In December 2020, The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) issued a final rule to amend the Department's Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transport of service animals by air. This final rule defined a service animal as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. It allows airlines to recognize emotional support animals as pets, rather than service animals, and permits airlines to limit the number of service animals that one passenger can bring onboard an aircraft to two service animals.

Prior to this ruling cats, dogs, birds and other animals were traveling as emotional support animals and there were some that abused the system and ruined it for everyone. Now when people need to travel with their emotional support animal, they cannot unless they are booked and paid for as a pet. This petition is asking airlines to change their policies by allowing cats and dogs to be permitted to travel as emotional support animals with their owners in cabin, with proof from a qualified medical professional they are indeed an emotional support animal for their owners. Most pets who travel are better behaved than children on aircrafts.