Animals for emotional support from bikola's blog

Unlike service dogs, emotional support animals do not have access to public places. They, unlike service dogs, are not trained to perform tasks, but can simply be a companion to a person with a mental illness, for whom the presence of a dog can alleviate his condition, such as depression or panic attacks. A person with an emotional support animal might rent where pets are not allowed, or might take their dog on a plane if they have a fear of flying. It is not allowed to take such a dog with you to public places. This can only be done by service dog owners.

- Can a person decide for himself that he needs a Service dog (SD) or Emotional Support Animal ESA, or can only a doctor decide?

– Whether a person needs SD or ESA is decided by the doctor depending on the disability of that person. But if a person does not want such a dog, then, of course, they will not forcefully give it to him, the person himself must also ask for such a dog. A person with limited mobility, who is blind or deaf, or who has epilepsy or diabetes can apply for an SD from the organizations that train these dogs. He must bring the relevant documents from the doctors confirming his disability and that he needs an assistance dog. However, he can still be rejected by an SD training organization if the SD is not going to help him, or if he can't handle the dog, or if he can't keep the dog safe and properly cared for.

As for the ESA, she does not need such intensive training, since she does not perform special tasks and does not go to public places. In these cases, you only need a certificate (certificate) from a psychiatrist or other mental health professional, that is, a person professionally working with mentally ill people, that the ES owner has a mental illness and the dog will help alleviate his condition.

- Is it possible to distinguish from the side who is in front of you - Service dog or Emotional Support Animal?

– Yes, it can be distinguished by the behavior of the dog. ESAs behave like regular pets, although mostly well-behaved. SD behaves differently, and it shows. SD is always calm, focused on her owner, does not get distracted or react to other people or animals. She does not look around, does not sniff the ground, objects or people, does not react to food, does not pick up crumbs from the floor, does not bark, does not dust herself off, does not lick, does not run ahead and does not lag behind, but walks next to the owner at his pace ( although the guide dog walks slightly ahead). In addition, it is clear that the owner is either blind with a cane, or in a wheelchair, or without arms or legs. In children with Down syndrome or autism, this is also often noticeable, and if they are with a dog that walks next to such a child, without taking their eyes off him, then it becomes obvious that this is SD. Although some disabilities are invisible to the human eye, such as deafness, epilepsy, or diabetes, it is still clear that a dog is SD by the way it behaves.

Read about esa dog registration  and make the right choice