Emotional support animals

[Guest AlisonS23]

Does anyone else have an emotional support animal? Or a therapy animal? I have a husky who is registered as an emotional support dog. He is an amazing help and so thankful. It’s amazing to the difference an animal can make on your life haha. Just curious if anyone else has this too! ❤️

[Breakingsilver]

I want to get an ESA. How do you get them registered?

[Guest AlisonS23]

[Maids]

It all depends on where you live, I live in Canada and they only accept 'common' pets here (i.e dogs or cats.) I want to register my rabbit as an ESA but as she is more on the 'exotic' side, I can get a note from a psychiatrist or doctor passed to an airline or my choice of living if they have an issue with my unofficial ESA living with me. I wouldn't trust those websites where you can get a "certificate" for 50 bucks though, I'd recommend calling City Hall about it and going about the registry there. 

 

I wish I could register my little girl though, she helps me so much with my anxiety issues and just overall mental health issues (I'm quite the rainbow of 'em ) as I am afraid of loud noises, so dogs would not be helpful for me. Plus, when they get really excited and energetic I get scared and overwhelmed, then loud noises make me wince and have an anxiety attack. ESA cats... maybe it's just my personal experience from a cat as he is very aloof, I don't see the therapy in him but I'm sure others have different experiences.

 

Huskies are beautiful dogs though! Congrats on the registry!

 

I'm hoping that with enough persistence on my case for my little girl, that they will create something more long-term for me than a little note.

Edited June 2, 2018 by ♥Squishy Princess♥

[Guest Arc]

I am afraid of loud noises, so dogs would not be helpful for me. Plus, when they get really excited and energetic I get scared and overwhelmed, then loud noises make me wince and have an anxiety attack.

 

If you were with a properly trained dog those things would not be a problem. I've had dogs all my life so maybe I'm just more confident around them, but a well trained dog would either not act like that or would be easily calmed from that. 

 

But I hope you can get your rabbit registered. I don't understand why they consider a rabbit to be exotic when in my opinion it's relatively common pet (well I know lots where I live, at least). Anyway... good luck with getting something more long term for her  

[Guest AlisonS23]

My dog doesn’t ever bark. The only time he really is vocal is if I ask him to speak. He howls or speaks more so than barks. If you go on YouTube you can look up husky talking. I swear some days mine says “I want my momma” haha buuut That is just me being optimistic about it ❤ Hearing what I want to hear. Anyway yes get him or her trained and I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem. You can also try out different animals whatever works for you. But I think they have guidelines of what animals qualify. I would ask around.

[jelloprincess]

My cat is an emotional support animal. I actually had her for years before she officially became my emotional support animal. All I had to do was ask my therapist, because I was moving and I was really concerned about finding an apartment that would allow cats. I talked to my therapist about it, and told her about the anxiety I went through after my other cat died. I have OCD, depression, and PTSD -- one of my symptoms is trichotillomania. I hadn't touched the hair on my head for almost two years before my first kitty passed, and afterward I ripped all of the hair off the top of my head out. My anxiety was starting to get really bad again with the prospect of moving somewhere where I couldn't bring my cat. When my therapist saw what it was doing to me, she wrote me a letter basically saying that having a cat is necessary for my mental health and general well-being. Basically I have a kitty prescription.  I just have to show that to any landlords and such and they can't tell me I can't have a cat. My cat didn't have to go through any special training -- just her being her fat little furry self helps me immensely. 

[Guest AlisonS23]

I had a cat named Norbert. She was a big fat cat. She got ate by coyotes though she helped a lot too but my husky is more fitted for country farm life I think. Though I have barn cats still.

[Kittybubblespop]

I may have went a little over bored.

I have 2 bunnies

2 guniea piggies

2 parrots

 

I love them! Every day when i come through my door my bird flys to the door frame then on to me to give me kisses. My birds are Velcro animals. Always have to be in the same room and i certainly do not mind.

 

My rabbits are so sweet they to have thier own room and they are cuddle bugs. I find brushing them to be so relaxing

 

The guinea pigs are always down to eat and so am i so we love to get excited and yell about food!

[Guest aphroditelaughs]

As far as I know registering an emotional support animal isn't a requirement in the US - and most of the sites online are phony anyway. Basically your proof comes from a doctor, because the only rights ESAs have are related to housing and planes. However, if you're looking to get a psychiactric service animal rather than an ESA, that requires a specific type of training AND if you're in the States a PSA must be ceritified by the Americans with Disabilities Act, because these animals are allowed in public and perform a specific task unlike ESAs. It can be a long process in either case.

[Guest ~*~Sachita~*~]

The rules for emotional support animals have been quite lax.  I work at a mental health practice and basically if a patient says the animal calms their anxiety, we give them a letter and no one really checks.  However, we recently had a patient who was scheduled for a Delta flight bring in a specific form stating that the animal was medically necessary.  It looks like airlines at least are tightening up the regulations on dogs.

 

Also, an ESA does not qualify as a pet, so we have patients who seek ESA letters for their animals specifically so they can move into a rental that does not allow pets.  

 

Of course, the doctors are much more willing to work with a patient who attends regular therapy, as opposed to someone who just comes in for a letter.

[Ishlandishia]

I has a service doggy in twaining.

[KolyHul]

I have an emotional support animal. It's a registered golden retriever. I'll try to cut a long story short. 2 years ago my mother passed away. That was a punch straight into my face. Luckily I have an amazing wife who has always been near me to help. She got me our Nancy on https://www.esaregistration.org/faq/. And you just won't guess what happened next! It took me a year to recover after my mother's death, while doctors said it would take 2 years to recover. I just could hardly explain to you how happy I am. So, now Nancy and I are the BFFs. I've even bought her a seat cover so she can peacefully sit in my car.

Edited June 29, 2022 by KolyHul

[Andriel_Isilien]

I have owned hamsters in the past and called them my emotional support animals. ☺️ Now I have two guinea pigs and two sugar gliders. I love them to pieces! I recently began volunteering to work with small critters and I call it free therapy. The bond you can make with animals are just wonderful. The cuddles, the loves, the silly shenanigans, and all the cuteness is what makes pets so loveable. ❤️💗 It's amazing what service dogs can do help regulate someone that has a disorder! I get so much comfort from small pets.