Mini horses now qualify as service animals on Alaska Airlines flights

Have you been wanting to bring your miniature horse along with you while you fly, but previous airline regulations wouldn't allow it? Good news: now you can.

At least, if you're flying with Alaska Airlines, you can. In a news release issued by the airline, October 1 is the day their changes go into effect, changing the rules on which animals are allowed to board with passengers.

Previously, dogs and cats fit the bill laid out by Alaska, but now, mini horses qualify as well.

There are two different categories, however, and horses only fit into one of them. They split animals into emotional support animals and service animals.

Emotional support animals are defined by the airline as animals that assist those with a mental health related disability and are not trained to perform a specific task or work.

Service animals, on the other hand, assist a qualified individual with a disability who is blind or has low vision, is deaf or hard of hearing, has diabetes, seizures, mobility limitations, or other conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder.

When it comes to emotional support animals, the airline took the opportunity to be clear with what they'll allow.

"Emotional support animals will be limited to either a dog or cat. No other species of animal will be permitted," Alaska wrote in the release.

So, if your miniature horse isn't a trained service animal, it's not allowed, and proper documentation is required, according to the airline.