Service VS Therapy VS Emotional Support Animals

 I have been getting an influx of messages asking what is a service dog, and how do they differ from other types of assistance animals? In this article I will be going over the differences between the 3 along with the laws pertaining to them. 

Service Dogs:

A Service dog is any dog that has been trained to perform a task to aid their disabled handler. some of these tasks (but not all) are described below:

Deep Pressure Therapy:

this is when a dog is trained to use its body weight to target specific pressure points. This can help lower heart rate, bring someone with PTSD out of a flashback or panic attack, lessen the time someone has a seizure, reduce pain, and so much more! This can be compared to someone who has sleep insomnia using a weighted blanket to help them sleep. It may look like the handler is cuddling with their dog, but the dog is actually working when you see it laying on its handlers lap or chest. 

Medical Alert:

This task is one of the most common. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell! Trainers all over the world have learned how to harness this and use it to help disabled individuals, search and rescue teams. and the police/military! For this we are going to focus on how it helps disabled individuals though. A dog can be trained to detect and alert to a specific smell that indicates an oncoming medical condition. Examples of these conditions include, but are not limited to,  seizures, low blood sugar, high heart rate, and high blood pressure. A dog can alert to this a number of ways. The most common are, pawing at the handler, jumping at the handler, nudging the handler with their nose, and licking the handler in a specific area.  

Item Retrieval:

Some individuals can struggle with mobility or may need help getting meds during a medical episode. A dog can be trained to do a number of things like get a med case, get water, get their phone so they can call for help and more! 


Service dogs also have to be trained to a higher standard than normal dogs. The reason for this is they not only need to maintain focus on their handler at all times, but they also must always be under control in order to gain access with their handler. This means a service dog is not allowed to excessively bark, jump on other people, relieve them selves indoors, or act aggressively in any way. 

Service dog usually -but not always- wear a vest or other identifying markers to alert the general public of their status. The Americans With Disabilities Act (or ADA) states a service dog is not required to wear anything to label it as a service dog though. It is always best to ask before petting or trying to distract any dog incase it is an unlabeled service dog. For more information on what to do if you see a service dog, please visit this link!  https://skyescanislanista.blogspot.com/2021/04/what-should-you-do-if-you-see-service.html

This is not my dog. This dog belongs to Ms.K.Keller. 

What Laws Apply to Service Dogs, & Where Are They Allowed?

There are three sets of federal laws that apply to service dogs. Service dogs in training are not covered under any, so it is important to check your state laws for that! The federal laws that apply to service dogs are The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), and The Fair Housing Act (FHA) which also falls under the HUD or United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. 
The ADA applies to service dogs in public places like stores, restaurants, and hotels. A store or business in not allowed to ask for, or require, proof of shots, certification, or registration as a condition of entry. A business may only ask 2 questions to determine if a dog is a service dog. 1.) Is the dog a service dog required for a disability? 2.) What work or task has the dog been trained to do to directly mitigate your disability? They cannot require the handler demonstrates the tasks as proof or inquire about the nature of the persons disability. Emotional support is not a task under the ADA. As described by the ADA, "The dog must be trained to take a specific action when needed to assist the person with a disability." Simply being present to provide emotional support is not a task. Please follow the below links for more information on service dogs and the ADA. The first is an article I wrote, and the rest are right from ADA.Gov!

Misconceptions About Service Dogs and The ADA

ADA FAQ on Service Animals

ADA 2010 Revised Requirements

ADA Business Brief: Service Animals

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SERVICE ANIMALS IN PLACES OF BUSINESS

https://www.ada.gov/archive/animal.htm

 The FHA Applies to service dogs and emotional support animals in housing. Below are links to the HUD pertaining to them!
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/assistance_animals

https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/AsstAnimalsGuidFS1-24-20.pdf

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/fair_housing_act_overview

The ACAA applies to service dogs on aircrafts. Below are links to the laws in regards to them!
https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/service-animals

https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/us-department-transportation-service-animal-air

Emotional Support Animals:

An emotional support animals is any animal that provides therapeutic comfort to help relieve the effects or symptoms of a persons disability. These can be any domestic animal you can legally own, and require no training. Emotional support animals, or ESA, are only protected but the Fair Housing Act under the HUD. This means that if your landlord falls under the HUD/FHA, they legally must permit an ESA as a form of reasonable accommodation. The only time a landlord is not required to permit and ESA to live with their handler is if they can prove it causes an undue hardship. Examples of an undue hardship are, they will loose their insurance, and cannot find another to cover them, if they allow your ESA. The ESA is not able to live where you are located (a farm animal in an apartment with no yard for example). The landlord must provide you with written proof that the accommodation will be an undue hardship before they can legally deny you. ESA are not allowed into public places that pets are not usually permitted to go. They are not covered under the ADA like service dogs. 

Therapy Dogs:

Therapy dogs are dogs trained to go to facilities and provide therapeutic comfort to a group of people. Examples of those facilities are, nursing homes, hospitals, and court houses. These dogs must be certified and are not allowed into non pet friendly places unless invited.