Crew Said The Animal Was 'Disruptive'

A woman boarding a US Airways Flight the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was asked to leave the flight when the pig she brought on board as an emotional-support animal exhibited disorderly behavior, according to the fight crew.

USA Today reports that the first complaint came from the passenger seated next to the woman carrying the pig. University of Massachusetts professor Jonathan Skolnik told the Associated Press that he initially thought the animal was a duffel bag, but it turned out to be a 50-70 pound pig.

Skolnik said that the woman tied the animal's leash to the armrest of the seat, but that the pig became "incontinent" in the aisle of the plane. He then said it began to run up and down the aisle as the woman tried to clean up the mess.

US Airways spokeswoman Laura Masvidal said that the crew determined that the animal would not be allowed to fly on the plane, and the passenger was asked to take her pig and deplane.

Masvidal said such emotional-support animals are allowed on flights under DOT regulations, but only if they are not disruptive.

FMI: http://airconsumer.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf