What You Should Know About Emotional Support Dogs

August 2-8 is International Assistance Dog Week, a time to recognize and honor the devotion of service dogs and their trainers. Service dogs help people with disabilities navigate their everyday lives; they improve the lives of countless individuals around the world.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not service dogs and do not receive the same accommodations as a service dog. ESAs, however, do provide a valuable service to their owners.

How Is an Emotional Support Animal Defined?

An ESA is a dog or other pet prescribed by a physician or other mental health professional, such as a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. They provide emotional support and comfort to their owners who have a qualifying disability on a daily basis. In order to qualify as an emotional support animal, the pet must help alleviate at least one aspect of a person’s disability.

While certain entities (landlords, businesses, etc.) may require documentation of ESA certification, they may not ask for the details of the disability that qualifies the person for the ESA. As a matter of fact, a person does not have to disclose the nature of the disability to anyone outside of their mental health care provider.

What Conditions Qualify an Emotional Support Animal?

For a person to qualify for their animal to be a documented emotional support animal they must have an emotional or psychiatric disability. While there isn’t a definitive list of what conditions qualify, common documentable mental disabilities include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Learning disabilities
• Attention deficit disorders
• Chronic stress
• Bi-polar disorder
• Panic attacks
• Fears and phobias
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.

It’s important to note you cannot document a pet as an emotional support animal strictly for companionship. You must have a diagnosed disability to qualify.

What Types of Animals Qualify as ESAs?

ESA documentation is commonly awarded to dogs, but cats, horses and any number of other animals may qualify. Birds, rabbits, fish and even rodents have been documented as emotional support animals.

There is no certain canine breed designated as an emotional support animal. All breeds can qualify as long as the mental health professional agrees and provides the appropriate documentation.

What Differences Are There Between Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals?

The biggest difference between service animals and ESAs is the training required. Service animals are subjected to rigorous training to perform specific functions, such as seeing-eye dogs who help people who are visually-impaired.

Service dogs are able to go anywhere in public a person can go; this is not true of ESAs. Often ESAs are able to go places not open to regular pets, but still are not allowed in restaurants or other places off-limits to animals due to health restrictions.

Why Do People Need Emotional Support Animals?

Holding or petting an animal lowers people’s heart rate, normalizes blood pressure and reduces depression. People with mental illnesses report feeling less anxious, more relaxed and less lonely. Having a pet helps ease the stress and effects of mental illness.

Emotional support animals provide comfort, affection and meaningful companionship for people who suffer from a mental or emotional condition. The bond between the owner and the ESA is often unwavering and hugely beneficial to the well-being of the owner.

What Rights Do People with Certified Emotional Support Animals Have Under the Law?

When a person can document their pet qualifies as an emotional support animal, they have certain rights under the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act. One of those rights is to have access to housing without restrictions or deposits, even if the property has a no-pet policy. It also waives any monthly pet fees.

ESA certification also enables owners to free airline travel in the cabin of the airliner. This right is protected by the Air Carrier Access Act. However, some airlines require a completed form signed by a veterinarian who has examined the animal within a certain timeframe. Owners are also required to submit their ESA documentation and sign a form taking full responsibility for their animal.

For more information on where ESAs are allowed and under what conditions, visit the Americans with Disabilities Act Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals guide. The guide includes instructions on how to file a complaint.

How Have Emotional Support Animals Benefited People During COVID-19 Stay-At-Home Orders?

The current situation with COVID-19 has been especially hard on people with mental illnesses. Many people are experiencing heightened stress and loneliness. Luckily, for people who have emotional support animals, the steady presence of their animal is helping them relax and focus on their ESA instead of news, which often is frightening for people who are especially vulnerable or don’t fully understand how to interpret the news.

ESAs are assisting people to feel less isolated during the pandemic. While talking to someone on the phone or video-chatting with a loved one can help you feel less isolated, having an emotional support animal physically present can be a major emotional boost for those especially struggling with seclusion.

It’s not surprising the number of pet adoptions has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. People in quarantine recognize the need for companionship, even if the companion is furry. Loving and caring for a pet can help to balance the isolation brought on by COVID-19.

Should an ESA Receive Obedience Training?

Legally, emotional support animals are not required to receive any special training. However, many ESA dog owners elect to attend training classes in order to ensure their dog will behave appropriately while in public situations.

Canine Campus offers a training program with several levels of training. The skills learned in these sessions will greatly benefit all dogs but are especially helpful for ESAs who often are placed in situations where most dogs are not allowed. Our trainer, Patti, has over 35 years of experience and numerous certifications. In addition to our regular training sessions, Patti offers private lessons. For more information, call us at 719-448-9600.

Have you received emotional support dog certification? In what ways does your dog provide emotional support to you and your family members?