Please read the Air Carriers Act. It totally allows a service dog to be on the floor by the owners feet. It is not allowed in a exit row or to spill out into the isle though.
Here are the rules:
1. Service animals are welcome on all our flights. There is no charge for trained service animals.
2. There is no limit to the number and type of service animals as long as they fit on your lap or in front of your seat. Aisles may not be obstructed.
3. An animal sitting on your lap must be no larger than an infant.
4. Additional restrictions apply on flights outside the continental United States.
5. If you'd like special seating, such as a bulkhead seat, call 800-428-4322 (TTY 800-245-2966) at least 24 hours before your flight. Because of safety regulations, if you're traveling with a service animal, you may not sit in an exit row.
Here is another person's post:
"ADA does not cover air travel or aircraft, it only covers the terminals and public areas of the airport. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, a Service Animal can be denied travel if it is aggressive, disruptive, agitated or otherwise presents a safety concern. Before removing a passenger and their Service Animal, the flight crew will discuss the situation with the company's resolution specialist who in consultation with the aircraft captain will make a determination.
Disability advocates caution disabled travelers to be aware of the aircraft type and take steps necessary to ensure their animal is comfortable on certain equipment, especially those that are prop driven and confined such as this flight.
The passenger did acknowledge that the Service Animal was getting agitated and not following his commands to remain still. He also admitted that he may have gotten a little vocal with the flight attendant. The flight attendant wanted the animal secured "at his feet" which is standard practice and a requirement of the FAA. Having an animal in the aisle during takeoff and landing is not permitted. There is some disagreement even among the passengers if the request was for the animal to be stowed "under the seat" or was it "secured at his feet". That will have to be determined after direct interviews with all involved.
A lengthy delay is going to irritate the animal especially if its not use to the Dash 8, heck humans can get irritated in that sardine can. It is likely that the animal and human (and other passengers) were just irritable due to all the conditions. Federal regulations are there for a reason and the denial of transit was established in coordination with disability advocates. If the conditions reached the level of a safety concern, disabled with a Service Animal or not, the flight crew has to consider the safety of the aircraft and passengers.
I am a very big Disability and Service Animal advocate from personal family experience; however, I also fully support the ACAA and its restrictions. Being disabled and having a Service Animal is not a license to not conform to airline safety regulations. "
I am not sure I would be able to take a side on this one. See my Lab below (Sarge). We have a large Guide Dogs for the Blind school here. But REMEMBER, a 5 oz liquid bottle won't go on a plane with you, and only recently was any electronic device use allowed most of the time. The safety of the crew and passengers is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than the comfort or "rights" of any individual, disabled or not, and we cannot know the entire situation. The owner didn't count on the delay, and neither did the crew. If the dog wouldn't settle down, AND the owner got testy, I kinda understand. Maybe they would have arranged another flight, or paid for a bus ride, I don't know. And we don't know the reason for the traveling. If there had been an issue in flight involving the dog, most of the people posting here would have been all over the airline for allowing that dog aboard.
But the dog looks like a sweetheart, like my big bubba: