Does Your Peacock Bite?
There are so many things about this story that deserve criticism that I don’t know where to start. Rather than mock the obvious absurdity of bringing a peacock to the airport for the purposes of emotional support, I want to focus on the media implications of this story. Why? Because there isn’t one. Multiple media outlets are treating this event as an indicator of how society has lost its mind or how the airline industry needs to develop policies that are either inclusive to everyone’s needs or effective in delineating real mental health needs from those who seek to take advantage of the system. We don’t need to treat this event as if it is a trend or an illustration of a broken system. It is a”one off”and forgive me for saying so, silly aberration. The airline (in this case United) did the right thing in denying the bird access to the aircraft. Their rationale for doing so should start and stop with common sense. When law makers or organizations attempt to make laws or corporate regulations to prevent the absurd at the expense of logic and reason, they by definition are spending effort and resources ineffectively. So let’s call this event what it is. Absurd, unique and let’s be honest…funny.
Birds of a feather may flock together, but United Airlines recently shot down one traveler’s request to bring her emotional support peacock on a flight departing Newark Liberty International Airport.
Live and Let Fly reported earlier this week that even though the unidentified woman claimed that she had a second ticket for the peacock, the airline denied her request.
A spokesperson for United further tells Fox News that the traveler(s) with the peacock were told they would not be able to bring it on board….
“I’ll take the majestic peacock over the 5+ dogs that have attacked my coworkers just this past holiday season,” another supposed airline staffer fired back.
The news comes on heels of Delta’s controversial crackdown of emotional support and service animals. On Jan. 19, the airline announced forthcoming restrictions in hopes of curbing an abuse of policy and an 84 percent increase in ill animal behavior such as urinating, defecating, biting and attacks on flights.
Effective March 1, Delta’s new rules require those flying with emotional support or psychiatric service animals to submit a veterinarian health form and immunization record to Delta with 48-hours’ notice, Fox News reports. A doctor’s note, signed veterinarian health form, and proof of animal training will additionally now have to be presented before boarding.
