I'm tempted to look at the "scam of flying pets" and think that instead the solution is to liberalize policies on allowing pets, with the potential for penaltie

I'm tempted to look at the "scam of flying pets" and think that instead the solution is to liberalize policies on allowing pets, with the potential for penalties for violators of the social order. The analogy that springs to mind is "medical" marijuana or "medical" alcohol during prohibition [1]. Without denying the genuine needs of some people, others "scammed" the system, finding doctors who would say that yes, you do indeed need a prescription for whatever it is that ails you. Many of the prescriptions were medically bogus, but the behavior itself isn't inherently socially harmful. Switching to a system where you punish bad behavior rather than the possibility of bad behavior has generally been well regarded in places where these substances have been legalized (opinions may vary, of course, but so far as I know, no state that has legalized recreational cannabis has seen serious pushes to recriminalize it), so why not do the same for pets. If you had to put down a deposit to fly with a pet, but had it reimbursed assuming good behavior, then you could ding the people whose pets get into fights with service animals, defecate, etc, while allowing responsible pet owners freer movement. [1] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/during-prohibition-your-doctor-could-write-you-prescription-booze-180947940/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/during-prohibition-yo...