February 20, 2024 • 11 mins
Woman Uses Squirrel as Emotional Support Animal: a Florida woman brought her pet squirrel, Pebbles, on a flight, claiming it as an emotional support animal.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Florida woman brings pet squirrel on flightas emotional support animal. We all know
Florida has a reputation for absurd newsstories involving unusual animals, eccentric characters,
and questionable life choices. But whenit comes to bending the rules and social
norms, Florida woman Alicia King justraised the bar. King recently made headlines
(00:23):
after attempting to bring her pet squirrelnamed Pebbles on a Frontier Airline's flight from
Orlando to Cleveland, while claiming thefurry rodent was an emotional support animal.
Yes, you read that correctly,a squirrel, an emotional support squirrel.
I couldn't make this stuff up ifI tried. As someone who has lived
in Florida for most of my life, I can honestly say I wasn't shocked
(00:45):
when I first read this story.I've witnessed more than enough outrageous antics from
the local wildlife and human population aliketo make me immune to feeling surprised,
But this latest headline did succeed inmaking me laugh harder than I have in
a while. When questioned about herunique support companion, Miss King claimed she
absolutely needed to have little Pebbles byher side for comfort during the two hour
(01:08):
flight due to her undisclosed disability.Though specific details were not provided, she
insisted Pebbles alleviated her anxiety and providedtherapeutic emotional support she required when traveling.
According to King, Pebbles is veryspecial to me. She helps me cope
with the disabling anxiety I suffer thatprevents me from traveling alone without an animal
(01:30):
companion like her. Squirrels may notbe traditionally thought of as support animals,
but Pebbles has been individually trained tobe a loving and helpful creature whose presence
keeps me calm. Upon sharing doctor'snotes that apparently verified her condition and need
for the bushy tailed assistance, Kingproudly carried Pebbles, nestled snugly inside her
(01:53):
jacket through Orlando International Airport security checkpointsand to her departure gate without issue,
or so she thought. Moments aftertaking her seat and settling in for departure,
King was asked to leave the aircraftby frontier flight attendants, who were
alerted by concerned passengers nearby, Despitedesperate pleas from King and repeated assurances that
(02:15):
Pebbles would remain tucked away in hershirt without causing disruption, Staff stood firm
on their no squirrels on the planepolicy. When later speaking to reporters about
the incident, King cried, it'sjust not fair. Pebbles was being quiet
and so well behaved. We havejust as much right to fly comfortably as
anyone with one of those little,yappy dogs you see passengers with in their
(02:37):
laps all the time. Why aresquirrels treated differently than cats or miniature ponies
that get approved for emotional support status. While Frontier Airlines does have policies allowing
approved animals to board, squirrels aredecidedly not included on the list of permitted
creature companions. The official rules stateonly cats and dogs are authorized to enter
(02:57):
the aircraft cabin, provided they arekept in a small carrier that fits under
the seat in front. Miniature horsesare also allowed on some flights under special
accommodations. Surprisingly, though Pebble's intricatemakeshift outfit perfectly sized to enable her to
pass as a baby, seems tohave momentarily convinced staff at the screening checkpoint
that she was indeed an infant andmet regulations. King recounted the exchange the
(03:23):
TSA agent kept looking back and forthbetween Pebble's adorable little face poking out of
my shirt and the scans on hismonitor, trying to figure out what was
going on. You could see theconfusion on his face. I don't think
he wanted to accuse me of tryingto sneak a rodent through security without being
(03:43):
one hundred percent sure there wasn't atiny human tucked in this shirt. After
a few heart stopping moments, hefinally asked if Pebbles was my baby,
to which I promptly replied yes,while nervously stroking her bushy tail hanging out
just below my neckline. Though heraised suspicious eyebrows, we were swiftly waved
through and scurried quickly towards the gatebefore any one could inquire further or try
(04:06):
to poke their heads down my shirt. While the thought of putting her pet
squirrel or any squirrel, in ahome made baby sling may seem absurd,
King didn't flinch at the idea,given her unrelenting need to insure Pebble's accompanies
her everywhere she goes. For years, I've brought dear Pebbles along with me
any time I leave the house,she enjoys our little adventures, and her
(04:27):
tiny claws grip on to me forsecurity and comfort through every step, literally,
says King. When asked what inspiredher to purchase a squirrel as a
pet in the first place, Kingcasually replies, I rescued Pebbles years ago
after her mom was killed by acar in my neighborhood. I've always felt
close to animals, especially misunderstood rodents, and after feeding baby Pebbles with an
(04:47):
eye dropper to nurse her back tohealth, we formed an instant, unbreakable
bond. This was not the firstpublic confrontation King has faced over the uncommon
therapeutic creature either. Over the years, she's rallied relentlessly for acceptance and rights
to bring Pebbles everywhere, from grocerystores to restaurants, kid's birthday parties,
(05:08):
even ladies night happy hour events downtown. Predictably, not everyone has been opened
to embracing pebbles enthusiastic presence and typicallyanimal free zones. Yes, apparently some
folks are just plain squirrelyphobic. KingLament's prior disastrous run ins where she's been
blatantly denied entry to establishments or disturbedmid meal after Pebbles was inevitably discovered tucked
(05:30):
under her masses of curly red hairby a frightened waitress, initially believing it
to be an odd hair piece.One memorable misunderstanding unfolded at a local ice
cream shop on a sweltering ninety twodegree summer day last July. On this
particular occasion, while standing in linefor a triple scoop of Rocky Road,
little Pebbles became restless in King's shortspocket and scampered up the back of her
(05:53):
colorful floral tank top to cool off. Chaos quickly ensued, with children frantically
jumping from seats, pointing fingers andscreaming there was a giant psycho mutant rat
on the loose attacking the red headedlady by the counter. Frenzied parents grabbed
their sticky sweet kiddos, scrambling towardsexits in mass hysteria. After Pebble's long,
bushy tail shot straight up behind King'sneck, appearing to be attached to
(06:15):
her crimson curls, employees looked on, speechless in confusion for a few awkward
moments before promptly escorting the unconventional duofrom the premises without allowing King's order to
be completed or refunded. Due tothe stir crazy disruption. Reflecting back,
King sighs, we were so lookingforward to that triple scoop of Rocky Road
(06:36):
in a waffle cone two. Whata tragic waste. Poor Pebble's little heart
was crushed right along with mine.I swear I saw tiny tears well up
in her precious bulging eyes as wewere rushed out the door. Thankfully,
law enforcement officials have never been calledto intervene on these truly tragic separations between
women and squirrel. However, sincethe airlines enced cident, a public petition
(07:00):
has mysteriously surfaced, pleading with allbusinesses in Central Florida to hang clearly visible
signs stating whether or not pet squirrelsare allowed on premises to avoid future uncomfortable
confrontations. Though federal guidelines deem rodentsunfit for categorization as comfort companions, King
remains one hundred percent dedicated to championingfor squirrel equality rights. She intends to
(07:23):
continue aggressively lobbying to reform existing EIGHTYAlaws allowing undisclosed disabilities a more expansive list
of suitable support substitutes. If geese, pigs, even kangaroos are permitted approval
in certain cases, why aren't squirrelsequally considered scoreless? Attitudes demanding such blatant,
fur based discrimination have no place inmodern society, argues King. Pebble's
(07:46):
disastrous airport ejection only fueled kings fierypassion and motivation to keep pushing for justice.
She promptly hired a lawyer well knownfor taking on frivolous cases, and
marched right back into the Arline Zendoterminal days later, trying again to cleared
for boarding with Pebbles in tow.Unfortunately, their second attempt met the exact
(08:07):
same fate. After another loud verbalconfrontation between King and airline officials, security
was forced to intervene and threatened torest if she did not leave immediately without
the squirrel. King did finally backdown once TSA guards blocked her path,
but continued cussing relentlessly while reluctantly retreatingfrom the jet bridge. Fine, we
(08:28):
don't need your flights anyway, Iguess we'll just drive to Cleveland, she
announced, while proudly raising her middlefinger high in the air, and drive
they did straight through the night,stopping only once for gas and snacks.
They endured the long fourteen hour journey, exhausted but triumphant. King was later
photographed proudly standing beside a Cleveland Highwaywelcome sign with pebbles perched on her shoulder,
(08:52):
wearing miniature sunglasses and an even tinierhomemade we don't need your stinkin planes
picket sign displayed for all to see. That statement may not have the intended
effect considered, squirrels don't actually haveopposable thumbs capable of creating protest declarations,
but the unified visual message still cameacross loud and clear. While King did
(09:13):
technically win this round through sheer forceof will and gas mileage scouring pet websites,
upon returning to Florida days later,she was saddened and outraged to discover
multiple airlines had quietly added explicit squirrelbands to formal policies. So for now,
cross country travel plans must remain roadtrip exclusive. If nothing else,
(09:33):
this whole ordeal did succeed in providingthe nation plenty of laughable viral entertainment that
brilliantly spotlights Florida living up to itsnotoriously wacky reputation. We can only imagine
how many more absurd escapades Miss Kingand sidekick Pebbles still have in store that
will inevitably offer comic relief amid dailychaos in her quest to break down squirrel
(09:56):
stigmas. Maybe we could all learnsomething from king complete lack of embarrassment and
unapologetic authenticity. Perhaps, before harshlyjudging perceived oddities in others, we should
be looking inward at our own issueswith accepting folks unconditionally. What really defines
normal anyway? One thing's for sure. Life is never boring for this fiery
duo down in Florida. Buckle upAmerica. If pet squirrel demands get dismissed
(10:22):
outright, King is fully prepared topush boundaries even further next time by attempting
to pass Pebbles off as an exoticparrot. So airlines better start preparing now
for a feathery barrage of bushy tails, furry ears, and tasty nuts spreading
like wildfire through terminals. The squirrelyscampering circus has officially left the Sunshine State,
(10:43):
heading straight for an airport near you. Let's just hope no children get
traumatized for life by giant rodent visionsin the process. Stay tuned, Thank
you for listening to this quiet Pleaseproduction, be sure to subscribe and never
miss a Florida man story.
Florida woman brings pet squirrel on flightas emotional support animal. We all know
Florida has a reputation for absurd newsstories involving unusual animals, eccentric characters,
and questionable life choices. But whenit comes to bending the rules and social
norms, Florida woman Alicia King justraised the bar. King recently made headlines
(00:23):
after attempting to bring her pet squirrelnamed Pebbles on a Frontier Airline's flight from
Orlando to Cleveland, while claiming thefurry rodent was an emotional support animal.
Yes, you read that correctly,a squirrel, an emotional support squirrel.
I couldn't make this stuff up ifI tried. As someone who has lived
in Florida for most of my life, I can honestly say I wasn't shocked
(00:45):
when I first read this story.I've witnessed more than enough outrageous antics from
the local wildlife and human population aliketo make me immune to feeling surprised,
But this latest headline did succeed inmaking me laugh harder than I have in
a while. When questioned about herunique support companion, Miss King claimed she
absolutely needed to have little Pebbles byher side for comfort during the two hour
(01:08):
flight due to her undisclosed disability.Though specific details were not provided, she
insisted Pebbles alleviated her anxiety and providedtherapeutic emotional support she required when traveling.
According to King, Pebbles is veryspecial to me. She helps me cope
with the disabling anxiety I suffer thatprevents me from traveling alone without an animal
(01:30):
companion like her. Squirrels may notbe traditionally thought of as support animals,
but Pebbles has been individually trained tobe a loving and helpful creature whose presence
keeps me calm. Upon sharing doctor'snotes that apparently verified her condition and need
for the bushy tailed assistance, Kingproudly carried Pebbles, nestled snugly inside her
(01:53):
jacket through Orlando International Airport security checkpointsand to her departure gate without issue,
or so she thought. Moments aftertaking her seat and settling in for departure,
King was asked to leave the aircraftby frontier flight attendants, who were
alerted by concerned passengers nearby, Despitedesperate pleas from King and repeated assurances that
(02:15):
Pebbles would remain tucked away in hershirt without causing disruption, Staff stood firm
on their no squirrels on the planepolicy. When later speaking to reporters about
the incident, King cried, it'sjust not fair. Pebbles was being quiet
and so well behaved. We havejust as much right to fly comfortably as
anyone with one of those little,yappy dogs you see passengers with in their
(02:37):
laps all the time. Why aresquirrels treated differently than cats or miniature ponies
that get approved for emotional support status. While Frontier Airlines does have policies allowing
approved animals to board, squirrels aredecidedly not included on the list of permitted
creature companions. The official rules stateonly cats and dogs are authorized to enter
(02:57):
the aircraft cabin, provided they arekept in a small carrier that fits under
the seat in front. Miniature horsesare also allowed on some flights under special
accommodations. Surprisingly, though Pebble's intricatemakeshift outfit perfectly sized to enable her to
pass as a baby, seems tohave momentarily convinced staff at the screening checkpoint
that she was indeed an infant andmet regulations. King recounted the exchange the
(03:23):
TSA agent kept looking back and forthbetween Pebble's adorable little face poking out of
my shirt and the scans on hismonitor, trying to figure out what was
going on. You could see theconfusion on his face. I don't think
he wanted to accuse me of tryingto sneak a rodent through security without being
(03:43):
one hundred percent sure there wasn't atiny human tucked in this shirt. After
a few heart stopping moments, hefinally asked if Pebbles was my baby,
to which I promptly replied yes,while nervously stroking her bushy tail hanging out
just below my neckline. Though heraised suspicious eyebrows, we were swiftly waved
through and scurried quickly towards the gatebefore any one could inquire further or try
(04:06):
to poke their heads down my shirt. While the thought of putting her pet
squirrel or any squirrel, in ahome made baby sling may seem absurd,
King didn't flinch at the idea,given her unrelenting need to insure Pebble's accompanies
her everywhere she goes. For years, I've brought dear Pebbles along with me
any time I leave the house,she enjoys our little adventures, and her
(04:27):
tiny claws grip on to me forsecurity and comfort through every step, literally,
says King. When asked what inspiredher to purchase a squirrel as a
pet in the first place, Kingcasually replies, I rescued Pebbles years ago
after her mom was killed by acar in my neighborhood. I've always felt
close to animals, especially misunderstood rodents, and after feeding baby Pebbles with an
(04:47):
eye dropper to nurse her back tohealth, we formed an instant, unbreakable
bond. This was not the firstpublic confrontation King has faced over the uncommon
therapeutic creature either. Over the years, she's rallied relentlessly for acceptance and rights
to bring Pebbles everywhere, from grocerystores to restaurants, kid's birthday parties,
(05:08):
even ladies night happy hour events downtown. Predictably, not everyone has been opened
to embracing pebbles enthusiastic presence and typicallyanimal free zones. Yes, apparently some
folks are just plain squirrelyphobic. KingLament's prior disastrous run ins where she's been
blatantly denied entry to establishments or disturbedmid meal after Pebbles was inevitably discovered tucked
(05:30):
under her masses of curly red hairby a frightened waitress, initially believing it
to be an odd hair piece.One memorable misunderstanding unfolded at a local ice
cream shop on a sweltering ninety twodegree summer day last July. On this
particular occasion, while standing in linefor a triple scoop of Rocky Road,
little Pebbles became restless in King's shortspocket and scampered up the back of her
(05:53):
colorful floral tank top to cool off. Chaos quickly ensued, with children frantically
jumping from seats, pointing fingers andscreaming there was a giant psycho mutant rat
on the loose attacking the red headedlady by the counter. Frenzied parents grabbed
their sticky sweet kiddos, scrambling towardsexits in mass hysteria. After Pebble's long,
bushy tail shot straight up behind King'sneck, appearing to be attached to
(06:15):
her crimson curls, employees looked on, speechless in confusion for a few awkward
moments before promptly escorting the unconventional duofrom the premises without allowing King's order to
be completed or refunded. Due tothe stir crazy disruption. Reflecting back,
King sighs, we were so lookingforward to that triple scoop of Rocky Road
(06:36):
in a waffle cone two. Whata tragic waste. Poor Pebble's little heart
was crushed right along with mine.I swear I saw tiny tears well up
in her precious bulging eyes as wewere rushed out the door. Thankfully,
law enforcement officials have never been calledto intervene on these truly tragic separations between
women and squirrel. However, sincethe airlines enced cident, a public petition
(07:00):
has mysteriously surfaced, pleading with allbusinesses in Central Florida to hang clearly visible
signs stating whether or not pet squirrelsare allowed on premises to avoid future uncomfortable
confrontations. Though federal guidelines deem rodentsunfit for categorization as comfort companions, King
remains one hundred percent dedicated to championingfor squirrel equality rights. She intends to
(07:23):
continue aggressively lobbying to reform existing EIGHTYAlaws allowing undisclosed disabilities a more expansive list
of suitable support substitutes. If geese, pigs, even kangaroos are permitted approval
in certain cases, why aren't squirrelsequally considered scoreless? Attitudes demanding such blatant,
fur based discrimination have no place inmodern society, argues King. Pebble's
(07:46):
disastrous airport ejection only fueled kings fierypassion and motivation to keep pushing for justice.
She promptly hired a lawyer well knownfor taking on frivolous cases, and
marched right back into the Arline Zendoterminal days later, trying again to cleared
for boarding with Pebbles in tow.Unfortunately, their second attempt met the exact
(08:07):
same fate. After another loud verbalconfrontation between King and airline officials, security
was forced to intervene and threatened torest if she did not leave immediately without
the squirrel. King did finally backdown once TSA guards blocked her path,
but continued cussing relentlessly while reluctantly retreatingfrom the jet bridge. Fine, we
(08:28):
don't need your flights anyway, Iguess we'll just drive to Cleveland, she
announced, while proudly raising her middlefinger high in the air, and drive
they did straight through the night,stopping only once for gas and snacks.
They endured the long fourteen hour journey, exhausted but triumphant. King was later
photographed proudly standing beside a Cleveland Highwaywelcome sign with pebbles perched on her shoulder,
(08:52):
wearing miniature sunglasses and an even tinierhomemade we don't need your stinkin planes
picket sign displayed for all to see. That statement may not have the intended
effect considered, squirrels don't actually haveopposable thumbs capable of creating protest declarations,
but the unified visual message still cameacross loud and clear. While King did
(09:13):
technically win this round through sheer forceof will and gas mileage scouring pet websites,
upon returning to Florida days later,she was saddened and outraged to discover
multiple airlines had quietly added explicit squirrelbands to formal policies. So for now,
cross country travel plans must remain roadtrip exclusive. If nothing else,
(09:33):
this whole ordeal did succeed in providingthe nation plenty of laughable viral entertainment that
brilliantly spotlights Florida living up to itsnotoriously wacky reputation. We can only imagine
how many more absurd escapades Miss Kingand sidekick Pebbles still have in store that
will inevitably offer comic relief amid dailychaos in her quest to break down squirrel
(09:56):
stigmas. Maybe we could all learnsomething from king complete lack of embarrassment and
unapologetic authenticity. Perhaps, before harshlyjudging perceived oddities in others, we should
be looking inward at our own issueswith accepting folks unconditionally. What really defines
normal anyway? One thing's for sure. Life is never boring for this fiery
duo down in Florida. Buckle upAmerica. If pet squirrel demands get dismissed
(10:22):
outright, King is fully prepared topush boundaries even further next time by attempting
to pass Pebbles off as an exoticparrot. So airlines better start preparing now
for a feathery barrage of bushy tails, furry ears, and tasty nuts spreading
like wildfire through terminals. The squirrelyscampering circus has officially left the Sunshine State,
(10:43):
heading straight for an airport near you. Let's just hope no children get
traumatized for life by giant rodent visionsin the process. Stay tuned, Thank
you for listening to this quiet Pleaseproduction, be sure to subscribe and never
miss a Florida man story.
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