Pooping, Biting Issues Lead Delta To Change Support Animal Rules

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines has changed their on-board support animals rules after recent pooping and biting problems. The airline now says that if you're planning a flight longer than eight hours, you can't bring an emotional-support animal with you.

The airline has also tightened the rules for younger dogs too. Regardless if support animals are trained service animals, or not, they will not be allowed on any Delta flight if they are under four months old.

Delta says the changes take effect Dec. 18.

The airline says exceptions will be made until Feb. 1 for customers who already bought a ticket and asked to bring a support animal.

According to the Associated Press, airlines are tightening rules on animals, saying their numbers have skyrocketed and some have relieved themselves or bitten passengers or other animals.

Just last month, a man said he was "covered in feces" on a Delta Air Lines flight and told by airline personnel, if he didn't sit in feces he'd miss his flight.

Matthew Meehan, who was raised in Snellville, was taking a flight from Atlanta to Miami Nov. 1, when he found that the plane hadn't been cleaned properly.

Meehan said as he sat down and immediately smelled something foul. When he went to plug his phone charger in, he said he found feces everywhere, including all over his legs, the floor and the wall of the plane.

In June of 2017, a passenger on a Delta Air lines flight was bitten by another passenger's emotional support dog.

"During the boarding process, a passenger's emotional support animal bit another passenger," Delta spokesman Anthony Black told the AJC. The dog was sitting on its owner's lap in the middle seat, while the victim was seated in the window seat next to him.

The incident was first reported by Fox 5, which quoted a passenger who said: "The gentleman’s face was completely bloody.... his shirt was covered in blood."

SEE ALSO: Man 'Was Covered In Feces' During His Delta Flight

Photos used by permission of Matthew Meehan
Delta plane photo via Shutterstock