Psychiatric Service Dogs & Emotional Support Animals
 

Is a Therapy Dog a Psychiatric Service Dog or an Emotional Support Animal?
 

Are Therapy Dogs Service Dogs (SDs) or Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)?

No, Therapy Dogs (or therapy animals) are not Psychiatric Service Dogs nor are they Emotional Support Animals. TDs are anyone's pets that have been trained to behave properly in a wide variety of environments and who are exceptionally gentle and well-mannered with a wide variety of human beings. Their "job" is to bring a higher level of social functioning to people in nursing homes, schools, hospitals, hospices, etc. They cannot go into no-pets-allowed places unless they are invited. TDs are a great asset to the community, though! TDs were used after 9-11.

the link again is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapy_dog

So what exactly is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
 

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

• Legal information about service dogs in the U.S.
• Bazelon's List of Limitations on Major Life Activities for Psychiatric Disabilities
• Psychiatric Service Dog Society
• About Psychiatric Service Dogs
• Selecting Shelter Dogs for Assistance Work
• Service Dog Tasks for Psychiatric Disabilities
• Delta Society

Support Dogs and travel......................
 

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 :hug: 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


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?

Thanks for posting this!!
 

I wasn't even aware, that, dogs could be trained for psychiatric service. I'm now, definitely looking into this, for, me, and, my dog. Thanks, again!!

peace, and, love
Cgirl

I collected a bunch of links for a dear friend awhile back:

ANIMALS:_COMPANION,_SERVICE,_AND_THERAPY
(press the [page-down] key 2 times to get to the appropriate section)

Barb

hello
 

Hi everyone Im really enjoying gathering information on emotional support animals. I have one and she is my life. I suffer from depression and anxiety and my lil angel has been great for me, I havent had 1 panic attack since I have had her. :D My lil angle Missy is so smart that when she hears me say a curse word she puts her paw on me and licks my mouth to calm me down :)...she also undertstands when I let out a sigh she comes right up to me and gives me the paw! shes amazing!

From what I understand from what I read under the Federal Fair Housing Act people like myself who are disabled and have the medical proof to back that up are allowed to have a emotional support animal in any housing even places that say no pets allowed. Of course also having the proof that the animal is a huge part of our life and needed to cope.

Now I have 1 little problem involving the HOA where I live. They are scheduled to create new rules for the community :rolleyes: and rumor has it will be involving setting a pet limit. We have 3 dogs in our home 1 is my own dog and 2 others belong to a relative. They city in which we live in has no limits on how many animals we can own, some other citys in the county have the same rule and some other citys in the county set limits. Seeing as out city has no limit on the amount of animals someone can have in there home , do you think that would supersede the HOA possible rule??? or am I in for a fight with the HOA involving my condtion and the rules of owning a Emotional Support Animal??

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!

Update on my...
 

...own dog and experiences.....

I am so glad to see this forum growing as it is and people adding links, facts and their own wonderful stories.

I finally found my perfect dog - an adult black Pekingese, who has been with me since last April. If you ask for a bulkhead seat when you go up to the Southwest check-in counter with your letter from your psychiatrist that your animal is a service animal (I, for instance, can often not leave my apartment at all without her calming presence), then it is allowed for your dog to be let out of the carrier and sit at your feet or in your lap. The stewards go ga-ga about her.

I fasten her leash to my seatbelt, just to reassure people that she will not wander off if I drift off to sleep - but she is glued to me until I have to use the washroom when she is frantic to follow me.

Southwest (and all other airlines) should let you board with your dog at the same time as they let unattended children board.

My dog qualifies as a SERVICE ANIMAL as she is necessary for me to live a bit more normally, organize my life, and provides me the courage to go places I need to go. With carrying her papers with me (federal law, definitions & explanations & my doctor's letter), she is allowed into the post office and the grocery store (she rides quietly in the basket). WalMart employees have never had a thing to say and love her. At my pharmacy, she walks on a leash, but knows to pause at each "intersection" to watch for cross-traffic.

She is also allowed into the senior citizen center for meals and into the public library. And into local restaurants (where she usually prefers to be in her opened carrier.

She attends all my medical appointments, tho I left her home the night the ambulance took me in with a possible heart attack as I do have a neighbor here who is very fond of her and her of him.

The local Legion Hall gave me grief, so I simply stopped trying to go there on hamburger Friday fundraisers rather than go in with all my papers. The hall is huge and I would prefer to sit alone, far away from others --- but you have to pick and choose your battles. Unfortunate as the burgers are the BEST ever. Maybe I will tackle them again in a few months.

Since I live in a small town with everything and everywhere within walking distance, I am glad that the States have such generous laws for us. I will soon be taking her more places across the border, and I may have to spend a bit of time explaining her role in my life and will keep her in my older the shoulder carrier for those who are uncomfortable with her presence. A black dog in a black carrier is never detected unless she turns around or changes position and someone sees the bag move. :D

She will turn 5 this Valentine's Day and I dearly hope she makes it to 15. I got her microchipped (with http://www.24PetWatch.com) for only $10 at a shelter and will begin a health insurance policy on her as soon as my bills go down a bit - they have been high recently. The insurance policy will include a reward and money to help me advertise for her. She wears a red harness at all times with her PetWatch tag (includes the toll-free number & her ID number), rabies tag, city tag, and a large stainless steel tag I had made by one of those great engraving machines at a Super WalMart. Starts with fact that she is an MD Rx'd Service Dog, so people understand she is more than just a pet.

I refuse to make a long-haired dog wear a service vest everytime she goes out like the post office wanted to insist upon or have an "official" tag. Like I pointed out to her, ANYONE can buy such items online -- and my letter from my physician was the best validation of her status.

If you get an adult dog, insist on a 2 week trial period to make sure of a good "fit" if you can't visit a lot beforehand. The first dog I (from a rescue servicde) had been promoted to me as a perfect match to what I was looking for --- but she was a nightmare and ended up eating baseboards and ripping a huge patch from the upholstery from one of my two easy chairs - my living room furniture. She could not tolerate my going to the bathroom by myself or closing the bedroom door when I dressed. She had a mental disorder, attachment anxiety - considered incurable. And she had a skin condition that caused her intense itching that caused her to scratch herself raw.

When we drive, I have set up a home-made elevated basket perch far safer and more secure than anything commerically available and there is a new seat belt attachment that works with any harness and allows more freedom. She has a great deal of freedom of movement, is always within petting distance, and I don't have to worry about her being killed by an air bag or by being thrown around the vehicle in a crash or sudden stop.

Pooh Bear is becoming more and more bonded as the months go by. She was seemingly mistreated or severely disciplined in the past, but I know from the experience of re-parenting abused dogs that you can expect to erase the damage in a year's time of love, acceptance, approval and sensitivity to their triggers.

I encourage everyone to seek for what you need. What makes her a "trained" service animal is that she is incredibly well-behaved, virtually immobile in a shopping cart, never barks or tries to socialize wth others, and stands quietly at my side.

I knew a blind woman once who was on her second highly trained and valuable guidedog for the blind.... but the woman refused to (or was unable to ) adhere to the demands that you keep your dog WORKING when he is out with you on his working hand grip harness. Instead, she used him to socialize with others, encouraging people to pet and hug him, etc. He was already ruined. I doubt that they ever gave her another one.

When people ask if they can pet her, I most usually say no, that she is a working dog -- and it is getting easier and easier to say that without feeling stuffy. If I treat her like "just a pet", it blurs the boundaries of how the public sees service animals.

OneMoreTime

Hi, I am new at this and terrible on the pc so bear with me. I saw the title on Therapy dogs. I lost my best friend and Therapy dog 11/10/07. I am looking for a new best friend but cannot afford the adoption prices. I do my own training. Can anyone help? Sally.

Southwest airlines is NOT Therapy dog friendly!
 

While trying to fly back home for Christmas, I found out, rather unfortunately, that Southwest Airlines is not therapy dog friendly, regardless of what the law says!
I made it all the way to Oakland California from Burbank with my dog, my letters from my doctor, my military ID, and all his applicable paperwork...but the airlines would not let me continue on to Boise, Idaho! Worse still was that they absolutely refused to let me make other arrangements with Southwest...
So, there I was, at ten at night, with no other flights leaving to Idaho until the next morning. I had to rebook through Delta, find a hotel for the night, and make sure that I was able to get back to the airport the NEXT morning to make my flight!
Southwest, the entire time, claimed that I had never shown them proof of my dogs paperwork and that I had been "Sneaking" him on board and that he was a disruption to passengers (which is bull puckey as he was NEVER out of his carrier while on the flight and had been sedated and was sleeping). OUTRAGEOUS! I had ALL his paperwork, had been CLEARED through Burbank, and had spoken with numerous gate agents along the way, all who assured me I was fine!
JUST AN FYI...Southwest has had a history of unreasonable removals of passengers from their flights...from people with wardrobe the airlines felt was inappropriate all the way to a poor man with Autism who was not only kicked off, but shuttled for 12 hours on various flights around the country while his frantic family tried to track him down!
When we spoke with Southwest representatives concerning this matter they said that it was against their policies to allow any animals on their planes, regardless of the reason. When I quoted the laws as outlined by the Americans With Disabilities Act as well as the medical documentation as supplied by the VFW, the response was "Well, you don't look like you have any disabilities..." Apparently you have to be physically disabled to be allowed by Southwest, and even that is probably a big IF.
I am an Afghanistan/Iraq war veteran with diagnosed bipolar and post traumatic stress syndrome. My dog is an emotional support dog who not only helps me with flying but from reoccuring night terrors and panic attacks. He has, on one very serious occasion, saved my life. This dog is NOT A PET, he is my life line.
Boycot Southwest. Fly Delta.

Hi 36Monsters....

As the spouse of a retired Delta pilot, I appreciate your sentiments about Delta. Boycotting Southwest is not the answer. But...there are things you can do to help enlighten them! ;)

Having travelled a lot both with and without pets, I am quite familiar with each airline's policy regarding pets (I also live in Boise!). Southwest has never allowed animals aboard any of their flights regardless of the status. I am surprised you were allowed to bring your dog onboard at all. :eek:

I certainly hope you have written letters to Southwest Management regarding the treatment you received. The best way to address the situation with the airline is to state the facts - the dates and times of your flights, the airports you were in and if you have the names of any of the employees you encountered that would greatly help your cause.

If you and your therapy dog were allowed on one flight that should have set the stage for the remaider of your flights. The supervisors should have realized that and not hassled you on the last leg of your flight.

I wish you luck in recuping the costs of your delay in returning home. It's these types of situations that give traveling with therapy/assistance animals a bad name.

There is no law in the U.S. requiring airlines to fly therapy dogs. Therapy dogs are not service dogs. Some airlines might choose to fly them, but it is their choice, just as it is their choice whether to permit pets or SAR dogs. Also, the ADA specifically does not apply to airplanes.

Under the Air Carrier Access Act, they must permit people with disabilities, with service dogs to fly unless doing so would constitute an undue burden or if the animal is disruptive. For example, if the animal is too large to fit in the foot space allotted to the human traveler, they can require the human to either purchase a second ticket or to have the animal fly in baggage. If the animal barks, urinates, pesters others with jumping up or sniffing, or is otherwise behaving in a disruptive manner, then they may refuse to have the animal in the cabin, but should offer to fly him in baggage. Airlines are permitted to ask the owner of the dog what the dog is trained to do as a condition of allowing them on the plane.

Unfortunately, since there are so many groups issuing fake ID papers so that people can claim their pets as service dogs, real documentation of real service dogs is also becoming meaningless. The best evidence a dog is a service dog is the dog's behavior and the owner's description of what the dog does.

The Air Carrier Access Act is unlike the ADA in that it includes people with disabilities with emotional support animals as a protected class. So even though the ADA does not cover public access rights for people with emotional support animals in public accommodations, the ACAA does cover them for flying in the cabin of planes.

Off hand I can think of only one state that grants special rights to therapy dog owners, and that is only for mental health professionals who use them in their work (which accounts for very few therapy dog owners over all).

Service Dogs
 

We have a pair of dogs training for different hearing needs for my husband and me, in the past year they have learned so much, and I want to teach them more. My dog will tell me if my husband is sick in the night as he sleeps in his recliner 98% of the time, and I am deaf in one ear and sometimes sleep on my good ear. He alerts to buzzers, timers, knocks at the door and can be protective but not to the extreme. Hubby's dog does a lot of the same things but she is also a good dog to just sit with him and lower his blood pressure.

These dogs go every where with us and have only been turned away by the dr's office and one restaurant....food is lousy there anyhow, no great loss!

Emotional/Service/Training Gray Areas?
 

I have a dog I got as emotional support. My therapist is the one who started me down the service dog road because she noticed my mental health was so much improved when he was around. My issues are PTSD, anxiety and depression from chronic and acute illness (fibromyalgia and permanent trauma injury, and cancer). I am training this dog through a local service-dog training facility.

Right now he is in the basics, not trained for any particular task yet, though I have taken him everywhere I could since he was a puppy, to get him used to being in many public situations without concern. I would eventually like to have him (assuming he can be trained this far - so far his prospects are quite promising) stop anxiety attacks and rage attacks by intervening, and lifting my mood by licking or comforting when he notices cues; there is also due to my illness a potential for physical assistance to a limited degree (he is quite small). Honestly, the only thing his trainer sees possibly barring that would be my own lifespan not being long enough, as the cancer has been rather aggressive.

But right now he provides support with things like sitting with me in the hospital in medical treatments that are painful and stressful and lifting my mood by his amazing temperament and innate ability to comfort by doing things such as licking my throat until he notices my change in mood. I take him everywhere, and his presence helps greatly in keeping me steady in places like restaurants, stores, and other places where things may not always go smoothly and where I am inclined to have problems.

I have been referring to him as an emotional support animal, believing this was a variation on a service animal and the proper term, but am now reading here that this does not allow him places where I NEED him. He is not yet a fully trained service animal, but trust me when I tell you he has saved my life and I do not feel "normal" except when in his calming presence. So what do I call him and what is allowed? I do not want to run afoul of the law. He is a perfect gentleman in public, I keep him clean, and he is genuinely helpful. I do my best to give service dogs a good name by training him under a licensed trainer, as I do not want those who come after me to be mistrusted, and not asking more of him than he is trained for. He does get distressed when I am not around; if this is a failing, it is my fault since I am so dependent on his presence to maintain my own calm and presence of mind. It is not just my opinion: my therapist and doctors feel his being right there with me (as opposed to haning out at home while I'm out) is extremely important to my emotional stability.

I should note that we have never found an antidepressant or antianxiety medication that has helped. Either they haven't worked or they have had debilitating and bizarre side effects (one med, for example, caused back spasms and another caused hallucinations without either ameliorating the original problems). So it's pretty much this dog or suicide. So where are the lines, because they look pretty grey to me. One person's relief is another's lifeline. To call both nonessential seems to me a mistake and a potential tragedy. I would appreciate feedback on this.

Re: Emotional/Service/Training Gray Areas?
 

After posting yesterday, I looked up what I could find on this topic. It would appear that there IS legal precedent for dogs referred to as "emotional support" animals being recognized as service dogs, as referenced in a 2006 article in the New York Times. Since I have fewer than 10 posts, it won't let me post the link, but it's easily googled or searched through the NYTimes website. Keywords "emotional support animal NY Times" will put it at the top of the list.

I also slogged through ADA law (as opposed to the summarized guidelines) and could not find anything against the designation of emotional support animals as service animals. I also don't find anything saying calling an emotional support animal a service dog is against the law, or that Social Security benefits would be affected in any case. Of course, I do not want to get into a whole thing about who is worthy and who is faking, please. But where are people here getting the legal precedent that it is NOT an appropriate designation?

You are right it is quite a gray area as it is not spelled out in simple terms. But then what law is! :confused:

From my understanding of the interpetation of the ADA is this:
What is a Service Animal? A service animal under the ADA is any animal that are Individually Trained to Perform Tasks to benefit an individual with a disability. (TitleIII 4.2300)

The term Trained and The Term Perform Tasks is what makes an animal a service animal.

The ADA does not cover the Service animal in training they must be trained to perform tasks in order for them to be covered under the ADA. Though Service animals do not have legal right People with disabilities do.

Under the ACAA and FHA Emotional Support Animals do not have to perform tasks to be called ESA. However under those two laws they are considered a Service Animal.

If you are teaching your dog or ESD various tasks that would benefit you by say teaching him/her to lay head on lap or to lick or even tug on pants leg then that is consider not an Emotional Support Animal but a Service Animal (ie Medical Respond/alert catagory). But if an ESD is just there for comfort as all Service dogs are as well then that under the interpetation of the ADA is Not consider as being a Service Animal for they are not specifically Trained!

That is the difference of ESA vs SD/SA! At least that's how my understanding of the law is. Also that's basically how the Dept. of Justice has worded their business brief in examples. Various Service animals performing tasks that were taught. (not quoted there).

However being you said your in the training stage with your dog then your dog would be in terms "service animal in training" henceforth by the ADA is not cover. So you would have to check with your local and state laws to see if they have additional benefits for dogs in training. Many states do! Again this is my understanding of the laws as I am not a lawyer. Another thing too I can say from my friends that were in court each judge has their own interpertation of the law as well making it even more confusing.:(

Hi Justice,

I just want to say that if your animal is not TRULY an emotional support animal or service animal then you should NOT be having your doctor fill out the form just so you can travel with your puppy. This only serves to discredit the true service/emotional support animals out there.

I worked for an airline and saw people trying to pass off their pets as emotional support animals or service animals. It makes our job very, very, very difficult trying to distinguish between the two. I have seen cases where we denied a true service animal. This happens because people abuse the system.

We require the doctor's note as assurance that the animal is truly an emotional support animal. A doctor should not be signing such a letter unless there is a true need for the animal. That would be grounds for losing a license.

The law is in place for people who need their animals to live normal lives. As I said, abuse of this law discredits the importance of these animals and makes it more difficult for those who truly need them.

I obviously don't know your situation. However, from you post above it does sound like your doctor will sign the letter and you asked your doctor to sign the letter just so that you can travel with your puppy. I really hope that is not the case.

Anyone who is considering doing this, PLEASE reconsider. You should be happy that you are not disabled and don't require an animal to perform daily/routine functions. Please don't make it any more difficult for the people who do.

Thanks,

Anin

Hello Anin

where I can understand the point you are making about people abusing the system, yet I do think it somewhat presumptious that you dont know this member nor their health problems, yet are suggesting this was an attempt at abusing the system. If someone has disabling mental health problems and they need their dog with them while traveling why would that be less acceptable than say someone who is sight disabled

I was also surprised to see the comment
why would you have denied a "true service animal" in the first place:confused:

Hi Chemar,

You are correct, I do not not the original poster's situation but I thought I mentioned that. I apologize if I came across as implying that a mentally disabled person has any less of a right to a service animal than a physically disabled person (such as a blind person). I did not mean that at all. I have a mental disability myself as well as have a friend with an emotional support animal and a couple blind friends with seeing eye dogs. These animals are essential to their lives and I'm very glad we have the law in place to allow them to travel with these companions.

I did, however, get the sense that the poster was just trying to get her puppy to be able to travel with her not that she needs the puppy to function normally in her day to day life (services a service/emotional support animal provide and the reason we have the law). That may not have been his/her intention but I just wanted to make the community aware that using the service/emotional support animal law as a means to to be able to travel unrestricted with your pet is truly an abuse of the system.

While I have never denied a service animal, I have heard of and saw a case where it happened. Agents sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between a pet and a service/emotional support animal and it is their job to discern what really is a service animal because we cannot board pets unrestricted. While emotional support animals do require documentation, service animals don't necessarily. I don't want to state specific examples but I will say that I've read about cases where the passenger went to check in, was advised of the fee to bring their pet, then tried to pass the pet off as a service animal to avoid the fees. Of course this doesn't happen all the time but it does make it a lot harder for the true service/emotional support animals out there.

I'll just give an example of my own case. This is part of the reason why this issue is very near and dear to my heart. I have a pet I am very emotionally attached to. I honestly feel like she's my only friend and I have considered asking my doctor for the letter to make her an emotional support animal so I can fly with her. Since I work for an airline I fly a lot! and she is too large to be a cabin pet so the only way I could travel with here anywhere would be as an emotional support animal. But the fact of the matter is that I don't need my dog with me at all times, I can function fine without her so would not feel right asking my doctor to consider her an emotional support animal.

I am not saying our mental disabilities are less life-altering than physical disabilities. I'm just saying we shouldn't use our mental disabilities as a means to travel with our pets unless they truly are providing a service. I meant no disrespect to the original poster.

Thanks!
Anin

Hi Anin,

once again I can only repeat that I think it wrong to judge someone else's motives without actually knowing their situation.

If someone has documentation for their service/support animal, then they should not be given the 3rd degree about it. If their doctor felt it was needed then that should be enough "proof"

I am personally offended at how often physically and mentally disabled people have to jump through hoops to "prove" their needs. They are already dealing with enough and it pains me to see them have to have extra burdens loaded on them

yes, there are people who are chancers....that is life and it occurs in all areas. But to make people already suffering go through more on the slim chance that they are faking is IMHO and abuse of authority.

sorry but this is an issue I feel very strongly on too

nomatter the "fakers" I would rather see 100 of them get through than see even one genuine person denied the right to have their service/support animal with them.

nomatter the "fakers" I would rather see 100 of them get through than see even one genuine person denied the right to have their service/support animal with them.[/QUOTE]


AMEN to that! I'll be traveling with an ESA for the first time on Saturday and I keep having panic attacks. I'm afraid I'm going to be given the third degree and I don't know how to handle if if I am! I'm terrified of the personnel making a scene at my expense!

ESA, Service animals, SWA
 

Just for Tiffy
 

Tiffy, please call the airline and tell them it is an ESA. You might print up a tag to hang on it's container (that fits under the seat in front of you)... put it in fine print, but put the truth. They don't have to allow it, but most want to be able to. If you that IS your carry-on, and you are quiet and polite when speaking to them, being honest, odds are they will let it fly in the cabin.

Don't be afraid to ask them to ask the pilot if they can make an exception, should they insist no emotional support animals in cabin. If you tell them about your panic disorder, and how the animal calms you, they probably will want one for every passenger! :hug:

You might be required to pay a $50 fee for the ESA to fly in cabin under the seat. IDK GOOD WISHES ON THIS FLIGHT! :hug:

No Tiffy must have a letter from a mental health professional and give 48 hours notice that the dog will be flying, otherwise they are not supposed to allow it. As long as the letter is satisfactory and dog if well-behaved no carrier is needed. Tiffy also should not be charged to fly with her ESA. The airlines are required to allow it. Make sure you bring the ACAA regulations and calling before to make sure you have everything you need to make it as easy as possible. Just remember when you get to your destination that you need to stay at a pet friendly hotel and pay the pet deposit.

Please note my response quoting justice was not only directed to justice but to everyone.

Thank You!
 

Everyone, thanks for all of your help!

The flight was alright. I had a layover, so technically there were two.

I flew United. Ironically, they didn't make me show them my letter from my therapist (which I thought was weird because Delta gate agents are dog Nazis, even when you're a paying customer!).

On the first flight, the crew was a dream. They asked, "who is this??" I thought I was about to be interrogated so I began to pull my letter out. The two of them said, "OH! We believe you, don't worry about it!" So I put the letter back, totally puzzled. My dog was allowed to fly on my lap through the entire flight.

The second flight was a little different... while they still didn't ask for the letter while I was boarding, the flight attendant didn't allow me to hold her on my lap. I had to keep her in the crate under the seat (I know I didn't HAVE to have this, but I brought it just in case). I was sitting in the aisle and everyone was staring. I was feeling embarrassed so instead of explaining (which I had a feeling wouldn't work anyway), I just put her in her bag. The problem was that my dog wasn't incredibly thrilled, since she was on my lap the flight before.

The dog, herself, was a dream. She was very quiet and sat calmly the entire time (while on my lap).

The nerve racking thing is that for some reason, I feel like I "got lucky" and won't enjoy this type of service again. I used to just pay to take her ($175 one-way, to control my emotions!) with me because I couldn't stand to be in that kind of situation without her... Delta gave me such a horrible problem one time. The gate agent stopped me, made a HUGE scene, and embarrassed me to death. It caused me to miss my flight and ended up taking me 24 hours being in airports and on planes to reach my destination. This is especially stressful because I had to keep my dog in her bag for the full 24 hours, with the exception of taking her to the bathroom during layovers. Ever since then, my anxiety about being accepted in public has been worse!! :( Furthermore, I'm a 26-year-old female with a small dog. People probably look at me and say, "Yeah, right!"

Why must people judge?

Another Thought...
 

You guys, I totally support the law and I greatly respect the rights and needs of all people.

Because the flying thing is so fresh on my mind, I'm going to use it as an example for my question.

In the letter from my therapist, it was required for her to indicate that I "use the dog for emotional support" and I "have a disability."

If, in fact, I must be deemed as one who has a disability, why is my disability not afforded the same rights as people with other disabilities? I realize mine is not visible and not always constant (I am not always having an anxiety attack, while a blind person must constantly have their dog with them), but what is the thought here?

Don't get me wrong, I know there is a difference in training, (a service dog must be individually trained to assist its owner with his/her disability), however, the rules have changed for 2009. The dog no longer needs formal training.

Please don't think I'm asking this question to take advantage. The only time I have ever taken my dog with me in a questionable place was on the airplane, with my documentation... I never try to take her to restaurants or grocery stores, etc. I'm just really curious as to why things are the way they are.

Who has told you that?
I don't know what do you exactly mean by a "formal training", but the ADA never had a requirement for a service dog to be trained by specific institution or program. The individual training was and still is a requirement. The dog must be individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
There are many excellent websites that explain these issues.

Hi kaemka77. Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Would my cats qualify as "emotional support animals" for the purpose of housing?

I have two cats. They are well trained to use their litter box and scratching posts and do not cause damage.

I am autistic, and the cats allow for "safe", non-stressful social interaction, and I can talk to them without worrying that I'll embarrass somebody, mix up my words, or say something stupid. Since I'm socially isolated, interacting with them really helps. Additionally, when I'm extremely stressed out, petting a cat can help, both because of the comforting texture of the fur and because a cat is heavy and warm when it sits on you.

I don't know, though, that this is any more "emotional support" than the average cat would provide for the average owner. And, while two cats are easier to take care of than one because they keep each other busy, two cats may be harder to explain than one.

The housing problem is because I am on SSI and it is difficult to find an apartment that fits within that price limit. Most in that range do not allow pets. I got lucky with a landlord who changed his mind about the pet policy this time, because he sees I take good care of my cats, but I may not be so fortunate in the future.

What do you think?

Psychiatric SERVICE Dogs under federal law
 

Someone has (once again) told those on this forum that a SERVICE dog MUST be trained in SPECIFIC TASKS that enable a person with a disability to function more fully in this world, whether at home or in private. They follow this up by explaining that there could therefore be NO psychiatric service dog unless the dog was needed to fetch your medicines along with a bottle of water or (presumably) to knock you down and restrain you (with his vast body weight if not his jaws) if you, as a psychiatric patient, are in the midst of a paranoid wild-eyed state of ranting and raving. :D Just joking - and NOT making fun of the mentally ill - I IS ONE!!

There CONTINUES to be a lot of prejudice against those physical brain conditions and illnesses that are considered "mental illnesses" and therefore "all in your head" (ie, if not exactly imaginary, then most certainly a put-on to get attention or to excuse less than "normal" behaviors, emotions, interpersonal functioning) and (sometimes) the ability to be gainfully employed (because of inabilities to move (or restrain movements). With the so-called MENTAL illnesses (and they ARE true legitimate PHYSICAL BRAIN illnesses and/or disorders), the disability is most often related to such things as the inability to cope with others at work or with the structure or lack of structure in the workplace, or to such things as the achieve "normal" goals such as finishing an education or maintaining a stable long-term adult relationship. It even includes the inability to function in "normal" day to day tasks and create and/or maintain a stable and orderly environment, including routine wake/sleep cycles.

My psychiatrist classified my dog as a SERVICE ANIMAL because she enables me do "normal" things like exit my apartment more often than every three weeks (only because I run out of bread & milk, even that stored in the freezer) or being unable to exit the apartment during the daylight hours. And unable to utilize a laundry room, unable to dump trash unless it was in the wee hours of the morning around 4 am. Because my landlady would leave a note on my door that I HAD to empty my mailbox because it would not hold one more thing. Because I could not drive alone more than a short distance from my home and NEVER to the small nearby city without having a disabling panic attack and hysterical crying for fear I would crash if I left on the drive.

The above mental illness governed emotional responses to "normal daily activities" and my dog enabled me to overcome years of home confinement and social isolation. When a dog can make such a severely disabled person achieve activities that nearly 100% of the population consider so normal that they don't consider them as "equal" to being confined to a wheelchair or other visible disabilities.

She is my "furry valium" and one cannot drive a motor vehicle while doped up on valium. She makes it possible for me to be independent. She enabled me to not only get on a series of jets and travel 2500 miles, she enabled me to retrace my steps and MOVE back those 2500 miles --- driving, hauling a trailer, sleeping in truck stops between 18-wheelers, with my small dog elevated in a specially built safety platform on the bucket seat beside me so she could spend her days with a view.

This was a very healthy move for me, one my psychiatrist & therapist had urged me to do (to get away as far away from my toxic abusive family as possible). True, it took me two months to pack up my one-bedroom apartment.... It took me resetting my disconnect/connect utility dates several times (and my very sweet and understanding landlady accepted my repeated notices of anticipated move-out dates). After knowing me for the years I had lived there, she (like my parents) truly thought I would never actually move. I had tried to do so before and finally realized that my terror was so incredible at the thought of moving to someplace where I knew no one that I just gave up on any idea like that at all. I knew I was terrified to the point of actual incapacity to act.

Because I live in a subsidized apartment (a benefit of being on SSI and requiring heavily rent-subsidized housing - since SSI means varying amounts over $600 a month), having my dog means I HAVE to open the door and go out at least twice a day, and she enables me to go shopping as often as I need to or when the specials are too good to pass up. She enables me to periodically pick up my mail at the post office tho she can't solve the problem of getting me to open my mail - tho I am improving over the years when I simply threw the accumulated scattered piles away every few years.

There are TWO KINDS OF LAW (lots of lawyers in my family). There is law that is proposed and approved by the vote of governmental bodies of duly elected representatives of the people. These constitute and fill the books of statutes and codes that line walls of law libraries - this is codified law. Then there is "Case Law" created by some person or group of persons who challenge "the way things are". Case Law, if strong and supported regardless of various legal challenges in the courts, will become codified law. Look at things such as curb cuts, accessible toilets, slanted entries into various public-accessible buildings. Case Law also created the RIGHT of the disabled to fight for equal rights to be considered for employment on an equal basis with the non-disabled. Case Law eventually becomes codified law. "on the books" as they say.

You see, many (but obviously not all) MENTALLY ILL persons have persistant and all-pervasive disabling conditions that keep them from having equal rights of access and opportunity. THOSE conditions and the results of those conditions are FULLY codified as being part and parcel of the LEGAL CRITERIA for "legally disabled under federal law".

So what does a Psychiatric Service Dog need to be trained to do? Unlike a purely emotional support animal who usually is needed for solely for physical calming and easing of emotional lability, a service dog MUST be perfectly behaviorally trained AND also of the perfect temperment to lay quietly in the bottom of a shopping cart, at my feet or in her over-the-shoulder carrier for up to HOURS at a time without fuss or breaking command.

Tempermentally, my dog is about as cuddly as a ceramic dog or a particularly aloof and independent cat - but I do not need and indeed could not emotionally handle a dog who was so bonded to me that she constantly dogged my every step, or had to have frequent petting and interaction. She is a perfect match for my needs and a perfect example of ANY service dog when she is in public "at work". When we are out on her long lead, just out for a walk to enjoy walking, she knows she is not "at work" and runs and bounces, acting just like any other dog, showing absolutely no outward signs of being well-behaved. This, too, is a perfect example of ANY service dog. Dogs need "off duty" time to be emotionally stable and refreshed for again being "on duty".

The long and short of it is this - My dog is allowed into NO PETS federally-subsidized housing (without any "pet deposit" allowed) because she IS a service animal -- and her right to do so has been established thru years of those who OWN rent-subsidized housing fighting this out in court cases with the federal government always winning.

My current small local grocery has asked me to not take her down the produce or meat aisles and to bring a towel or blanket for her to lie upon in the basket, but they have no grounds for banning her. They would have to hire an attorney and fight it out in court. I don't mind the aisle restrictions as I can park her at the end of the aisle where she can see me the entire time. The fact that most people who pass me shopping me never even realize that there is an animal in my cart shows that it is working very well. If she barked, tried to get attention from people, stood up and leaned over the side, then they would no doubt complain, but she would then not be my service animal --- she would have a different owner and I would own a different animal who COULD be trained and who had the needed calm and patient temperment.

She is always welcomed at WalMart (because it is crowded there, she prefers that I bring her soft crate in so she can be hidden in "her cave" and snooze away in padded comfort), at the post office, the city government office, my doctor appointments and (in her padded soft-side crate) into restaurants and, of course, onto planes. Crated, she can ride beside me or beneath the seat on public city transportation.

At the airport, I am placed in the "load first" line with unaccompanied children and those in wheelchairs or needing an assistant. If it is available, I can have a bulkhead seat and even on the SAME airline (Southwest Airlines), she may be (or may not be) allowed out of her crate to sleep stretched out at my feet or curled up on my lap. It all depends upon the head steward - but usually she is the spoiled darling of the attendants. The bulkhead seat means she can watch me go into and come out of the restroom, so she doesn't freak out at "my losing her and her losing me".

The lesson is for you and your therapist/psychiatrist to evaluate your own conditions to evaluate whether you qualify for a service dog. Next is to evaluate your present dog or the adult dog you intend to adopt for their fitness for perfect "in public" behavior as well as their temperment for what comes with the territory. Additionally, they must be dogs who will NEVER EVER bite someone. I do not let children near her when she is on duty (as I educate them and their parents) and I dissuade adults from fawning over her, explaining that she is at work and could become "untrained" from the behaviors she needs to exhibit when on duty.

Most small companion lap dogs are WAY too small for the Service Dog vests freely offered for sale online to ANYONE with a credit card with no proof of a qualified animal on the receiving end of the shipment, and special collars and tags can be totally undetectable under long furry coats, but there ARE leashes with various messages printed on them. Whenever you are encountering a new situation, it is best to carry the printed out federal law defining the nature of protected "disability", a bundle of case law, and the letter from your psychiatrist (an M.D. carries more weight than from a therapist). Crossing borders and boarding planes, have the actual paperwork from the rabies vaccination and a fairly current statement of the health of the animal.

As anyone can tell up to this point, golden retrievers and labs (never mind the scores of breeds larger than toys) are NOT good psychiatric SERVICE animals as walking a dog down a grocery aisle with the leash between you and a casually strolling animal is a potential actual hazard - and the chances for a passing person to act inappropriately and get growled or snapped at --- well, it just don't work. Plus, city buses can restrict you to a single 2-wheeled shopping cart or two shopping carry-totes, so any dog MUST be crated and able to be stowed under your seat. This disgruntles many men who want their pet to be able to go anywhere with them on leash.

A psychiatric service dog should only be prescribed when it is a NECESSITY rather than an option, therefore it is the burden on the patient to choose only an appropriately trained animal to fulfill the role. This is the only way to gain the recognition of the range of psychiatric disability and thus the acceptance by the public.

An aside. While it is NOT necessary for your psychiatrist to name your illness or even the reasons the SERVICE animal is needed, but I am a strong proponent of putting and keeping mental illness in the public's face on a continuing and strongly demonstrated basis. I have no problem with telling people that I have severe cumulative post traumatic syndrome and bipolar disorder (ie, manic-depressive disorder), and explaining to the shocked, outraged or the merely curious that she is "my furry valium". I often, for the disbelieving or totally clueless, enumerate, in detail, the nature of my qualifying symptoms and explain how my service dog has changed my life.

I hope this helps give valid support and helpful advice to those who ARE in legitimate need of a service animal regardless of the fact that there are always those who will assert that the mentally ill never need anything more than an emotional support animal and that the nature of their disabilities could never approach the level of their actually NEEDING an animal to allow them rights guaranteed to the disabled under federal law.

Keep your chin up, be strong and persistant, and CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOG, no matter how much you love that cute puppy or wish it could be your current dog or your favorite breed.

Theresa
OneMoreTime

Getting Emotional Support Cats Accepted by landlords
 

Dear ChaoticIdealism (love your handle here)...

If you have read my post above, you will see that psychiatric service dogs are allowed in subsidized housing and (thankfully) many such no-pet housing, having so many unmarried disabled tenants, have become aware of the prescribing of psychiatric support animals, to include cats and birds.

IF your psychiatrist or your primary care doctor write out a prescription for you, prescribing the NEED for a psychiatric/psychological support animal (being written out on letterhead has the best impact), and (if needed) backed up by more explanatory notes by the doctor that persons with your kind of disability NEED this substitute for unobtainable/unsustainable human contact. Or words to whatever effect. Most doctors are avidly eager to comply with your suggestion for an animal to augment your life and medical care, but many will ask you to "just write it all out for me and I'll sign it" or some such. I wrote mine out and accompanied the submission with the links to the web pages of federal law governing federally covered disabilities and an reminder of the various inabilities I had that could (I hoped) be alleviated by having the right animal. (I went thru one totally inappropriate dog - too young and pathological incurable attachment disorder - she needed more psych meds than I did! :winky:

Then, when you submit the letter of prescription to the manager, accompany it with the pages of case law governing public-subsidized housing as she will have to fax all this to the head office. If she worries about "cats peeing on the carpet", a letter from any former roommate or landlord who can attest to the condition of the carpet/flooring when you moved out will suffice to calm those fears.

Actually, WalMart sells an enzyme product (not a perfumed one, but odorless) that IF there is ever a mistake (like if your cat gets closed up in the bedroom), you simply blot up all possible liquid and/or soil, then apply the solution generously and cover it with plastic or foil, weight it down with books or such, and let the enzymes do their work for 24 hours. You will have ZERO stain or odor to live with. The bottle has a cartoon dog and cat, sitting next to each other, with closed eyes, holding their noses. This was, for many years, the best possible, but there is a new product in tablet form where you activate it with mildly warm water and use it promptly (no shelf life). I found it offered online as a sample and surprisingly found it to be excellent when my poor dog vomited behind my bed one night - and you KNOW how red dog biscuit color stains carpet!

Go ahead, prepare yourself with prescription and confidence, and go apply for an apartment. You may be happily surprised to find it an non-issue.

OneMoreTime
ps: Your being disabled (never mind your being on SSI and them being federally subsidized housing), they are not allowed to charge you a pet deposit.

Travel - Regarding Airlines & Hotels
 

Regarding traveling with your emotional support or psychiatric service animal, there is no standard process for all airlines, nor will all airline employees you encounter respond in the same way - of this you can be certain!

The best thing to do is to first (before you buy a ticket) check the airline's website for their guidelines and rules governing your animal. But then call them and ask what the rules are. Ask for a supervisor unless the person at the other end is reading outloud from an official document. Ask them where online you can access that document (the url) and then print it out. It can help save you time and employee confusion at the check-in counter.

Arrive early, go thru all the search and seize stuff, and immediately take your dog or cat (IN THEIR CARRIER) to the check-in counter at your departure gate. Have all your documentation sleeved within page protectors and in a binder so you can hand over the folder so they can see that you have all your paperwork in order. Just smile confidently and be relaxed. You and your pet WILL be allowed on as long as they are crated and not barking hysterically or meow/screaming like you're trying to drown them. If your pet has not been acclimatized to being confined to the softmesh-sided over the shoulder crate you will need, then start getting them used to it, seeing it as a friendly comfortable retreat... and take them for car rides until and carry them around a mall or down a sidewalk or whatever until they feel and act secure and relaxed.

If you are changing planes between legs of your trip, find out how close the doors to the outside grassy areas are to the gates. If you have doubts about your physical ability to tote your carry on bag(s) and your pet, you can request (before landing) to have transportation waiting for you. If they aren't waiting for you, waste no time in getting someone to summon an attendant. Some airports have electric carts with flashing blue lights, but at some the best you can hope for is a wheelchair. Regardless, In 6 lay-overs, I never had a bad experience.

FYI-- hard-sided crates are generally not allowed - too dangerous in turbulance or accident as they cannot be firmly wedged beneath your seat, tucked securely behind your legs)

My dog is large for a toy - 13 pound Pekingnese - and so she is not able to stand up in her crate, so I unzip the "peek out" end so she can stand up and stretch her legs during stops where I am not changing planes. Actually, she wakes up only upon landing and falls asleep the minute we get out of the initial take off. Her only problem is a running nose, both onboard all planes, and both inside and outside the terminals. I presume it is caused by general air pollution of some sort as she does the same if we visit some one who smokes cigarettes. Jet fuel is kerosene.

If your dog is a service animal, a hotel is not allowed to charge you extra for the room. I am not familiar with pet deposits, but it seems fair unless you don't get it back til it arrives in the mail somewhere in the future - which does seem inevitable unless you can demand an english-speaking maid to do a walk thru and sign off on something you can carry to the desk that the dog/cat did not soil or wet the carpet or shred the shower curtain or claw the drapes. :wink:

Regardless, don't book the room thru an online service (if you wish to) until after you have called the hotel direct and spoken to a manager (don't call during their busy check-in, check-out times - middle of the night is great).

They can tell you what the hotel's policies are, can book you a downstairs room near a door if you like for walking your dog. For that matter, they can let you know how far you will have to walk to find a place for your dog to eliminate. Tell them you will be bringing baggies for clean up after your dog and that you will dispose of it outside (most all hotels have a lined waste can outside the front door for fast food wrapper and beverage disposal, et al.

Good luck with all your traveling with your pet....
OneMoreTime
ps: I've never even been frowned at for bring my pet's carrier into a McDonald's. Suspect there are a lot of friendlies out there. WalMarts always love her and never even seem freaked by a dog in their store - even the ones with grocery sections.

Time to Reassess the Laws on Airlines?
 

I have an emotional support dog. She’s actually trained to do some things that help me with some of my problems (along the lines of panic attacks and OCD, but I won’t get into details) so I guess, by definition, she’s technically a service animal. I am in my mid-twenties and my dog is small so I don’t publicly claim that she is a service animal because I don’t want to have to deal with the criticism of being called a “Paris Hilton wannabe…” In fact, until the fees became completely outrageous, I paid for her to fly with me on airplanes, stay with me in hotels and live with me in my apartment so I wouldn’t have to deal with people’s comments.

The last couple of times I have flown, she has been with me as an “emotional support” dog. I have the necessary documentation from my doctor to back my claim.

The issue I am having is this: while I understand that many people try to take advantage of the system by passing their animals off as “emotional support” animals or what have you, the stress and embarrassment that come from having to legitimately make this claim and produce the documentation can make matters worse than they were to begin with. Let me explain by sharing my latest experience with you. Please note that I realize the airline acted within their rights.

I booked my flights a month in advance. From that time up until the night before I left, I made 4 separate calls to the airline to inform them I was flying with an emotional support animal and to confirm this was in their system. I was flying on Delta and this was a round-trip. Although I didn’t experience any difficulty on my trip away, coming home was a bit different. The first problem I encountered was that I was not allowed to check-in online. This, of course, was Delta’s way of getting me to check-in at the ticket counter and to give them the opportunity to interrogate me and/or try to get me to pay. I know this, because as I have said, I used to pay to have my dog fly with me before the cost was raised to $150 one-way.

I clearly have huge issues with flying, hence the ESA, so I was already stressing out. I was furthermore worried that somehow, I’d be refused boarding. I was afraid they’d be too technical and claim that some type of wording or something in the letter wasn’t exactly what it needed to be. (This actually happened to me over Christmas with Delta… I was refused boarding and it took me 24 hours to get home for Christmas. I will never forget the stress and panic attacks I had that day!)

As I waited in the line for over an hour, my breathing began to quicken. I could feel my heart beat faster. My mouth became so dry, that I literally lost my voice until I could find my water bottle. I became light-headed and kept feeling like I was going to pass out. This was the time before the flight that I usually go through my imagery and exercises to calm me down, but instead, I was standing in this line. It was really upsetting me! I finally approached the desk. The woman behind the counter was actually nice (thank heavens) but she wasn’t familiar with Delta’s policy regarding an emotional support animal. She inquired about this with her manager or coworker who was standing next to her, helping another customer.

The man very loudly exclaimed “She can only have the dog if she has a letter from her doctor stating she has a disability.” His voice was deep and loud, and it carried back to the massive line standing behind me. I turned around to see just about every face staring in my direction. I think I blushed, and I began to shake. I was so afraid of everyone thinking I was a fraud because I’m young and my dog is small. I was very upset. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, the man repeated himself about 2 or 3 more times. I think he liked to hear himself repeat policy – like it made him feel important or knowledgeable or whatever. He looked at me (and so did the customer he was helping) and said, “Do you have documentation from your doctor?”

I couldn’t even speak. I just nodded my head and pulled my letter out of my bag for the agent to read. It was so embarrassing because my hand was shaking as I did it, and everyone was watching.

The nice lady read my letter and I think she could tell that the last thing I needed was more stress, so she didn’t look at it long. The loud agent then said, “And you need to have one of these tags on your bag.” It was the same, typical green one that they always used to give me when I paid to carry my dog on. He then looked at his co-worker and said, “Did the letter say that she needed the dog to be with her in flight??”

I was eventually given my boarding pass. When I arrived at the gate, even though my dog was in the system as a support animal, the gate agent stopped me as I was boarding to check my tag and, I assume, make sure I wasn’t trying to “get away” with anything. It actually made me mad. How many more employees were going to question/interrogate me? What more did I have to do to get on the d*** plane?

By this time, I was just so upset and humiliated, not to mention TERRIFIED for my flight… right as I walked on the plane, I began to hyperventilate. It was HORRIBLE! One of the flight attendants was standing in front of me and said, “Oh dear, honey. Do you need a napkin?” I nodded. It was very sweet of her, and immediately started a waterfall of tears. I was MORTIFIED at this point. I was in the front of the plane that was nearly full… all of first class and coach could see me hysterically crying! And what’s worse, my seat was the very last one on the plane, so I had to walk all the way to the back like that!

I had also been told by one of the other flight attendants that my dog HAD to remain in her bag so while I was sitting there, hysterical, my dog was trying to get to me to calm me down. She was scratching her bag, trying to get out and was very upset (during a normal, calm flight, she does not make a peep. She has been trained). So, my emotional support dog was of no use to me in this situation because I was not allowed to have access to her.

Needless to say, the flight was a nightmare. I broke into loud sobs as we took off and spent the remainder of the time trying to hide my face. I kept my head down after we landed as I walked off the plane. ☹

The point I’m trying to make here is that while the airline acted in accordance with the law, their lack of sensitivity (the man yelling my personal information out in front of the crowd), being questioned over and over after I had adequately planned for this trip, and the law itself contributed to making my flight even WORSE than it could have been. The point of having my dog with me and paying all of the money I have to get her trained is so that I can AVOID the very emotional response that I had in this experience.

Like I said, I realize that people try to take advantage of the “emotional support animal” rules to avoid paying for their pets (and heaven forbid, keeping the airline from capitalizing on their animals), but I’d rather see many people take advantage of this than see one person who legitimately NEEDS this, have to go through what I went through.

Honestly, with the way the rules are set now (and if the airline chooses to follow them to the most rigid extent possible), I believe that the benefits of flying with an ESA are negated by the stress that the airline places on the already emotionally unstable passenger. Why must we be treated this way? Why must we have to show documentation when others do not? Just because my problems are not visible does not mean that they don’t exist. I am still so upset!

Does anyone know of any group that is trying to push for more rights for those of us with ESAs? I’d really like to share my story with them.

Thank you for reading this.

hey everyone i just had a few quick questions. umm where to start i have severe post traumatic stress disorder, a history of black outs with self mutilation and bad anxiety and panic attacks associated with a diffrent metal illness (nothing bad) a touch of OCD and a blown knee. I have a small dog trained to alert me when someone approaches me if im zoning out or not currently focused. because if someone startles me it can trigger flash backs and a bad episode that can leave me how do you say messed up for several hours if not days. he is trained to get help when i black out (its obvious) or attempt self mutilation. he is also trainied to get my attention if i am focusing on something to long * i can stare into a mirror and find a flaw in my skin or something and convince my self its some illness) and get me to do something else ie play or go for a walk. walk me during nightmares caused by the PTSD. and allow me to focus on him when i am out in huge crowds so i can do what i have to do. he is also trained to retrieve my cell phone when and if i fall. from around my house or from my purse. * i have fallen down a flight of cememnt steps in the past out side at night thanks to him i was able to call family and have someone come and get me.* i am 22 and thanks to him i am no able to go out do errands and such alone. i dont need to be escorted every where. several friends have told me to visit my doctor * also an intense fear of the drs so i have to be escorted and my family hopes with taking him i will be able to attend the doctors alone without spiking my blood pressure* and see if my dog can be classified as a service dog as without him . i cant go out alone. i have 2 weeks until my mother no longer has a week day off. im going back to school (online) and would love to be able to take him with me so i can attend regualr classes and such. i just want to know what people think he is classified as. i have had diffrent comments from a PSD to a SD to a ESA. i dont classify him as an ESA as he is trained for several diffrent things

feed back appreciated