Hearts Melt as Emotional Support Dog Has Unexpected Reaction During Flight

This golden retriever might be an emotional support animal (ESA) for his owner, but she has delighted the internet by revealing the reality of what it's like to travel with him.

Although he is supposed to be there to comfort his owner, Maui needed his own support during the flight, as his owner shared the moment she had to console him when the plane was taking off and landing.

The adorable video, posted on Maui's dedicated TikTok account (@maui_thegoldenpup) joked that the ESA ended up "having the biggest anxiety" during the flight instead, much to his owner's surprise.

Since the clip was posted on November 8, it has already been viewed more than 479,000 times and received over 61,800 likes. Fortunately for Maui, his owner, from California, was on hand to give him some love and fuss during the flight to help him stay calm.

In December 2020, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) amended the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) to rule that a service animal is a dog trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. This new regulation means that airlines can refuse ESAs and companion animals on flights as they do not qualify as service animals.

While ESAs may not be regarded in the same way as a trained service dog, they are still a valuable source of comfort for their owner. The American Kennel Club (AKC) highlights that ESAs can provide a person with some much-needed companionship, which can ease depression, anxiety, or certain phobias.

Alongside the video of Maui, his owner jested that he in fact needs his own "emotional support hooman during takeoff and landing."

After the video went viral, many TikTok users commented on the post to joke about Maui's attempts to support his owner, which quickly backfired during the flight. His owner even responded to one comment to explain that he "doesn't like anything shaky," which made the flight rather traumatic for him.

Among the other comments on the post, there was plenty of support for Maui, as one TikTok user wrote: "We're here for you, Maui."

Another person responded: "That's why he had to bring his emotional support human."

"Honestly, having to reassure someone more stressed than me usually makes me less stressed," wrote one TikTok user.

Newsweek reached out to @maui_thegoldenpup via TikTok and email for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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