What Is An Emotional Support Dog Do

An emotional support animal esa is a type of animal that provides comfort to help relieve a symptom or effect of a person s disability under the governing law an emotional support animal is not a pet and is generally not restricted by species.

What is an emotional support dog do.

An emotional support dog esd is a dog that has been prescribed by a licensed mental health provider to help an individual cope with a condition. The animal is intended to provide companionship and support that will help alleviate at least one aspect of the disability. Emotional support and psychiatric service animals individuals who travel with emotional support animals or psychiatric service animals may need to provide specific documentation to establish that they have a disability and the reason the animal must travel with them. Emotional support dogs are often identified by wearing an emotional support dog vest or tag letting the public know that it is an emotional support dog.

Emotional support dogs provide comfort a calming presence and company. A letter from a physician may be requested. Unlike service dogs emotional support dogs don t require any specialized training. Emotional support dogs do not have access to all public areas but there are two legal protections.

First they can fly with a person who has an emotional or psychological disability. When people who do not have a disability abuse the system by misrepresenting a pet. Some businesses such as airlines prefer to see an identification card or vest. Otherwise their handlers will find themselves having to explain that their dog is an emotional support dog.

First an esa has access to almost all types of housing regardless of no pet policies. An emotional support dog esd or esa is a pet or animal prescribed a licensed therapist to provide a health benefit for those that suffer from an emotional or mental disability. Their companionship is the treatment. An emotional support animal differs from a service animal service animals are trained to perform specific tasks such as helping a blind person.

Emotional support dogs have rights that normal pets do not. Second they can qualify for no pet housing. All domesticated animals may qualify as emotional support animals cats and dogs and they can be any age young puppies and kittens too as these animals do not need any specific task training because their very presence alleviates the symptoms associated with a person s psychological emotional disability unlike a working service dog or therapy dog. As of 2011 the americans with disabilities act specifically defines a service animal including emotional support animals as a dog that s individually trained to do work or perform tasks for.