While it's good advice to prepare for a flight by taking meds beforehand, and to do what you can on the flight to ensure your own health, this response and others I've read show a lack of understanding of what it means to have allergies. I have severe allergies to animals, perfumes, dust, molds, etc. Being in any public place is a constant risk, a risk that I have no choice but to accept. I carry an Epipen but in a severe attack, I'm not sure that I could administer it to myself. The current fad of everyone claiming to have a service dog or emotional support animal is out of hand. Anyone can order a service dog vest on the internet. Airlines, hotels, grocery stores, hospitals, car rental agencies, etc. all have to recognize the risk they are putting people at when they allow such abuses. And yes, I know there are laws that currently must be adhered to, but companies should be working to get the laws changed, if for no other reason than to avoid the lawsuits that are bound to come as more and more people abuse the priviledge of traveling with an animal. Hotels limit rooms that can accept pets. Why can't airlines limit the flights, or at least the seating? Why not have an option when booking a flight for passengers to declare whether they have allergies or wish to travel with an animal? First passenger to declare their needs determines whether pets are allowed on that flight. I know this isn't a perfect solution. As you point out, dander left from a previous flight could be a problem. But if the animals were still restricted to (let's say) the rear of the plane, and anyone declaring allergies were seated as far as possible away from that section (whether there's animals on that particular flight or not), that would go a long way toward ensuring the health of everyone. While I know I can never eliminate all the risk of traveling, there are things you could be doing to improve my chances.
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