"Emotional Support Animal" Ruby

I'll be moving to Zambia in August and one of the biggest decisions that played into accepting the position at the American International School of Lusaka was the fact that the school, and Zambia (no quarantine with proper documents), are pretty dog-friendly.  Having just had to put Gus, my giant Great Dane to sleep, I knew there was no way I could even consider "rehoming" Ruby.  She's my family and I wouldn't have accepted a position where she wouldn't have been able to join me.

That being said, there were a ton of logistical things to cover in order for Ruby to travel with me.  First and foremost, the flight planning has been a nightmare.  The three main airlines the fly to Lusaka (British Airways, South African Airways, and Ethiopian Air) all had quite a few challenges.  British Airways and SAA were out because of the restrictions on flying with a dog to/through their countries.  If one piece of paper is out of order, they can send you/your dog home.  So, United/Air Ethiopia definitely appear to be the best flight option for Ruby and I.

As Ruby is a snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dog; Boston Terrier and maybe some French Bulldog, she  shouldn't travel beneath the plane.  Ever.  In fact, United and it's Star Alliance partners have a ban on any brachycephalic dogs flying beneath the cabin between June and August as they are the dog breeds most likely to overheat and die.  So, I was obviously not going to even consider crating Ruby underneath the plane.

No big deal because Ruby, who weighs in at ~23 pounds is below the weight restriction on United of 25 pounds, so as long as we limit the treats and up the walks, she would be fine to put in a kennel with me in the plane.

Enter "The Bad Situation":
Although Ruby would be fine for our Spokane-Washington D.C. leg on United,  our connecting flight on Ethiopian Airlines has a dog weight restriciton of 17 pounds.  While I'm all for a sleek and svelte Ruby-dog (especially after her Chipper Chubber days last summer when, after her knee surgery, she weighed in at a whopping 31 pounds (!)),  I think getting her down to 17 pounds would be considered cruel and unusual.  So, what to do, what to do???

Luckily, I have the world's best vet and she also agreed that a.) Ruby cannot go under the plane and b.) she can't lose that much weight, so she suggested I explore other options, like getting Ruby certified to be my Emotional Support Animal.

After many hours lost on the internet, I discovered that getting a pup certified as an ESA isn't too terribly difficult.  Basically, you need a note from your counselor stating that you have a "debilitating" condition (I "have" Panic Disorder and Severe Panic Attacks) and an Emotional Support Animal is necessary for your treatment.  Luckily, I found a counselor who, for the right fee ($100 office visit), was willing to write me a prescription.  Additionally, I have a family friend who is a doctor who also diagnosed me with Panic Disorder.  I also registered Ruby with the National Service Animal Registry (~$70) and, with that registration fee, I got an "official" letter (to show airline officials), two "official" laminated "Service Dog" tags to attach to her harness, and "Service Dog" patches to sew onto her harness.

Here are some helpful links:
Definition of an Emotional Support Animal
Flying with an Emotional Support Animal
Article about Traveling with an ESA
Where to Order ESA Tags/Patches/Vest
Pet Travel Store (information on country-specific requirements to import your pet)