If you are not clear about the different kinds of support animals and where you can take each one, you’re not alone. Adding to the confusion are recent debates about the evolving role of support animals and allegations of wrong-doing on both sides of the argument. One recent case-in-point involved United Airlines’ refusal to accommodate a passenger seeking to fly with their emotional support peacock. With stories like this highlighting the different allowances and legal protections for animals, and how businesses interpret them, it can get confusing. Here is a brief overview of different classifications of support animals and the rights each of them have been afforded.

Service Animals

Service animals are trained to provide specifics tasks to aid people with certain disabilities. While the disability can be psychiatric in nature, such as a service dog helping predict and respond to panic attacks, the primary function provided by the animal cannot be emotional support. Other examples include diabetic support dogs, who warn individuals with diabetes that their blood sugar is getting low, or animals who are trained to assist people with visual impairment with tasks like commuting. Service animals are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and can accompany their handlers most anywhere they go.

Therapy Animals

Therapy animals are trained to provide comfort to humans in stressful situations, like testifying in court or being in a hospital. Therapy dogs usually graduate from a curriculum like the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen program to verify that they are well-mannered and capable of effectively interacting with a range of humans. Therapy dogs play a role in animal assisted interventions, which include psychotherapy, education, and other activities meant to enrich the lives of humans. You will likely see therapy dogs volunteering with their handlers in places like assisted living facilities, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals are companion pets that provide comfort to people with psychological diagnoses like anxiety and depression. While they are not trained to provide a specific task, like their service animal counterparts, the emotional support they provide has evidence-based benefits to humans’ psychological health. Emotional support animals are not protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, but many owners are granted special permission to live with their animals in apartments and other dwellings which have pet-bans, if they can provide proof of a properly diagnosed psychological issue for which they require an emotional support animal. Many airlines also allow ESAs to travel with their humans.

I know even with those categories outlined, there are still tons of questions about which animals might be right for you and what steps you need to take to train them and receive the legal protection to keep them by your side. I suggest contacting a Veterinary Social Worker, who can help walk you through the best options and also work with you to maximize the numerous benefits of the human-animal bond.

Further Reading:

Service Dogs, Working Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs: What’s the Difference? Jan Reisen of the American Kennel Club. July 31, 2019. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/service-working-therapy-emotional-support-dogs/

Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA. US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. 2015. https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html

Aubrey H. Fine. The Human-Animal Bond Over the Lifespan: A Primer for Mental Health Professionals, Editor(s): Lori Kogan, Christopher Blazina, Clinician's Guide to Treating Companion Animal Issues, Academic Press, 2019, Pages 1-19, ISBN 9780128129623, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812962-3.00001-0.

Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): Understanding the Differences. Project Canine. 2020. https://www.projectcanine.org/service-dogs