Types Of Assistance Dogs
Any dog can assists you with your needs. It doesn’t matter dog size, dog breed or dog’s training level.
Federal Law Prohibits Discrimination Of Breed,Size,Training Level Or Age Of Any Emotional Support Or Service Dog.
Service Dogs
Service dogs are dogs that have been individually trained to perform a specific task for individuals who have disabilities. The disabilities can vary greatly, and so do the tasks that the service dogs perform.
Service dogs are often identified by wearing a service dog vest or tag, letting the public know that it is a service dog; otherwise, their handlers will find themselves having to explain everywhere that they go that their dog is a service dog.
Service dogs can be trained by their owners or in any other manner the owner desires to assist them with their disability.
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Emotional Support Dogs
An emotional support animal (ESA) or support animal, is a companion animal (pet) that a medical professional says provides some benefit for a person disabled by a mental health condition or emotional disorder. Emotional support animals are typically dogs, but are sometimes cats or other animals.
People who qualify for emotional support animals have verifiable psychological disabilities that substantially interfere with major life activities, such as anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, or panic attacks.
An emotional support animal differs from a service animal. Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks[1] (such as helping a blind person walk), while emotional support animals receive no specific training. (It therefore stands that in the setting of mental illness, whether or not the animal is a “service animal” vs. an Emotional Support Animal would hinge on whether the dog is formally trained to do something specific to mitigate the mental illness.) Any animal that provides support, well-being, comfort, or aid, to an individual through companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, and affection may be regarded as an emotional support animal
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Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs are dogs that are used to bring comfort and joy to those who are ill or under poor conditions, such as those who have been affected by a natural disaster. Many people are able to connect with dogs and feel the love that they provide, and this has a therapeutic effect on them. Therapy dogs are generally very calm and well-behaved, so that they do not upset or make uncomfortable those around them.
Many people confuse Therapy Animals with Service Dogs. A therapy animal is most commonly a dog (but can be other species) that has been obedience trained and screened for its ability to interact favorably with humans and other animals. The primary purpose of a therapy animal is to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas, and to people with learning difficulties.
Therapy animals are privately owned and tend to visit facilities on a regular basis. A therapy animal is only half of the equation, however. A responsible, caring handler is an important member of the therapy animal team. At the end of a visit, therapy animals go home with their owners. Most commonly, therapy animals are dogs that have shown they like people and have the temperament to work with them.
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