Open AccessEmotional Support Animals: The Basics
Author(s) -
Anwyn Gatesy-Davis
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
psychiatry issue briefs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2162-1950
DOI - 10.7191/pib.1169
Subject(s) - human animal , animal welfare , emotional support , psychology , mental health , animal assisted therapy , hubzero , domestication , pet therapy , animal testing , animal study , psychiatry , medicine , social support , social psychology , biology , ecology , genetics , surgery
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides therapeutic benefit (e.g., emotional support, comfort, companionship) to a person with a mental health or psychiatric disability (such as a serious mental health condition). An ESA is not considered a Service Animal, but under U.S. law, an emotional support animal is also not considered a pet and is generally not restricted by the type of animal. Any domesticated animal may be considered as an ESA (e.g., cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, birds, hedgehogs, rats, minipigs, ferrets, etc.) and they can be any age. However, an ESA must be able to be manageable in public and does not create a nuisance. In this tip sheet we describe what an Emotional Support Animal is an is not as well as how someone can look into getting one.