Emotional support hamster flushed at airport.

[Catherine]

I agree the story doesn't fully add up. There were numerous things she could have done other than flushing the hamster.
Why didn't she phone someone and ask for help. She has friends and parents. Someone could have given her good advice.
I have no idea whether an airline staff said anything or not. You are right that she didn't have to do it. There are trains and buses. If she didn't have the money her parents could have prepaid things for her. They could also sent her money. She must have had a cell phone. There were so many possibilities.  I hate to think of a little dwarf hamster being treated like that.

Clearly airlines need to sort out their policies towards support animals. I can see why they can't take some animals on an airplane in the cabin. Some animals are just to big to safely have loose in a confined space. I don't know why they don't allow rodents.

I am wondering what doctor would sign off on a dwarf hamster as a support animal. Usually a support animal has some training and works with the person to keep them steady. Many of these so called support animals are just pets that a person wants to have around. They may feel emotional support from the animal, but it is not really an actual support animal. If we don't draw the line between pet and support animal we will find that support animals will lose all their hard earned rights. Right now support animals can be in areas that pets are not allowed. If there is a problem then that privilege will cease.

I was stunned when I read about the hamster. It just doesn't seem possible that someone flushed a live hamster.
If she had left it at home with lots of food an water it would have been okay on its own.