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United changed its policy for emotional-support animals. That peacock still can't board.

Airlines that have begun talking about tightening restrictions on a proliferating array of "emotional support" animals on commercial flights may have found their case bolstered this week after a picture of a peacock that was reportedly denied a seat aboard a United Airlines flight traveled far and wide.

The Jet Set, a travel-focused television show based in Washington, posted the photo on Facebook of the resplendent blue-and-green bird, saying that the "emotional-support peacock" had been denied boarding on a flight at Newark International Airport.

United Airlines confirmed that the exotic animal was barred from the plane Saturday because it "did not meet guidelines for a number of reasons, including its weight and size.