An emotional support animal (ESA) is becoming an increasingly popular method of healing for psychic disturbances every year. Despite the fact that these animals do not have the status of service animals, they also qualitatively aid humans to get rid of their maladies and live a happy and healthy life.
To enjoy all the benefits that ESA can bring to your life, you have to qualify for an emotional support animal and get permission to keep an animal. Only then your animal can get a legal certificate of an emotional support one.
Emotional Support Animals
An emotional support animal procures comfort and helps to stanch signs or outcomes of a human’s inability. Following current legislation, ESA is not a pet. Moreover, it can be almost any animal, regardless of its species.
Also, service animals and ESAs differ. Service dogs are usually trained for a couple of years to perform certain assignments aimed at facilitating the life of a human with dysfunction. ESAs, on the other hand, do not need special education, since there are no concrete tasks for the animal, the fulfillment of which can alleviate the psychical frustration of the handler.
What Animals Are Used for a Psychological Endorsement?
Emotional support dogs are considered traditional. Some breeds have even gained particular popularity in this area because of their loyalty and friendliness. For instance, golden retrievers and poodles are often used as emotional support animals. These breeds are very active and love to spend time with people. The Great Dane is also often chosen for his innate defensive skills.
If you are more fond of cats, you can prefer this animal to provide you spiritual backing. Cats are also excellent at relieving stress and calming a person. In fact, absolutely any pet can be an emotional support animal if it helps its owner to overcome the indications of his malady.
Education Process
Registering Emotional Support Animals don’t need any specialized training. They should not fulfill any job other than those that would be performed by a pet of the same species. Therefore, they do not need additional training and are limited to basic skills typical for animals of this species.
However, a poorly disciplined animal for both psychological prop and regular pets can pose a threat to the health and safety of their owners and those around them. Therefore, the animal must be non-aggressive and must be able to behave in society. For example, it should not bite or try to bite a person or other animals, it should not bark and growl at others, frightening them.
Gain From an Emotional Support Animal
An emotional support dog helps in the healing of a variety of human mental frustrations. The animal can minimize the indications of the disease or even help completely get rid of it. It is a spiritual and tactile endorsement for its owner. It cares, protects, and loves a handler unconditionally.
Emotional support dogs are most often useful in treating mild mental disorders. They also help fight obsessive thoughts and feelings of loneliness. The animal relieves stress, gives emotional release, and helps clear the mind. However, it is worth noting that psychiatric service dogs will be more suitable for more severe cases of diseases.
Who Can Get an ESA?
A person has the right to have an emotional support animal if they suffer from any form of psychic malady and the doctor thinks such therapy will be helpful. The most widespread diseases include anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In addition, ESA can be useful for people with social and anti-social disorders. An animal can make a person more friendly and sociable. Thanks to the sense of protection that the dog gives, the ESA owners become more companionable and outgoing.
Qualification for an Emotional Support Dog
First of all, contact a mental health professional to make sure the animal is a utility for your disturbance. Request an ESA letter to acknowledge your ailment and claims for the animal. If you do not want to meet with the psychiatrist, you may qualify for an ESA online by filling in a form.
You also have an opportunity to register your dog as an emotional support animal or ESA. In this case, you will have to prove exactly how the animal helps you cope with your disease. The positive effect of your pet should also be recorded by mental health professionals.
Required Accessories
Even though you can register your emotional support animal, there is no special document confirming their status. ESA registration exempts the animal and its handler from complying with the pet policy and allows you to some of the extended freedoms of service animals.
In order to avoid controversy regarding ESA, many of their owners buy special accessories or order ID cards to simplify the recognition of the animal. If you have all the requisite documents from a therapist, for your convenience, you can issue an ID card or order all the essential accessories on the website MyServiceAnimal.org
ESAs’ Freedoms
Despite the fact that according to the Americans with Disabilities Act emotional support animals cannot access all public places, they still enjoy some privileges in housing and air traveling. For example, if an animal follows the rules of an airline, the ESA handler can fly with the pet in the cabin. In addition, ESA can live with its owner without extra payment even if animals are forbidden there.
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