You might let out a big sigh when you board your plane and you ended up sitting next to a screaming child, or a man taking off his shoes during the flight. But how would it feel to have a 70-pound pig setting next to you?
This is Hamlet the hog, a pot bellied pig owned by 31-year-old Megan Peabody, who’s based on the U.S Virgin Islands. Hamlet is classified as an emotional support animal, and so Peabody can bring him onboard the plane (at least in the United States) free of charge as aid for her air anxieties.
"His presence is calming because it is familiar to me," Peabody tells CNN Travel. "It distracts me from my surroundings when they make me anxious."
Emotional support animals (ESAs) are an increasingly hot topic in the United States, as more and more passengers arrive at the airport with an animal in tow, arguing that a furry friend will alleviate their aviation anxieties.
The phenomenon's prompted vigorous discussion on what constitutes an ESA, whether the system's being manipulated by pet owners keen to skip travel fees, what the impact is on air crew and fellow passengers, and whether ESAs on the plane do a disservice to those who genuinely need service animals on board.
More details over at CNN.
What are your thoughts on this one?
(Image Credit: Megan Peabody)