight, you don’t need an emotional support animal because you will be high enough. Also, you should take care of your well-being before you inconvenience anyone else,” said Facebook user Kith Chang.
Facebook user Eddie Chin said Singapore “shouldn’t do things like how America does.” She referred to instances when passengers wanted to bring their emotional support ostriches and vultures on their flights.
According to travelnoire.com, some of the emotional support animals people brought on a plane were snakes, pigs, kangaroos, a live lobster, a peacock, and an Appaloosa horse.
Others highlighted that they prefer not having animals on board due to their allergies. “I will always email SQ from now onwards that I have allergic rhinitis and cannot be flying with someone else’s dog beside me,” commented Facebook user Jaysee Chng. “I think we need to enforce this message across. I don’t want my employee to land and get five days MC on the spot.”
Facebook user Michael Klaus noted that people need to be more educated on what a licensed support dog is and how they get certified.
“It’s not just ‘, Oh, this is my emotional support animal, so it has to be with me.’ There is a rigorous testing requirement and government approval in order to get a license for one.”
Travellers with emotional support animals are advised to check which airlines still allow this request. /TISG