Quote:
Originally Posted by OneMoreTime
Are Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) Support Dogs (SDs)?
No, Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not the same as Service Dogs (SDs). ESAs are Therapeutic Pets, usually prescribed by a therapist or psychiatrist or doctor, that help people with emotional difficulties or with loneliness. They may include cats and birds.
Under the USA's federal laws, Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) cannot go into no-pets-allowed places, BUT THEY ARE ALLOWED in no-pets-allowed housing (see further information on this forum and in the links below for the specific legal exclusions and on how to assert your rights) and in the cabins of airplanes when accompanied by a note from their handler's doctor.
Although not trained to do work or tasks, ESAs can be greatly beneficial to their owners just by their comforting presence, company, companionship and love.
External links
|
It is really important for readers to know the differences between service dogs, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs. You've done a good job posting about the differences; however, the links you have provided in your post (above) about emotional support animals
are links regarding service animals, not emotional support animals. I felt like pointing that out because it could be a little confusing for readers.
Also, thanks for making this thread
My own dog is a retired service dog and was also a therapy dog in a nursing home for a while. The link you posted, "About Psychiatric Service Dogs" goes to my web site; I found a link to this thread in my site statistics.
Anyway, if you don't mind, I'd like to add a few links to clarify the differences between psychiatric service dogs, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs.
The Difference between Service Animals, Therapy Animals, Companion Animals and "Social/therapy" Animals
Quote:
The Difference between Service Animals, Therapy Animals, Companion Animals and "Social/therapy" Animals
Service animals are legally defined (Americans With Disabilities Act, 1990) and are trained to meet the disability-related needs of their handlers who have disabilities. Federal laws protect the rights of individuals with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animals in public places. Service animals are not considered "pets."
Therapy animals are not legally defined by federal law, but some states have laws defining therapy animals. They provide people with contact to animals, but are not limited to working with people who have disabilities. They are usually the personal pets of their handlers, and work with their handlers to provide services to others. Federal laws have no provisions for people to be accompanied by therapy animals in places of public accommodation that have "no pets" policies. Therapy animals usually are not service animals.
Companion animal is not legally defined, but is accepted as another term for pet.
"Social/therapy" animals likewise have no legal definition. They often are animals that did not complete service animal or service dog training due to health, disposition, trainability, or other factors, and are made available as pets for people who have disabilities. These animals might or might not meet the definition of service animals.
|
Service Dogs:
-Highly trained in disability-related tasks and obedience
-Have public access rights
-Are not considered pets
How does a dog qualify to be a psychiatric service dog?
Emotional Support Animals:
-ARE NOT SERVICE ANIMALS
-Need documentation
-
Are allowed in "no pets" housing
-
Are allowed to travel with owners on airlines (if they have the proper documentation)
-
Are not allowed in public places like grocery stores, etc.
Fair Housing Information Sheet # 6
Right to Emotional Support Animals in "No Pet" Housing
Therapy Dogs:
-Are used by volunteers or professionals in places like nursing homes, children's hospitals, psychiatric wards, etc
-
Do not have the right to travel on planes or to be in "no pets" housing
-
Are not allowed in public places unless invited
How are the uses of therapy animals and service animals different?