The Transportation Department has put an end to free flights for all supports pets, besides dogs. That means 'Max' the tortoise has to stay home or go in cargo hold.

For a very long time, all you needed was a doctor's note, to bring whatever pet you wanted onto a flight to provide emotional support. The amount of tension this caused between airlines and passengers was just too much, and now the federal government has banned all emotional support animals, with the exception of dogs

On Wednesday (12/2), the Transportation Department rewrote the rules after too many unusual pets were being brought onboard. The agency said the unusual pets eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals, according to wgntv.com.

Before you get all bent at the federal government for ruining your free flights with your iguana, 'Iggy', you should know that this is more about the government responding to the wishes of the airline industry. The animals you just didn't want to leave at home, were seriously cutting into their bottom line. It's estimated that almost $60 million in fees were lost, due to the animals not flying in the cargo hold, as they should've been.

The new rule takes effect in 30 days, and defines 'service animal' as a dog trained to help a person with a physical or psychiatric disability.

Airlines will be able to require owners to vouch for the dog’s health, behavior and training. Airlines can require people with a service dog to turn in paperwork up to 48 hours before a flight, but they can’t bar those travelers from checking in online like other passengers.

Steve Shannon is host of The Steve Shannon Show on 97ZOK. On the air weekday mornings from 6 to 10 a.m. and a special 'Rewind' show, featuring favorite moments from previous shows, on Saturday mornings from 5 to 7 a.m.. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and like his page on Facebook.

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