Traveling with My Service Dog

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Dog Relief Areas at U.S. Airports

By Susan Evans
September 27, 2024

Needing to have your Service Dog relieve themselves in US airports along your travels can be an “interesting” experience.

First, a bit of background on U.S. airport pet relief areas. U.S. airports with 10,000 or more annual passengers are required to have pet relief areas according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration mandate number 150/5360-14A entitled “Access to Airports by Individuals with Disabilities”, enacted December 6, 2017 (https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/150-5360-14A.pdf).
The mandate requires the pet relief areas to be accessible via wheelchair and indoors. That does not mean that each concourse or each terminal has one. Nor does it mean that all pet relief areas are on the plane side of TSA security.

The pet relief areas we have encountered include:

Very small artificial turf (sometimes as small as 3’ x 3’) in a private room, frequently with a hose for “potty” to be cleaned off/out the turf and a sink for people to wash their hands.
A private room with a large artificial turf area, some with plastic hydrants for pet relief incentive. These may also include a hose and a hand sink.
In rare cases, there is a lockable room that has pet relief turf and a toilet for people relief.
An enclosed area in the main public walking corridor with a two foot or higher “wall” (sometimes glass or expandable pet gate type fencing) around the artificial turf (usually no hose or sink in these areas).
An outdoor area before security.

If you plan to take your Service Dog to one of the airport pet relief areas, plan ahead.

Leave plenty of time before your flight (we recommend 2.5 hours minimum for domestic flights and three to four hours ahead for international flights. This time includes:

Time to check in at the service desk (you must go to an attended ticket counter, the same as those where tickets are issued, so your Service Dog’s paperwork and reservation confirmation can be performed).
If you need an airport-provided wheelchair to navigate the airport, we have found that it can take 30-45 minutes to get a “ride”. And this time increases if you and your travel companion both need airport-provided wheelchairs. Note that during busy times the airport wheelchair services area prioritizes people who have the shortest time before their flight so the extra time you built in for the next steps may vanish. Also, many airport wheelchair transporters have a fear of dogs, or culturally want to distance themselves from dogs. So they may refuse to transport you with your Service Dog, and other transporters need to be found. We have found that with some sensitivity, we explain our Service Dog will be kept forward as much as possible and this solves many problems.
Extra time for clearing TSA Security (this process is described in a previous Euro Service Dog Travel which is also available on the EuroServiceDogTravel.com/blogs web page).
Extra time to travel to and from the pet relief area if it is not near the boarding gate you will fly out of. This may be at the far end of the concourse, or in a different concourse altogether.
Extra time for boarding. The airline gate agents (and us, personally) prefer to board you first with your Service Dog so you can settle before others board.

2. Understand what you may encounter at a pet relief area. The pet relief areas we encountered have always smelled strongly of ammonia—really strongly. If this is the case at the airport you will fly out of:

Can you stand the smell?
Will your Service Dog be willing to enter a room/enclosure with that odor?
Will your Service Dog step on the smelly artificial turf?
Will your Service Dog step on artificial turf, even if it is clean and odor-free? (My friend’s Service Dog refuses to step on the artificial turf, even brand new; there is an unusual texture to it.)
Will your Service Dog relieve themselves under those circumstances?

As you ponder this, if you have never used pet relief areas before, understand that a dog’s nose is 1,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than humans. They have up to 300 million olfactory (smelling) sensors. Dogs have so sensitive of noses that they can smell a single drop of ammonia if it was dropped into an Olympic size swimming pool. Dogs can pick up a scent up to 1.6 miles away in a rural area—while the airport is not rural, lets just say they in airports they can smell things quite a distance away.

Also, ammonia odors can affect dogs by irritating their nose and throat- so asking them to voluntarily go into an area with a strong odor that irritates their nose and throat, let alone spend enough time to pick a spot and relieve themselves is a stretch. My previous and present Service Dogs would/will not even enter the pet relief rooms- their feet go out with full brakes on and rigid joints before the open door to the room. No way will they enter the room and then back pedal very fast until the door is closed.

We have found that, for us, there is a practical means to handle this issue for our Service Dogs (and based on their (lack of) frequency of needing to relieve themselves). We stop in a neighborhood or business park near the airport and take our Service Dogs out to relieve themselves on natural grass or gravel before getting to the airport.

The same goes with landing. We have found it best to wait until we have our luggage and exit the airport. Then travel to a nearby grass or gravel area for pet relief.

However, you do you. Assess your Service Dog and how long the flight is, how long your Service Dog can go between relief stops, and whether your Service Dog has ever relieved themselves on artificial turf. Plan your trip with care and to deal with what you need to deal with.

If your Service Dog will need to use the pet relief area, research your airport and know where the pet relief areas are there (even if you will rely on an airport wheelchair transporter for transport through the airport, many/most will not know where the pet relief areas are).

Know what you can handle and what your Service Dog needs are and what he/she is capable of. If your Service Dog has never experienced artificial turf and he/she will need to use the pet relief area, it might be a good idea to go to a home improvement store where they sell artificial turf or somewhere in your area that has artificial turf surface to have your Service Dog become acquainted with the texture before you go to the airport.

Most of all, be prepared, and then enjoy your flight as the start of a wonderful trip!

There are some airports thought to be more dog-friendly than others. Check out these articles:

Top 10 Dog-Friendly Airports in the U.S.

https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airports/most-pet-friendly-airports-in-the-us

https://www.gensler.com/blog/how-do-we-accommodate-traveling-service-animals

There also is a youtube video that includes a segment on pet relief areas, entitled “E24 Traveling to Italy with my Service Animal”. (Note some other information about the Service Dog requirements for travel is outdated).

The Trials of Going Through TSA Security at U.S. Airports

By: Susan Evans
September 13, 2024

Expect the Unexpected

There can be many challenges going through TSA Security at U.S. Airports. First, note that there are no set procedures for going through security with a Service Dog. TSA has published the Service Dog screening process at https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/disabilities-and-medical-conditions/service-anima ls. However, I have found that this is not what may actually happen. Procedures likely can change every time you go through, whether you are at the same airport or different airports.

This is an idea of many variations that may occur, so that you can be aware of them. Note your treatment at security may be the same as one of the options shown below, or it may not. The key is, being flexible and always talk to the TSA agents about what their procedures will be. You are entitled to offer suggestions. Or to tell them that what they are proposing is against the manner your Service Dog is trained or does not work. The goal is for you and them to understand what will be done before either you or your Service Dog passes through the security checkpoint.

Note that by the time you get to the front of the line, people:
- May have crowded you and your Service Dog
- Tried to pet your Service Dog
- Tried to roll luggage over your Service Dog
- And escalated the energy/ nerves of the situation.
There may be other service dogs, or pets (dogs or cats, and in carriers to be under seats) milling around you and your Service Dog, being nervous or barking. Allow plenty of time extra time to go through security and do what you can to be calm. Remember stress goes down the leash.

If you have no metal in your body or electronic components so you can pass through the metal detector:
1. TSA may have you pass through the metal detector, holding the leash with your Service Dog by your side (or asking your hold the arm holding the leash out behind you). When the metal detector alerts because of your Service Dog’s tags, collar, leashes, they may touch those items and state you are clear.
1. TSA may ask you to remove your Service Dog’s vest, leash and collar. And whether there is metal on them or not, pass them through the x-ray (leaving your Service Dog with no leash). Then ask you to have your dog lay down and stay while you pass through the detector. Then call your Service Dog to follow. Be aware that other people in line behind you will start crowding the metal detector (and your Service Dog). This problem is lessened if you are traveling with someone. Ask your companion, or even a stranger, to hold your Service Dog’s leash. When told, call your Service Dog through the metal detector and hold him/her until the collar and leash are returned to you.
1. TSA may ask you to send your Service Dog (no leash, collar or vest) through the metal detector first and then you follow. I refuse because: First, my Service Dog is not trained to advance without me. Second, because you have an unleashed dog, loose on the airport terminal side with no one to keep tabs on the dog until you get cleared).
1. TSA may have you travel through the metal detector with the dog leashed and with a vest and collar. If your Service Dog trips the metal detector because of metal on the collar and leash, they ask you to remove the collar and leash and pass them through x-ray.
1. If your Service Dog trips the detector, in addition to taking off the leash and collar, they may have you remove the vest from your Service Dog to take back and pass through security. (In this scenario, you can ask that they do the leash and collar, and after you have them back on your Service Dog, then do the vest so you always a way to hold onto your Service Dog).
1. Instead of taking off the vest, they may pat down your Service Dog. This is usually awkward pets and, and the larger your Service Dog, the more likely they will have their face near your dog’s face. Note that some of the TSA screeners we have encountered seem to be extremely scared of dogs so note their stress energy will be in the whole mix. You can certainly reach down and hold the nose/mouth of your Service Dog while they do the pat down of the dog.
2. TSA may use a swab on your hands and rub it between the dog and vest and run through their machine.
1. Some other variation that is completely outside the scope of this list.
If you have metal in your body or electronic components so you cannot pass through the metal detector and must use the body scanner:

Things are more complicated (and often ridiculous) under this scenario.
1. TSA may ask you to send your Service Dog forward through the metal detector, without you following, and then you pass through the body scan (I refuse – same reason as number 3 above).
1. TSA may ask you to have your Service Dog stay. Then have you walk through the metal detector (even after you have told them why you cannot), followed by your Service Dog (see previous section for all the variations of what they may do to clear your Service Dog). Then have you and your Service Dog come back through the metal detector backwards and then go over to the body scanner. At the body scanner, they tell you to have your Service Dog stay while you pass through body scanner, then call your Service Dog. If you have areas they want to hand check on you, they may be reluctant to have you touch your Service Dog until they clear you. (I have never had them refuse to allow me to grab the leash end and hold in my outstretched hand while they clear me). Note that this is not a typical down/stay at the body scanner for two reasons: (1) people are jostling behind your Service Dog trying to get the system to hurry up and you are not close to your Service Dog (2) when the body scan of you occurs, there is a curved plastic plate that moves to a position between you and your Service Dog, and there is a whooshing noise from the movement. Service Dogs are almost never trained for this scenario.
2. TSA may decide to have you and your Service Dog bypass the body scanner and metal detector, then pat down your Service Dog and you.
3. TSA may decide to have you and your Service Dog bypass the body scanner and metal detector, then use their wipe swab to check your hands and shoes and run a separate swab under your Service Dog’s vest.
Anecdote: Not only are procedures inconsistent, they can vary dramatically in length of time it takes and the DRAMA/fears/energy on the part of TSA. In the same trip, one way, I was told to bypass the body scanner and metal detector and then ran a swab over my hands and shoes and passed my Service Dog and I through. On the return trip, they saw my Service Dog, and I discussed clearance procedures with three different TSA agents. Because of their fear of dogs, each verbally handed it off to someone else. TSA patted me and my Service Dog down with lots of DRAMA, including a full body hug of my very large Service Dog (at that time a German Shepherd), including having their face next to my Service Dogs’ face (mouth). Thank goodness my dog was totally non-reactive!.

I have also gone the route of having a second set of vest and leash/collar combination that do not have any metal, only plastic D rings and buckles. This did not change any of the drama or variations of going through TSA security. When it was inconvenient to me to carry this extra vest and leash/collar, I quit doing so as it never saved me any time, inconvenience or drama.

Note that all of these scenarios described are based on personal experience. Even over time, the TSA check process has never been consistent.

There are several YouTube videos that show showing someone going through a TSA metal detector with their Service Dog. You can view them at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ZdJJ0VVC0PA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsg8LVHKGpI

These show similar techniques used by TSA. Please send me info if you have an experience different that those described above!

Hey there, fellow TRAVELERS

I’m Susan, a travel enthusiast with a passion for exploring many places–all with my Service Dog.

Through my blogs, I share my experiences, from the exciting adventures, to the basic information needed to make travel with my Service Dog as seamless as possible