Emotional support dogs are NOT SERVICE DOGS!!

[draggar]

But...isn't it the same thing? "What's your dog for?" "It helps me see."

Gee, wonder what his disability is.

Seeing eye dogs are pretty obvious (just think - why are blind people's canes white? So other people can easily seel it). SOme are kinda obvious, others may not be obvious at all (PTSD, autism, seizure alert, hearing ear, etc.).

Like when my wife is asked she responds he is for mobility assisstance. Yes, it insinuates that she has an issue walking (but that can be obvious with her limp) but doesn't get into exactly what her disability is.

You can get a psychiatric support dog?!? Oh my, I would like one of them so much at some point...I do have PTSD and some things trigger me very badly.

I guess at least an "emotional support pet" is better than "I just don't want to leave my pwecious outside/at home." I do think it's kind of sad that therapy pets can't fall under the ADA--but on the other hand, it would be taken way too much advantage of. Like it already is.

I still remember a post on CS about seeing someone with a service snake.

I forgot who can "perscribe" a psychiatric support dog, a psychiatrist maybe? Also, I am pretty sur eyou are mixing up terms but therapy dogs are different than emotional support dogs.

Therapy dogs are usually certified with their handler though the TDI (Therapy Dog International) and while not openly allowed access everywhere the certification does allow them to set up sessions in areas (for therapty or education) with establishment owners. TDI certified pairs are also covered under the TDI insurance incase anything happens.

ESDs are highly abused and over-used (even "service dog" is getting abused now and with people selling "service dog" badges and "certifications" on eBay is making it worse, even though that is illegal). People with legitemate needs don't abuse it. You can usually tell people abusing the laws, though, it's jsut hard to call them out on it.

[EmiOfBrie]

You can get a psychiatric support dog?!? Oh my, I would like one of them so much at some point...I do have PTSD and some things trigger me very badly.

My partner's dog is like that, helps with her PTSD. And yes, she has the paperwork.

[Boozy]

Most people don't need special paperwork or a special kind of dog if they're just looking for emotional support and a soothing presence. Just get a dog. That's what dogs do.

[fireheart17]

This lady I've seen around has a hearing dog. Because it's supported by the Lions club, it has a coat on it that indicates that yes, it's a hearing dog. It's this little poodle thing and it's adorable.

[Eisa]

My partner's dog is like that, helps with her PTSD. And yes, she has the paperwork.

I was reading one of the links on that, and how you can train a dog to search through the house and make sure there's no one lurking.

That would be seriously AWESOME.

That's why I have the lock on, the chain on, and STILL lock my bedroom door. And search my room. My room is tiny. No one could be hiding in here.

[MrsEclipse]

When I was training at Disney World they talked to us about service animals.

The first thing was, since we were just the low-level grunts, if we saw someone with an animal we had to assume it had already been cleared by the higher-ups since it's hard to sneak an animal in. If it was, for example, a tiny dog hiding in a purse, ask your manager and she'll check if it was cleared.

They taught us about all the different types of service animals, as well as the emotional support ones they allowed. For example, say there was an old man who's been married since he was 19, and he's in his 70s now. His wife just died, and he's very lonely. He gets a pet, and lavishes it with all the love and attention he used to give his wife, and he's never apart from it. At the time I was working there, that kind of animal was allowed in the parks.

Personally, I think fuckwits will take advantage of "emotional support" animals that have no business being there, but emotional support animals are a very real thing, and while your pet doesn't need to go *everywhere* with you, there are some circumstances where emotional support animals are a legitimate thing.

YMMV