TWO “emotional support dogs” and their owners were booted off a plane after the mutts began barking wildly in the cabin.

Crew suspected the French bulldogs were pets rather than animals for providing therapy.

3 Passengers carrying 'emotional support dogs' were kicked off a Norwegian Airlines flight after the pups started barking at other passengers Credit: Alamy

The plane was taxiing for take-off at Gatwick when the pooches began loudly yelping at other passengers.

The captain was so alarmed he turned the jet around and dumped the dogs and two passengers with them rather than risk nine hours and 35 minutes of chaos on the Norwegian Airlines flight to Austin, Texas.

A source said: “Emotional support animals are supposed to be trained to sit on a nervous or needy passenger’s lap so they can be stroked to ease the flight.

'BARKING LIKE HELL'

“But these French bulldogs were barking like hell and being a real menace to other flyers. Crew suspected the passengers were just trying to take their pets to the States on the cheap, without sending them as cargo.

“It was annoying to return to the stand but not as bad as a long-haul flight with two angry dogs.”

Online snaps showed a brown dog in the aisle between bemused passengers.

A white one was seen being held by a stewardess, before being zipped inside a pet travel bag. One passenger tweeted the dogs had been smuggled aboard.

But a Gatwick spokesman said: “The support dogs were fully verified and met all requirements.”

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Norwegian said: “The flight had not departed when the captain took the decision to offload emotional support dogs and their owners at the gate due to the dogs showing signs of distress.”

Last year, a woman was banned from taking an emotional support peacock on to a United Airlines flight.

In 2014, a woman was escorted off a US Airways flight when her support pig, Hobie, squealed and defecated before take-off.

What rules say GUIDE dogs and assistance dogs are allowed to travel with owners in the cabin of most passenger aircraft. Carriers will provide floor space in an adjoining seat or near the bulkhead, usually at no additional charge or a reduced cost. Airlines are entitled to ask for evidence that the dog is trained by a recognised organisation.

3 Crew suspected that the French bulldogs were the passenger's pets and not there for emotional support (Stock Image) Credit: Getty - Contributor

3 The captain of the flight paused take-off to kick the passengers off the flight at Gatwick Airport Credit: Alamy

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