What on EARTH? AIBU?

[MissionItsPossible]

metro.co.uk/2018/02/08/woman-told-cant-take-emotional-support-hamster-flight-flushes-toilet-7296709/#mv-b

Woman told she couldn't take her hamster on a flight with her so flushes it down the loo.

First of all, apart from guide dogs I didn't think pets were allowed on planes (I'm guessing she wanted the hamster with her on flight as she calls it her "emotional support")

Second of all, if she was that attached to it why on earth did she FLUSH IT DOWN A TOILET? I could never do that to a pet I claimed I loved. That is just plain nasty. I think we're meant to feel sorry for her from the tone of the article but I think she has acted very cruelly.

[SmilingButClueless]

That’s horrible

Anyone know whether the US has any animal cruelty laws?

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

WTF

I wonder if she could be prosecuted at all. I'm sure when there was an incident here of someone posting a hamster they were prosecuted for animal cruelty.

[userabcname]

What???? How was that her 'only option'?!

[Ariela]

Very likely to be fake news IMO.

[Abra1de]

I hope they charge her with cruelty.

[ObscuredbyFog]

Time she was flushed away. Nasty, cruel, vile human.

[crazycatgal]

I hope this isn't true because that is disgusting.

[SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus]

Someone has recently been stopped from taking a peacock that they claimed offered emotional support onto a US flight. Where the hell have all these insentient animals come from that can aparently offer this level of support.

You're right OP - if it offers emotional support and you need it with you or you can't fly, you kind of negate your claim if you then prove you don't need it by killing it.

[whiskyowl]

Hamster flusher. It's the bunner boiler of a new age.

[whiskyowl]

BUNNY boiler! Dammit, phone!

[Justanotherlurker]

Someone has recently been stopped from taking a peacock that they claimed offered emotional support onto a US flight. Where the hell have all these insentient animals come from that can aparently offer this level of support.

Anyone can "register" any animal as an emotional support animal. There are no standards, no vetting, and no training. It's widely abused and gives people with real, trained, service animals a bad reputation.

Its quite a booming business in the US now

[PookieSnackenberger]

Surprise! There's a lawsuit in there. Horrible - she should be prosecuted for deliberate animal cruelty.

[geekymommy]

We do have animal cruelty laws in the US. They vary by state.

[Purplehammer]

If Freddie Star had been there he’d have eaten it.

[hartha]

I'm calling fake news on this one as well.

[Fairenuff]

It's not true.

Also, did you know that the word gullible is not in the dictionary?

[expatinscotland]

She should be prosecuted and banned from keeping any more pets because that is what these animals are, they are not therapy or assistance animals.

[MissionItsPossible]

I actually hope it turns out to be fake news because if not it is disgusting. She's an idiot.

[NutElla5x]

What the fuck! And she's after sympathy? The sick bitch should be done for animal cruelty and never be allowed a pet again!

[bridgetreilly]

Pets are definitely allowed on some flights. Not usually international flights, but domestic ones in the US I think it's pretty common.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

This has to be made up? When interviewed, she stated "This wasn't a giant peacock that could peck people"

[geekymommy]

You generally have to pay to bring your pet on a flight, and have it in an airline-approved carrier. The "you have to pay" is most likely why people claim that their pets are emotional support animals.

[Mitzimaybe]

Woman in front of me on an international flight recently had a dog in her handbag. Someone alerted the cabin crew and I was expecting her to be put off the plane but they just moved her to a window seat. I was shocked.

[kissmethere]

Poor hamster (if it's true) how cruel. Let's hope it dwells in the sewers and mutates into a giant and finds her ass then gets revenge.