| Emotional support animals can do wonders for anyone | | | | regular interaction with other living things. Though I have |
| challenged by living with chronic illness. This is related | | | | lost many of my capabilities, I am still valuable in her |
| but a bit different than using a trained service animal. I | | | | eyes as a caregiver and companion. This gives me |
| have both types of assistance animals so I will try to | | | | purpose and a sense of being needed. |
| make the difference clear. People with physical or | | | | The definition of "therapy" or "service" animal under the |
| mental disability may find a service animal can perform | | | | Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is intentionally |
| activities of daily living (ADLs) or assist with expanding | | | | open to interpretation allowing each individual to use |
| mobility. For example, my service beagle Maile helps | | | | animal therapists to compensate for a wide range of |
| me walk by pulling me, over riding the neurological | | | | disabilities. Emotional support animals are not |
| disconnect that prevents me from ambulating with a | | | | considered service animals though, because they do |
| normal gait. This is one of the requirements for | | | | not meet the requirement under the ADA guidelines |
| qualifications a service animal. The animal must be | | | | that the animal must be trained to do specific tasks or |
| trained to perform a task or work to assist the | | | | work for the disabled individual. |
| individual in some way. | | | | The other two requirements to qualify as an service |
| In the case of emotional support animals, the role of | | | | animal according to the ADA are that the person using |
| the animal is different. Here, the animal is used to | | | | the animal concerned is disabled, not impaired, and the |
| satisfy emotional needs counteracting the isolation and | | | | animal has to be sufficiently trained such that the |
| resulting depression that frequently accompany illness. | | | | safety of the public is assured in its presence. |
| My more unusual emotional support animal is a bucking | | | | Emotional support animals, though a different type of |
| bred cow named Red Baroness. She gives me a | | | | assistance animal, are still valuable care providers for |
| reason to get up and get going every day. She | | | | their owners. So, while I don't recommend bucking bulls |
| depends on me for care. this keeps me active, gives | | | | to most folks even as emotional support animals, mine |
| me exercise and gets me out of doors in all seasons. | | | | have given me a new lease on life. I don't expect to |
| I can interact, love, and experience physical contact | | | | take them into restaurants on on planes with me |
| with Red Baroness without any conditions attached. | | | | however. They serve me best at home in my pasture. |
| she accepts me as I am, disabled, but still needing | | | | |