The problem with Emotional Support Animals
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2024
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There is a big problem with Emotional Support Animals. The number of ESAs has exploded over the past decade, which you would think would be a good thing. But it turns out that this rise in popularity threatens to bring down the whole institution. We’ve all scoffed at the stories about someone claiming an unusual creature as their emotional support animal. But how much do you know about the history of ESAs or the role they play today? Does the “wild west” nature of ESAs concern you? Because it worries me.
In this video essay, I try to shed light on the intricate issues surrounding emotional support animals and the pressing need for an improved system. With the growing popularity of ESAs, there's a rising concern about the legitimacy of these animals and the implications of fake service animals. I’ll delve into various aspects, from emotional support dogs and cats to unexpected cases of animals like emotional support alligators and rats. We’ll explore the murky waters of acquiring an ESA letter and the differences between therapy dogs and service dogs. By uncovering scams and questionable practices, my aim is to spark a conversation about safeguarding the essential role of ESAs in supporting mental health while ensuring the integrity of the system. Because the truth is that emotional support animals play a vital role in improving the mental health of so many people every day.
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0:00 - ESAs make me uncomfortable
2:35 - Service animals vs ESAs
6:29 - How ESAs came into existence
11:05 - Why ESAs are a good thing
14:04 - The problems with ESAs
20:31 - Why do these problems exist?
24:00 - Online letter vendors and scammers
27:03 - Brilliant (and my own stuff)
29:15 - The vest doesn’t mean anything
30:33 - Cat montage
30:58 - What can fix ESAs?
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I sort of waved away conversation regarding economics and animal rights in order to keep the video focused, but it's worth summarizing how these two issues have also led to the abuse and degradation of the system.
First off, it's fair to say that the costs associated with animal ownership can be quite high. Even just necessary items like food, habitat supplies, veterinary care, or medicines. Adding the additional cost of a "pet rent" can be a substantial burden on folks. It's worth acknowledging that people with a lower socioeconomic status would see the largest benefit from classifying their animal as an ESA. You could make an argument that ESAs are a class issue and that having lax rules advantages those at the bottom. This points to larger issues with our country's social support systems and the economic disparities that disadvantage those at the low end. As the saying goes, "it's expensive to be poor".
Second, it is my opinion that more property owners should allow pets in their rentals. Pet owners tend to be responsible and conscientious, and there's a good argument to make that pets are not any more destructive than, say, children. There are legitimate reasons to not want pets on the premises, particularly dogs since they are often the largest, can be the most disruptive, and are in public spaces the most. However, many pet-related issues could be addressed in the same way that you would with any tenant issue described in a rental agreement. If the law changed to provide housing protections against discrimination of pets, everyone could have the option to experience the benefits of having pets without worrying about limiting where they live. And ESAs would be prescribed for their intended purpose of helping individuals manage their symptoms, rather than as a tool to remove barriers to housing.
Finally, I'm starting to see some comments role in already and I want to make it very clear that I'm not trying to take away anybody's pets. What I'm saying is that the ESA system was not designed for pets. I think pets are great and I want everyone to have the freedom to have pets without being overly burdened. But using this legal protection as a "loophole" is bad for everyone in the long run. The rights of pet owners need to be addressed in their own right, through separate legislation. Additionally, if there are any changes to ESA law, they must be done carefully so that you do not create unintended barriers for the people who really need them. This is why I believe that training and the costs to obtain a trained animal should be covered by insurance.
But an ESA is only just a pet. ADA law protects disabled person’s rights-not rights of pets or animals. The ADA does not grant any rights to my service animal-it protects MY rights to equal access as a disabled person-so that I can live, travel, and I can access public spaces with the aid of my trained service dog. There is no “loop hole” for non-ESA pets or ESA’s pretending to be service animals. People doing that are breaking the law and they can and should be fined and/or prosecuted. We need more education and awareness about service animals and ESA’s. Some people may be gaming the system unwittingly…like they legit actually believe that they still have access to non-pet friendly public establishments with their ESA. The audio clip included in this video may be one of those situations. Maybe instead of acting as a gate keeper to disabled access, therapists should a) be trained and informed about all things ADA including assistance animals and the differences between
ESA and Service animals and b) help to inform their disabled patients who are seeking access and/or reasonable accommodations in their living situation and/or employment.
Maybe instead of more “gate keeping” and adding more barriers to disabled access, we just need everyone to be more informed.
If you are a therapist or others watching this are aspiring to become therapist, maybe instead of trying to gate-keep access for your disabled patients, maybe just be informed and help inform your patients so they know what is legal and lawful and they know what is illegal and unlawful regarding pets or ESAs. It is not up to the therapist or doctor to evaluate whether any particular pet is suitable as an ESA-all you are qualified and needed to do is to write a letter that states “____, is a patient under my care and has a Disabilty listed in the DSM V, for which an ESA MIGHT be of benefit.”
That’s all! It has nothing to do with the pet they intend as an ESA-all the theripst can determine is that the person has a diagnosis in the DSM, and an ESA MIGHT help ameliorate the person’s symptoms. The wording MIGHT is key here because there is no guarantee that an animal or a pet WILL help a persons symptoms-in fact there is always a possibility that an animal could WORSEN a person’s symptoms.
I can personally attest that a pet intended as an ESA or SA can actually worsen the symptoms they were intended to help ameliorate. My first intended service dog in training turned out to be unsuitable for the job, and her high-strung/high-energy constant and sudden barking all throughout the day, actually drastically increased my anxiety and panic rather than help mitigate it! I invested a lot of time and money into her training but ultimately she was my SDIT washout and I rehomed her and had to start all over again with a new candidate, luckily with better success and he’s literally saved my life.
At any rate, I gave this video a thumbs down because it smacks of gate-keepery. The disabled don’t need more gate keeping and barriers to access! We just want to live our best lives and have the same access as everyone else. Don’t get me wrong-I totally get the frustration towards those who would abuse the system and break the law…they have made things harder for the legitimately disabled and using the ADA appropriately for access.
But don’t punish the rest of us for the bad acts of those who would break the law and take advantage of people’s ignorance about the ADA.
As a therapist, you should not be adding more requirements or restrictions on who is allowed to have an ESA-like certain breeds, non barking, and requiring training. An ESA does not require training and the ADA protects the disabled’s rights to have an ESA if that helps them. The therapist is only qualified to evaluate/diagnose and certify that the person does have a diagnosis…not that the dog isn’t going to attack the landlord. That is a risk that the handler takes upon themselves! And in some cases the landlord may share a responsibility in getting attacked….I’m sure there are situations in which a person deliberately provokes an attack or they messed with a handler or with their SD and they got themselves injured-at any rate this is something that the court system is designed to sort out-and a therapist should have no party in if he’s writing his letters correctly. Which again-all you are qualified and required to do is to affirm they are your patient, that they do have a diagnosis in the DSM, and that an ESA might help the person’s symptoms. If you are evaluating pets and requesting training certificates, you are already violating the disabled persons rights if they are indeed disabled. Keep it simple for yourself. Don’t complicate things and don’t try to step beyond your scope of training and job description. You’re a therapist and your patient is a human. You are not an animal trainer and you don’t treat or evaluate dogs (or cats or other animal).
@@heatherreddick4635 yes, exactly. This comment needs more 👍
@@heatherreddick4635if it's against someone's principles to be a party to gaming the system telling them to just do their job's not too cool. Makes sense disability can rob someone of their sense of reciprocity but seems like the unprincipled part maybe not so much.
@@REGjr if you assume that it’s not against my principles to game the system, then you are wrong. I very much am concerned about people gaming the system because as rightly pointed out, the people who masquerade there ESA as a service animal, tends to make things harder for the rest of us with actual service dogs.
But I oppose unlawfulness on both sides of the issue, in particular, what I was commenting about is concerning “gatekeeping”, or unlawfully asking or demanding extra requirements beyond what is legal to ask or require. That’s where I feel that the essence of this video dwells-in gatekeeping. Even the title evokes that there is something wrong about ESA’s. Instead of addressing the problem with people who bring their ESA into public spaces were pets are not allowed, he attacks “the problem with ESA’s.” On the one hand he wants to say that he supports the idea of a disabled person having an ESA, but then he admits that he imposes his own set of criteria in order to sign a letter for a client. All that is required in the letter is 1) this person has a diagnosis that is in the DSM and 2) an ESA might be of benefit for this person’s symptoms. The ADA is very clear about the definition of an ESA vs a SD, and an ESA requires NO training. So then for a therapist to require that an ESA gets training….well, that is unlawful, ie, goes against the ADA. It’s the same for those of us with service animals-if someone requires some sort of training certificate or SD registration/documention or whatever, that would be a very clear and prosecutable violation of the ADA law. Although a service animal is by definition highly trained and trained to do tasks to mitigate a persons disability in public, the ada prohibits any certification or registration or documentation requirements. It’s the handler’s one prerogative to keep any training records and documentation of training given as to keep evidence to protect themselves in case of a potential lawsuit or whatever, but access and accommodations cannot be hinged upon whether or not the handler presents some type of certificate or documentation and it is illegal for someone to ask you present such.
Anyway, although I am a firm believer in every dog a “canine good citizen” or equivalent level of training or beyond, it however sounds ridiculous to me that a therapist as a matter of policy doesn’t sign letters for disabled patients who’s dog or cat even, has no training. But regardless of what I think about it-it’s just contradictory to the ADA and all I’m saying is that this video, from its title to its content, smacks of “gatekeepery”.
First, the ADA says nothing about ESAs and does not establish laws regarding ESAs. The laws come from the fair housing act, as discussed in the video. It is true that there are no laws requiring training. I take issue with you describing it as "gatekeeping". As a therapist, I have a responsibility to ensure that ESA recommendations are appropriate and aligned with my professional judgment. An ESA letter is a legal document that grants certain privileges and I have to evaluate a person's mental health needs and determine if an emotional support animal genuinely contributes to their well-being. There is no defined guidelines to do this and, given the legal nature of this, I will do it in a way that I feel is therapeutically appropriate, that best serves clients, and that protects my license. I'm not denying ESAs to people who need it, I'm establishing guidelines that allow me to fully assess the need. This is fully legal and, in my mind, the most ethical approach. If you have an issue with this, then this only further supports the points of my video that call for changes to legislation to clarify the nature of ESAs.
My dad is one of those AH who abuse the system. His dog is a terror. It pees everywhere. He doesn’t bath it. It hates anyone who isn’t him. It doesn’t come when called. It barks at everything. It bites my dog. But because he bought a vest off the internet he insists it’s an ESA and demands it be allowed into restaurants, sports centers, businesses, everywhere. I hate it. He’s exactly the problem.
The businesses don't have to allow a dog that is misbehaving. It's on the businesses to make their space safe.
esa does not have public access. they dont have the rights SD have and its federal chime to fake a SD.
it's really sad how people abuse the fact that a lot of people don't know that esas don't actually have public access rights, and businesses can remove legitimate service dogs if they are disruptive (like pooping in the store, barking, biting, or being out of the handler's control)
There goes the “pet owners are conscientious” bs.
Ask landlords how much damage pets (especially dogs) do to a place!
@@silverrraven5349 It's sad how many businesses don't bother to look at the law and provide a 2 minute training to their employees to ensure they are creating equal access for people with disabilities too.
The miniature horses: some people are allergic to dogs and horses are able to be trained to lead the blind as well as a dog. They have much different care needs so are not for everyone but mini horses typically lead the blind
They are also used by some the Muslim community who may view dogs as unclean or forbidden.
@@jenniferboyd1547🥺 How dare they 😭
Miniature horses , they have 3 main advantages over service dogs:
1) they can guide blind people with the same efficiency as guide dogs, plus they can be more stable and strong for assisting people with balance or mobility disparities, 2) they can also learn potty training very well (thus they can also live in apartments and use public transportation)
and 3) and most importantly, while the service span of a guide dog is only about 7 years (dogs' life expectancy is about 14 years), miniature horses have a service span of 20 years (and their life expectancy is between 25 to 35). During the service working life span of a miniature horse, 3 service dogs would be needed.... The retirement of a service dog and the acquirement of a new one, it's a process of high emotional burden for the disable people. So just that would also compensate psychologically. The expenses of the training of a dog and a miniature horse are similar (very high), thus in dogs one would spend 3 times as much money in training than in a miniature horses. It will be interesting to compare, though, for the long run the overall expenses (taking into consideration also veterinarian check ups, food/ supplements and treats, accessories ) of one service Miniature horse versus 3 service dogs.
@@kayleighgroenendal8473 Let's remember that landlords of many Christian and agnostic and Atheist communities (thus most of the western countries) also think of dogs as dirty and destroyers and thus they are forbidding dogs to tenants.Thus , to state that some Muslim communities consider them as dirty and forbidden, it's quite a bias (probably unconscious ly) and it's untrue, since in all countries with a Muslim majority that i have visited they have dogs in the streets.
What I have found is that in countries with muslim mayority, they have linguistic expressions that show that "unconditional loyalty or subordinance" of dogs are not (or were not) appreciated. But westerners , we also have cultural expressions with negative cognitions to pigs and cats, when the reality is that pigs are clean (they defecate out of the places they would sleep on) and cats can be loyal, trustworthy and even trained joyfully.
@@jenniferboyd1547 That is what I was thinking. Certain religions do not allow dogs in house. Only for patrolling yards for invaders; human or predators attacking sheep, goat, and cattle herds.
I was at Disneyland recently and I witnessed a guest with a very small dog strapped their waist. The guest had been riding attractions all day with the dog. Both the guest and the dog smelled like urine and the dog appeared to be heavily sedated. When does it become animal abuse vs. ESA? It was an awkward situation and no employee seemed to be concerned by the situation.
That was clearly animal abuse. I don't know if it legally counts as such, but a dog shouldn't be put into that situation. The guest should bring a stuffed toy instead, since clearly they're treating the dog as one.
Please tell me this didn't actually happen
@@elainelouvehow’s it animal abuse to sedate a dog before bringing it in a stressful place
@@RockPile_ did you even read the original comment? 1. Amusement park is no place for ordinary dogs. Actual service animals are trained for various things and don't need to be sedated. 2. Rides are for humans. Period. There's no excuse to bring an animal on a ride, sedated or not. Mental health struggles are no excuse for abusing animals. A dog that pissed itself is feeling extreme panic.
@@elainelouve a dog smelling like pee isn’t necessarily scared at all. Which cares if they’re for humans
As someone who would have neverr finished college without the help of my service dog, thank you. My service dogs has been attacked by "emotional support animals" in the past and it is very difficult.
there needs to be much more definition between what you have and some crazy with a duck.
We need to write legislation and hand it to our representatives. If your ESA attacks a real service animal, it gets taken away from you.
My son (Huntington's Disease/depression/severe ADHD) is getting a letter from his mental health support care for his little dog to be considered emotional support. We do not take this dog into businesses, though we do take him to outdoor events where dogs are welcome (on a leash) and he gets to ride in the car with us when we run errands. My sister trains actual service dogs, but also emotional support dogs who alert their owners that their mood is getting too high or low. My son's little dog will warn us when the emotional state is rising and will cuddle when my son is depressed. Most importantly, the landlord understands the dog (house broken and well maintained) is necessary. We are not abusing the system by taking a huge untrained dog or small horse into a grocery store or on a plane.
It really, really sucks that there are always ppl who are taking advantage. I have several medical conditions that aren't obvious or visible and struggle with feeling like my disability is "legitimate". It's upsetting and insulting when able bodied ppl co-opt things.
It’s awful that those of us who actually need our animals are affected by lax regulations that let people game the system I have ptsd and anxiety and having a pet helps me greatly but yah they have to be well behaved
My Gus was a Therapy Dog and did wonders, but I never took him where he wasn’t allowed …and he had to pass a pretty rigorous test to be certified …way more rigorous than what I see in the dogs in grocery stores today.
To me a dog can recognize a mood getting too high or low and knowing what to do is crazy, but I totally get how they can notice that stuff better than a person can. If you have an ESA and are taking car of them properly you're good. I think ESA's should have normal training (like how you'd normally train whatever animal you have) and be able to leash them when needed.
We had an ESA dog staying in the hotel I work at and was generally pretty chill.
I have a Task Trained Service Dog. I think Most people are confusing ESA's with Psychiatric Service Dogs. It IS getting ridiculous though. My Legit Service Dog and I have Been Attacked on average 3-4 times a month, by Pet Dogs who are Untrained EAS's.
Service Animals have to be Impeccably Well Behaved. Training is ongoing... 24/7/365. You're either teaching/training New skills/Tasks OR polishing the skills already known to stay sharp.
I'm not the only Service Dog Handler who now calls Walmart, Hellmart or Satan's Anus.
Just getting bread and milk can be a Nightmare. It's Very Frustrating.
The ADA needs Drastic Revision. It's Archaic.
Oh, and "The Seeing Eye" is an Organization/Company. Guide Dogs are just that... Guide Dogs. I know... semantics.
As someone suffering with PSTD who has an Emotional Support Dog, without whom I would have no companionship or, honestly, no reason to go on or try to get “better”, I know the importance of ESAs. Then again… there’s that Bushwick, hipster “artist“ who made headlines with her emotional support peacock. She, actually, lived down the street from me, and I can assure you, that poor bird was being abused. I have an ornithology degree and years of animal care experience, and can guarantee you that this is the truth. People like her have ruined everything for those of who lack a human support network and are struggling with mental and/or emotional challenges. Maybe more respect, and less exploitation, of animals is the answer here.
Personally I think emotional support animals should be treated just like pets. As far as the law is concerned. Not sorry.
I agree with you. Exotic animals shouldn't be ESAs or even pets for that matter imo. I believe it's okay if it's a dog who's properly trained or in a carrying case where it's safe.
You can have a service dog for ptsd, just needs to be well trained, able to focus in public spaces, and trained in a task that helps the PTSD. At least in the USA
It's obvious she had the peacock for attention. Which I guess made her feel better emotionally
@@petelee2477I don't think they should be treated like pets, but I think they should be trained before becoming ESAs
This reminds me a lot of the situation surrounding ADHD medication. Because so many people take it recreationally, I end up being treated like a criminal by my doctor to get the medication I need to function in my day to day life. It sucks that people have to ruin things like this for those with genuine struggles.
To the point where my Dr literally just said today "clearly you need this let's look into it" and I'm still not 100% sure I'm not faking it
Other people didn't ruin it for you, the war on drugs did
@@ThatsnotgonnaworkPrecisely. Other struggling people are not the enemy.
this ^@@Thatsnotgonnawork
and who makes the rules saying whether or not you can have your medication... who provides you with this medication....was it adderall addicts? or was it your doctor + the government.
As much as I loved my cat and she helped me through some tough stuff, I would never have DREAMED of taking her outside my house unless she was going to the vet. Because it would have distressed HER, not me.
I retired my gal (who actually liked going outside) for this very reason. She got more anxious leaving the house as she got older and I realized she was going deaf. She now only leaves for the vet or emergencies (like when we were evacuated for a tornado.)
Definitely!
I have seen several people bragging how they easily got a special coat, badge, or letter online declaring their pets “support animals”. They were super proud of the fact that they were taking advantage of a system that was designed to help people with legitimate needs.
I,see thos ads on how easynitbisnto get a ESA vest, patch or “certification” for an ESA , on FB all the time! And these ads are so infuriating and entitled! They go on about how it’s so easy to be able to take your pet anywhere you like, and how you don’t have to leave your poor dog alone at home anymore etc. it just reeks of entitlement! “ oh look at me! I’m so special! I can take my pet everywhere and no one can say anything about it!”
I want to make more people aware that just ordering the vest and patch and a bogus “ certificate” just so you can take your pet with you everywhere, when you DO NOT NEED an Emotional Support animal but just want to take your pet with you when you go places, , is a horrible idea. And is actually causing alot of harm to people who NEED an ESA or See ice Animal.
Some Restaurants and other places who have had an experience wirh a badly behaved fake ESA now refuse to allow people wirh service Animals .
I usually try to wrote a post about the difference between service animals and ESA and and about how it’s the responsibility of the animal,owner ro make sure the animals is well behaved in any enviroment they take their ESA in. And and that they wouid real,y have a need for that ESA, not just wanting to,drag their pet with them everywhere they go…..
Also how badly behaved ESA are making it very difficult for people with service Animals.
Side note. I saw a program once about how small monkeys were being trained ro provide help for people who,were paralyzed from the neck down….fetching drinks, picking up,objects, adjusting the devices on the mobile chairs that enable the person to type or speak….
I dont know how prevalent the use of monkeys is for this purpose.
You can get them that say Service animal as well, just because you "say" it is a service animal, doesn't prove it. There is no national registration or certification to prove the animal is, in fact, a service trained animal. Business are only allowed to ask 2 questions, Is the animal a service animal, and what tast is it trained for. Thats it. Anything else is discrimination against the disabled
Probably the same people that would abuse a handicap placard.
@@volcanixthanksyoufortheviewz Which doesn't make sense. What's wrong with a government mandated certificate or license? If anything, those can clarify a lot of misunderstanding. And there won't be any discrimination. As soon as the animal is proven as what it is, a service animal, make it illegal to deny service (unless it's for safety reasons). And make it acceptable to report and charge places that discriminate.
@@blenderpain8249there is certification in some Canadian provinces. I assure you fake service dogs are still common according to handlers there and so is discrimination from businesses
As someone who has had their service dog attacked by un-trained ESA's.... thank you so much for this thoughtful video. If nothing else, you've raised awareness of the issue, and that is HUGE.
It's really wrong for people to bring unruly animals anywhere. I hope your dog is all right.
All is well with her. She's actually retired now as the incident was years ago. She's currently snoozing away happily at the moment.
I actually stopped using a service dog as much when I started seeing more and more untrained dogs in public... Not out of fear for my dogs safety, but because I got tired of the untrained dogs loudly barking at my silent service dog in the middle of the store. I know I wasn't in the wrong, but it made me feel so singled out and like I was somehow in the wrong when I would cause someone else's dog to bark. It ended up causing a few panic attacks cuz I thought store management would be mad at me for it. It felt like being sent to the principal's office back in grade school (silly, I know... But anxiety is really good at making you think your in the wrong when your not).
untrained? i don't think you can train a peacock or crocodile or even a duck
@@petertorvik8413At least crocodiles don't bark 😊
@@CyrynDragoon Emotional support dog should be service pet?
Pretty sure they need as much training as another service pets where I live (not in the US) because... They're working animals as much as a guide dog???
As someone with an ESA, who took an entire class in college on service animals and ESAs and generally is the person who knows the laws and advocates for them all the time to people, thank you for correcting the people with "ESA's" that are abusing the very important thing that is having an ESA
Edit to add: mine is a cat named Oliver and he helps me keep a more normal schedule which helps me with my ADHD
Could you provide some examples of how Oliver helps you in your day-to-day? I've been researching getting an ESA for anxiety and depression and would love to know how one might aid ADHD
@@slowyourroll1146I have ADHD that can’t be medicated due to my heart. I got my cat just for a pet but she’s turned into an ESA mainly for my depression and anxiety, especially after recently losing two loved ones.
My cat helps me keep a routine because I build my routine around her.
EG:
I wake up, make my bed then go to the kitchen. I feed her WHILE making my breakfast so I ensure I make myself food. Then I sit with her for 10 minutes before I leave my apartment.
At night, I eat dinner, then feed her and she eats while I shower.
I’m a college student, so if I dont have motivation to do homework/laundry/cleaning - I give myself a break to play with her instead of going on my phone. It keeps me from falling down the rabbit holes
What? How? I could certainly use that…
As a fellow ADHDer, would also love to know how Oliver helps!
How does Oliver help you with ADHD? Is it the feeding him on time and stuff? I have two kids 🥴 and I need to get mine under control. On meds but with the shortage and various manufacturers, meds are unreliable.
I was bitten by an ESA in a store. When I spoke up and ask the animal be removed from the area I was in, I was told that I upset the dog. I hope laws are changed soon. I can't go into a store anymore without fear of getting bitten again.
Can I ask what type? A pit bull nearly got my carotid. 100% would have killed me and no one will help about it either because the owner says it’s an ESA. Owner is my next door neighbour which makes it even worse. Also claimed the dog was “just playing.”
@@meriadocbrandybuck9833 Check with a lawyer. An out of control dog, that bites, hard enough to draw blood, in most areas warrants investigation by the local animal control, and could lead to being declared dangerous. Out side of it's home a dog, in most jurisdictions, must be kept on leash and under control. Even in "off leash" approved areas the dog must be under control at all times.
ESA or not a dangerous dog usually is required to be muzzled, or destroyed if it attacks a person drawing blood off it's home property.
Sounds like you were in the pacific northwest. If I were attacked by any animal, period, they'd be screaming because I'd be actively neutralizing their animal in a permanent fashion.
@@meriadocbrandybuck9833 Not the person that commented, but a pug growled and tried to bite me when I was working retail. Maybe people wouldn't take it seriously due to the size of the animal, but it really pissed me off that someone would bring an aggressive dog like that out in public. A pitbull would be a thousand times more traumatic
I always thought emotional support animals are meant to be within your own private environment, and aid in management of your emotional and mental health. They are not the same as service animals.
Yes exactly. The legal distinction is mostly to help make pets accessible in apartments that otherwise ban pets. Not service dogs at all. There are such a thing as psychiatric service dogs and I think a lot of people don't understand the difference. Completely different things in a legal sense.
correct BUt entitled arsholes do not understand that and because of a SCAM online they THINK they can get an ID for 100s of $$s that will allow them to take their"ESA" everywhere LIKE a SD, Sighs which in turn confuses store owners and makes if dangerous for SD teams
That’s how my esa is. Sounds weird but I have an emotional support mouse because I got him for college and didn’t want to subject a cat or dog or rabbit to being in a pen/kennel all day like the rules regulated. I’m not good with social stuff so he kept me company and gave me a reason to take care of both myself and him, because nobody else was gonna look after him. Now I’m done w college after my certification & he is living a very spoiled life in my room in my family house. My mom always talks about making my dog an esa, but she has put no work into training her to be a well behaved normal dog, let alone an esa . There was an esa at a ren faire I went to the other day yipping and trying to get to other dogs & I just had to wonder if it had any training at all lol.
@@kailyncorey8267 adorable! I know that’s not exactly the point you were making, but… still adorable nonetheless:)
@@kailyncorey8267hey whould you mind if i ask your mouse's name? 👉👈
When I first started trying to get clean, I checked into a rehab and my roommate had SIX "emotional support cats". She had two males and four females and none of them were fixed. It was a nightmare. The room and house stank of ammonia so bad that my eyes were watering. They'd fight and yowl, and mate, and spray all over everything. I had to leave.
I'm surprised the rehab didn't...well, no. I'm not surprised.
I'm so sorry you had to deal with that while you were trying to get help
Wow. Just wow.
FFS. My therapist's office will only certify one animal per person & they only do it if there is demonstrated, genuine need AND if having your pet is putting you in jeopardy (such as about to lose your home) because really, that's what it was meant for.
I think, legally, you can have only 3 ESAs.
To expand on the miniature horse (from what I haven't seen addressed), horses are one of the most sensitive animals to human emotions. They have found that horses can service emotional connections harder to replicate in dogs. This emotional connection makes them great for those with PTSD, autism, and others. However, more studies are being done on it. Of course, there's support for animal-assisted therapy in both miniatures and larger ones.
I had a service dog for PTSD, and it was super frustrating how often people would go "oh so an ESA?" NO. They are two different things. He was highly trained. I did get to the point where I no longer needed a service dog, so he was able to retire and downgraded to being an ESA, but he was trained as a service dog and when he was out and doing his job before he retired, he was not an ESA. People used to refuse services or try to charge pet fees because of "bad experiences with past service dogs" (which I assume were people bringing their pets in claiming that they were service dogs) or because I couldn't provide a registry ID that other people had provided (even though they don't exist) or because they were convinced that a psychiatric service dog was the same as an ESA (probably due in part to the fact that my disabilities are invisible). It was exhausting. Honestly, until knowledge of how service dogs work and what they are becomes far more mainstream, I would not recommend having a service dog unless absolutely necessary with no other reasonable options. Even when it does become more accessible, it is not a choice that should be taken lightly.
Yeah that whole registery myth is so hard to combat because people are so unschooled in what is actually legal or not.
I had an esa who was a tabby cat named Julius. He passed away in June of this year. He specifically was prescribed by a therapist of mine who met him while she was volunteering at our local animal shelter. I have severe depression and he was the only thing that prevented me from killing myself several times in the 2010's. It specifically stated in his letter that he was not granted protected status anywhere outside of my apartment. It also stated that well my pet deposit was to be waived that if I refused to pay for any damages he caused anywhere in the building I could be evicted for destruction of my rental property
💝🕊💝
I hope you are managing ok and that you have enough support. I absolutely understand the importance of your cat. My son was saved from suic!de for years by his lovely cat, also a rescue, a former stray. When the cat disappeared my son went into crisis. He is finally stable now (we have three young cats and a service dog) ...and I hope you are too.
I'm sorry your Julius passed. My sister put it best "the most horrible thing about our animals is they don't live a whole human life span"
I am still missing my big tabby boy asbo who passed Dec 2019. Current feline companion is short some brain cells. He's not very attuned to mental health state.
As a landlord the first time someone moves in and doesn’t inform me of their support animal before they sign the lease, I instantly will #1 never renew the lease and #2 I’ll look for any and every legal reason to terminate the lease . People who game the system to basically save money on pet rent and deposits make my blood boil. All these people saying well if the pet destroys something then evict the person doesn’t understand how costly it is to evict and the biggest problem the damage has already happened and now must be repaired. Carpet costs $2500 alone for a modest 1000 square foot house that’s more than most deposits even cover
@@dirkdiggler9379 oh absolutely I told my current apartment about Julius when I got the application. People who aren't responsible with esa's make it hard for people like me.
Before receiving an ESA letter, I swear people should have to answer a short series of questions about ESAs in their provider's office and sign a statement that they understand what an ESA is and more importantly is NOT. As someone with a guide dog, the rise of ESAs is making my life a lot harder and more dangerous.
Miniature horses can be used for service work in situations where a dog might not be big or sturdy enough!
This is a good idea and I’m going to do this lol
It seems like it wouldn't create accessibility barriers or place undue burden on anyone getting an ESA, since they're already having to talk to a provider and are very likely there in person at some point. I hope it works out for you!!
What happens if the person is not smart enough to pass a test, but is still capable of telling a sob story?
The reason that we are talking about this is that we are creating a society that favours victim rights, as opposed to favouring healthy people, who want no part of this.
@@eugenetswong can you explain your second statement a little more?
@@its_jess4321I am saying that the main topic of ESAs is being discussed in the video and the comment section, because victims [both legit and fake] can make a claim and have the full force of the law behind them.
As people continue to discover and invent new ways to be victims, then they can also take advantage of the law.
If vitimhood were frowned upon, then normal people would have more rights. Society would be geared for them, and the law would favour them.
Miniature horses are included because they can be trained similarly to dogs, but can live much, much longer, so the same person can retain the same service animal potentially for decades. This reducing the need for training and transitioning between animals. They can also provide stability support, i.e. they are sturdy enough for the human to lean heavily on them without harming them as they would a dog. Fun fact, they often wear the shoes made by Build-a-Bear as the little shoes they put on their bears just so happen to be the right size for a lot of miniature horse service animals.
I have considered ESA for my daughter's cats. She fell into a deep depression and suffers anxiety since 2015. When we acquired cats as a rescue operation in 2021, it changed her life! She's doing so much better thanks to this and hasn't had any hospitalizations since. But to your point, yes, many folks exploit the opportunity thats quite beneficial to many.
I think that they should definitely be some training guidelines for an animal to be considered an ESA. I don't care if a person has a dog a Zebra with them as long as the animals behaves. I had a client come in for a massage once who told the front desk her dog was an ESA. The dog barked at me for 90 minutes straight. that is not a relaxing environment for me or anyone else in the building
I disagree, because ESAs aren't allowed in massage parlors or anywhere else unless pet dogs in general are allowed. All having a dog as an ESA allows you to do is override rental restrictions, which is why I think any provider writing an ESA letter should discuss with anyone requesting one whether they even have rental restrictions barring them from getting a pet, and make sure they understand that's all the letter will allow.
@@PixieoftheWood I know that and you know that the lady with the Barking Dog knew that but the girls at the front desk didn't understand that distinction.
For future reference please refer to it as a spa, massage parlor has a negative connotation. 🙂
@@PixieoftheWood that’s a good idea.
"Ma'am, you can't bring a hyena on the plane."
"But he's my emotional support animal!"
"Really?"
"He makes me laugh."
This is a much needed discussion. Unfortunately people taking untrained animals into public spaces is not just a problem for the people. It's extreme stress on many animals. The bad behaviors are a sign of the distress and fear the animal is experiencing. That's abuse. Like it or not the human is not the only living being in this equation. Service animals are tested, trained and tested more. Vast majority of them don't make it through till the end. Dogs are specially bred to be of calmer temperament to qualify and even then most are turned down. Requiring proper training and demonstrating the animal is suitably comfortable with public spaces and situations is as important for the well being of that animal as it is for the safety of people in the environment. Somehow no one ever speaks of the well being of the animals in all of this!
The wellbeing of animals is rarely ever part of the conversation because most of these people don’t act care about the pet, only what it can do for them.
Kind of like how during the pandemic in the USA, people adopted animals to keep them company during the lonely moments that came with sheltering in place (if they actually did that), but as soon as the country officially opened “back” up, all these same animals ended up in shelters (or were taken back), abandoned, etc. There are articles about how Americans were dumping these animals they used as emotional support smh. I’d wager most of these people never actually cared about the animal, just the comfort and support they could take from them smh. I think that’s the case with most people, as they act the same way with human children. When the cuteness wears off, folks are ready to return to sender and don’t (completely) consider the soul they’ve been tasked with caring for or that the “emotional support” thing is a two-way street.
I agree!
Yesterday witnessed someone and their EmotionalSA on a table top at an outdoor eatery. I was disgusted at the entitlement and lack of manners. Have never seen a SERVICE animal on a table top. This seems to be the standard of ESA pet owners. No training, no manners, no consideration for others, only self. Another time was at Target when a stinky dog was on a 20 foot lead, soiled my fress pant leg with it's facial fluids.
What about my 5 year old's rights? She was bitten in the face by an untrained dog. Suffered permanent emotional and physical damage, and is terrified everytime she encounters one of these dogs meandering unsupervised.
Your five year old has the same rights as an ESA- i.e. landlords aren't allowed to say "you gotta give your kid to the shelter or I'll put you both on the street"
@@PrincessNinja007😳
All of this... when I was going through a very bad patch (depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation...now, years later, PTSD), I asked my therapist about designating my dog as an ESA - she refused. I asked for help finding a therapist who could help me. She said she didn't know anyone. I reached out to a therapist I'd seen before as a resource and he also refused to help me even find someone. I wanted to do this correctly - through a therapist, with accountability to someone who actually knew my situation. I was turned away at every attempt. Presumably, this was a consequence of the proliferation of irresponsible and fraudulent use of the ESA designation.
Good. Probably a reason why they wouldn't other than that as well.
The fact that there are so many bad faith ESA owners is part of the reason I've been hesitant to even bring even any suggestion about them with anyone I've talked with for my mental health. Especially because I've seen someone who clearly bought a vest, when the dog was clearly not trained it was running around, barking, jumping on people etc and that makes me so frustrated. My anxiety is not helped by the idea someone might lump me if I ever got an ESA in with people like that.
That is a sad, but I think helpful perspective that I had not considered. Thank you for sharing.
And not just ESA. I once saw a lady with a "guide dog" that definitely didn't need a "guide dog," unless a "guide dog" is needed for people with "fake social justice warrior" problems.
@@neurotransmissions i also am someone who might benefit from an ESA (autism/adhd/depression/anxiety... you get the picture) but my parents think it's a stupid idea because of all the stories we hear of someone bringing exotic or untrained animals into public spaces. i wouldn't even need to bring it with me into most public spaces, just having an animal at my college dorm would be enough to raise my quality of life dramatically.
@@digitaldrittenperhaps a service f dog might be a better option?
I'm a librarian in an urban library in Los Angeles. We also deal with service animals and ESAs. We have a policy now that basically follows what you have described to deal with abuse. We have even needed to apply the issue of a dog not being under the handler's control to ban a patron. We, as a public space need to be compassionate, and typically don't have an issue with animals, but as you described, qualifications regarding training and the animal's behavior. Even service animals, such as seeing-eye-dogs need to be trained, and if such a dog makes noise, soils the floor, or threatens the public or staff, we can ban them.
You don't deal with ESAs. ESAs as defined by the Fair Housing Act are not pets and they don't receive protections outside the owner's home. The Fair Housing Act is the piece of federal legislation that defines what an ESA is and what protections it has. This was left out of the video on purpose to strengthen his complaints.
@geisenm I literally talk about the fair housing act at 7:51?
@@neurotransmissions so you’re just here to shit on the Rehabilitation Act side of things at the expense of people’s perception of the housing side. Wow
@@geisenmI think your comprehension of the discussion might be skewed by bias, he was pretty clear that his concern is people not knowing or not following their restrictions and the lack of standardization or protections for clinicians to follow
@@geisenm I’m not really sure what that comment even means, but it’s pretty silly that you didn’t pay attention to the video, wrote an accusatory comment and then followed that up by writing an aggro email to me trying to educate me about something I very obviously talked about in the video. I particularly liked the line in your email where you said, “Can’t have facts and clarity get in the way if your pathetic CZcams whoring, can we?” Very nice lmao.
Thanks for making this video! As a therapist who also struggles with PTSD, the ESA conversation has been very challenging to me. Having a pet during the lowest times of my life has allowed me to thrive now, BUT I’ve seen some frighteningly untrained pets attack and it’s terrifying to think about the role I play in in this process…
There needs to be a certification process akin to Canine Good Citizen for any animal someone claims is a service animal or ESA, and this certification should be mandatory to keep with you. Before the rise of everyone claiming their ill-behaved dogs were ESAs, more people trained their dogs. Now, many people act entitled to take ill-behaved animals everywhere and it's someone else's problem to do the clean-up.
My friend's daughter was diagnosed with autism last year. They got her a dog to be an ESA, but they've put a vest on her that says "Service Dog in Training." The only training she's getting is obedience training. That's not a service dog. They were like, "ahh nobody has to know, it's fine." But like. Everyone's gonna know when she inevitably gets overexcited and jumps on someone. It's going to give people the wrong impression of how a REAL service animal does and how it's supposed to act and be interacted with.
Edit: Oh and I've got another friend who had a legit service dog. He's a German Shepard husky mix and she got him as a guard dog because, at the time, she was working the desk at a repo yard and would need to be there alone sometimes. She had several times where men would threaten her, with both violence and sexual assault. When she didn't need him as a guard dog anymore, she let her mom have him because they had developed a special bond. The times I've met him, he was very sweet. Obviously, he was suspicious of me and would bark at me, but would quickly calm down when he saw I wasn't a threat and was very playful and happy. That being said, because of his training, he doesn't really get brought in public unless it's to be taken to the vet or something.
So a service dog isn’t a guard dog the ADA doesn’t count protection or guard dogs as a service dog they only qualify if the person has a disability diagnosed by a doctor and the dog is trained to help perform task for that disability for example I have a heart problem so my service dog is cardiac alert because he is task trained to alert to a high or low heart rate so I can prepare my self to pass out or so I can fix the problem
Problem is that service animals cost around 20,000 to 30,000 dollars. I had a blind friend who had one through donations and it was wonderful for her. However, in Portland, Oregon she was always concerned that someone would steal her animal after several attempts. She finally moved away from Portland. Emotional animals are everywhere in Portland and a common term
You can train your own service animal for far less than that-with or without the help of a certified trainer. Still yes, it is costly both in time and money to train your own, and fail-out is always a potential problem. But for those of us who really need the services that a SA provide, it is well worth the time and money investment! My SD literally has saved my life on a number of occasions!
Sorry, didn’t see the blind part. I imagine that training your own seeing eye dog would be near if not impossible for most unsighted people. But for many people with visible or invisible disabilities, owner-trained service animal is a more affordable option worth looking into.
@@heatherreddick4635 Not all disabilities allow people the ability to train their own dogs though making it still inaccessible to many people who would benefit from a service dog. so many disabilities cause energy or physical limitations that make that impossible when most of your energy is spent on feeding yourself or doing other survival tasks.
@@heatherreddick4635 You're still ignoring there are many conditions, not just blindness, that could limit being able to train your own dog. But, more than that, my partner and I decided to go that route and picked out a dog that fit pretty perfectly. Did great with conditioning, solid on training (tho she's a gestalt learner, I swear), good temperment for it, but it turns out she has elbow dysplasia, which wasn't evident until she was nearly a year old. That disqualifies her from being an SA, as she has her own disability. And it's not like we can ethically surrender her and start over with a new dog. She's ours now and that would be cruel to her.
That's the risk you take when you go the train your own route.
There are many conditions, including blindness, that could limit being able to train your own dog. But, more than that, my partner and I decided to go that route and picked out a dog that fit pretty perfectly. Did great with conditioning, solid on training (tho she's a gestalt learner, I swear), good temperment for it, but it turns out she has elbow dysplasia, which wasn't evident until she was nearly a year old. That disqualifies her from being an SA, as she has her own disability. And it's not like we can ethically surrender her and start over with a new dog. She's ours now and that would be cruel to her.
That's the risk you take when you go the train your own route. @@eboston7591
One of the main things that could help is to provide legal protection for renters who are pet owners
Agreed 100%
Ontario, Canada already does this. It is a major cause of landlord rent rates being so much higher that just across the border (in Quebec or Manitoba). When there are laws which prioritize a pet-owner's 'rights' to rent wherever they want, landlords then have to raise rents in general because pets DO cause damage to many properties. When landlords can't say no or have different rental rates/deposits for pet owners, everyone suffers the burden of the cost.
@@AlexAnder-rv1guThe damages that Pets is nowhwre near high enough to validate a rent rise, the profit margins on renting are so high that you'd need to be replacing a whole kitchen ever year to touch the profit margin. Rather it is an excuse for them to raise rent while offering a half arsed justification. It's similar to how oil and electric companies saw their highest profits over COVID, but used COVID as an excuse to raise prices.
Valid answer. It’s a don’t hate the player hate the game. Housing prices And rent r out of control in many states. Service animals allows Many who can not buy a house keep their pets. It’s a class thing. Yes a game, but the system chose to create this game.
@@AlexAnder-rv1guin western WA, we do not have renters pet protection laws And Rent prices r Out of control.
I have a friend in Canada with PTSD with an emotional support dog. The animal (by Canadian Law) had to be trained and certified. When my friend is starting to panic, her dog comes over to her and begins to cuddle up to her ... starting as soon as the signs begin. Compared to a former roommate here in the USA, who had 2 tiny dogs she called emotional support animals, but they had no training and do nothing to help when she begins to have a breakdown.
I see so many dogs in distress in stores …stress yawns, shaking it off, pacing, drooling. They need training or are not able to handle being in a store no matter the training. I’ve seen “service dogs” being pushed in carts in grocery stores.
thanks for the dive into such interesting topic.
Regarding miniature horses , they have 3 main advantages over service dogs:
1) they can guide blind people with the same efficiency as guide dogs, plus they can be more stable and strong for assisting people with balance or mobility disparities, 2) they can also learn potty training very well (thus they can also live in apartments and use public transportation)
and 3) and most importantly, while the service span of a guide dog is only about 7 years (dogs' life expectancy is about 14 years), miniature horses have a service span of 20 years (and their life expectancy is between 25 to 35). During the service working life span of a miniature horse, 3 service dogs would be needed.... The retirement of a service dog and the acquirement of a new one, it's a process of high emotional burden for the disable people. So just that would also compensate psychologically. The expenses of the training of a dog and a miniature horse are similar (very high), thus in dogs one would spend 3 times as much money in training than in a miniature horses. It will be interesting to compare, though, for the long run the overall expenses (taking into consideration also veterinarian check ups, food/ supplements and treats, accessories ) of one service Miniature horse versus 3 service dogs.
Not to mention some people are allergic to dogs!
That is an interesting idea. I thought of getting a minni horse as a guide, but then i go how would my landlord like this? also the food and such. I am all ready broke and broken, so yeah. its easy for me to take care of alley aka alucard the kitty and let my bf work with the dog as far as walking her, but yeah. i love animals, and love to snuggle up with them and watch tv and the like and I just don't get out enough for a guide. i am trying to think of what else i can contribute here. Oh someone once had a guide donkey or something maybe some sort of goat. well they wanted to bring it to the college i was at I heard this story second hand. I quipped um lawn care, cause keeping all that hay and whatnot well that would shrink your dorm room down.
People can be allergic to horses as well. But the problem I have with this is horses are very different kind of animals than dogs. Dogs will easily accept humans as similar to them, and thrive in their pack of humans. Horses are herbivores and thus prey animals. They love the company of their own kind, and don't connect with humans the way dogs do. Both humans and dogs are hunters and have hunter body language, which can make horses very nervous.
Of course horses can be taught a lot, but it doesn't make them any less a horse. And having one live only with humans, in human environments seems abusive to me. I don't like the idea that we should just take whatever we feel like without considering the other side. Horses love to live in a herd with other horses. They get stressed up quite easily and can develop ulcers, behavioral issues and various health issues if their needs aren't met properly.
So many people don't understand just how stressful it is for animals to be dragged around in public, and can't recognise, or just don't want to acknowledge anxiety in their animals.. It's bad enough for many dogs, but it is almost universal for other animals. Many, if not most, ESA owners are just selfish who take their animals out in public and care more about themselves than their animals. Just because some animals have a lower stress response and can cope with it doesn't mean that others are fine.
I agree. I think all ESA should have some required level of training and socialization in public access. It's not just for the animal's welfare, but for the safety and comfort of every other human and non-human around them. Way too many unsocialized and untrained ESA dogs out there.
Even though I strongly support ESAs in regards to housing, I don't agree with owners who drag them around in public places. That can be upsetting for the animals involved, as well as a nuisance to other people.
I take my dog with me everywhere. He was a terrified rescue who was (still is) very happy at home, but would crouch down if I just took him outside my garden gate. I persevered and after two years it was as if a switch had been thrown in his head. Instead of creeping along, I suddenly noticed he was trotting, looking around with great interest. I keep seeing improvements even now. When we're walking in the forest now (three years after adopting the cowering little dog), he even explores a little off-piste into the underbrush. If I just left him at home, where he seemed happy, he would not have lived his best life. Dogs' brains, though smaller than ours, also need stimulation and nourishment with new information and experiences.
@@annatanneberger1 Hiking isn't something special; all dogs should be allowed to go to the park, their neighborhoods, hiking trails, and through city streets. That doesn't require them to go into Walmart at noon on a Saturday and act civilized, focused and obedient, which ESAs should be expected to do, and my working dogs in training need to be able to do by 9 months (or within two months of coming to me, whichever comes last) or they're not viable.
Pretty sure they didn't mean your dog needs to stay on your property! Only badly neglected dogs (or particularly dangerous dogs required to do so by court order) are condemned to that lifestyle.
@@Nylak-Otter I understand. I feel judged sometimes. Even though my dog is always very well behaved. I take him everywhere with me, wherever dogs are allowed and certainly won't take him where he would be unwelcome. I took him on the train with me, because he will sit very quietly in a baby sling. He just wants to look out the window. So if there's an idiot in the carriage objecting, then I have to keep pushing his head back under cover. Most people just cooed and wanted to pet him. I've taken him to certain markets that are crowded and I know he is not perfectly happy, but I test his limits sometimes. And I feel so proud when the next time he seems more comfortable. I've taken him paddling with me. He is not just my emotional support animal. I think he is living his best life.
I live alone and I have been diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety. My therapist wrote me an ESA letter for two cats because the landlord was going to charge a huge amount in a non-refundable pet fee and monthly pet rent that I could not afford.
But I also made it clear that I had no intention of bringing my cats into the public space.
I was attacked by my neighbour’s ESA, a pit bull, and the complex refuses to do anything about it because the dog is registered as an ESA. It snapped at my throat. It only missed because I’m hyper aware thanks to PTSD and stepped back at the last possible second. It missed my carotid artery by 1/2 an inch. I have a 7 month old son. When I complained to them and animal control, they said there was nothing they could do. The cops suggested I buy a gun and shoot it if it ever charges me. Absolutely excellent for my PTSD. I’m now looking at selling my home and moving.
Report every single incident to animal control. Once can be a one off, twice can be happenstance. . .after that? Its patterned behavior and documentation goes a long way when it comes to legal action.
Should've shot the dog
if you have proof report it because if its registered that should take the registry away because the dog is not safe
Sweetie, that’s a fun story and all, but there is no ESA registry.
@@sexygirlmax2019ESA registries aren’t real. All the ones you see online are fake.
ESAs are recommended by mental health or medical professionals, that’s it!
There is no other protocol or stipulation.
I keep seeing companies offering "Esa certificates" for money. It aggravates me so much. I'm disabled and do have an ESA (cat) and trying to get a service dog. It's annoying that people are doing this simply to be able to confront and cause arguments!
If you see an ad report it.
I’m in the process of getting a prospect for my next service dog.
Thanks for this. You mentioned someone allergic to another's animal. Not all people are comfortable with animals and increasing numbers of support animals can be scary for them, especially if they are elderly or infirm. This is worse of course with poorly trained animals. I spent a lot of years in Boston. The Franklin Institute for the Blind trains both the people, the dogs, and the blind with their dogs. There is a huge difference between well trained service animal and most pets. The public also gets trained. Leave the service dog alone.
Even in my city in Poland we get PSAs in trams and buses about service dogs and how to act around them (let them work in peace, essentially)
I was diagnosed with “Major depressive disorder” which was triggered by years of primary infertility and two failed adoptions… I felt like my life was meaningless and was struggling to imagine moving on with life without children. My arms physically hurt because they were empty!
After a lot of thought I decided a puppy would help me by giving me something else to focus on and take care of. The only problem was that our landlord didn’t allow pets unless they were an ESA or service dog. So I had a really honest conversation with my doctor, who I had been treating me for infertility for years, and he wrote me an ESA letter.
I now have an 11 month old standard Goldendoodle! And she has not only helped me but also my husband feel better! ❤️ Her name is “Daisy Bell”. She is probably one of the most well mannered puppies you’ll ever meet! Though we are still working on the leash pulling…. 🙄
I’m hoping to get the Good K9 Citizenship! Which would probably be the BEST option if the government were to require training for ESAs.
My mother-in-law’s guide dogs have been attacked by ESAs before. Thank you for bringing up the distinction.
I work with a woman who has a dog for severe anxiety and has for five years or more. I think it’s a Belgian Malinois. That dog walks immediately next to her side and when she sits it lies right next to her completely quiet. No one can pet it and it acts like nobody else even exists. It’s obviously a highly trained dog for disabilities and if these people think they need a dog for mental health disabilities then they can do the same thing.
Oooh, she lucked out. Malanois are *incredible*.
He's not just support for her, he's a freaking shredder for anyone who might intend to do her harm.
@@carriebartkowiakno... that's illegal 😅
That's a service animal, different thing with different rules
That's still a service dog ... I have one, it's called a psychiatric service animal .. emotional support animals are not service animals by LAW it's is the LAW.
@@carriebartkowiak haha, I read that first as a freaking shedder, which I suppose is also true for any malinois
We have ESA cats because we need support at home. However I wanted a service dog for my son's anxiety attacks, one that is fully trained, licensed and unfortunately 15-20,000. Until I can afford it, cats who are affectionate and in tune with us are what we get. A trained dog, not something my son finds really cute. Just because someone loves their pet doesn't mean it belongs everywhere they go.
There’s no license or certification for service animals. This is for the very reason of the predicament you describe-that it’s prohibitively expensive. Because there is no requirement for licensure/certification, people can train their own service dog or horse for waaaaaaaaaaaaayyy
le$$.
The difference between a service animal and an ESA, however, is that a service dog is trained to perform specific tasks to help the person’s disability in public. If have specific tasks in mind for what your son needs to help his anxiety, he or yore family can train a service dog yourself. While it certainly is cheaper, it’s a lot of time and hard work, and washout is a major consideration-not every service dog candidate finishes training to become a service dog. If you train your own, extra care should go into selecting a most suitable candidate and to minimize the risk of washout.
As soon I read you have multiple esa cats and now you need a service dog I instantly knew you were gaming the system 😂
@@heatherreddick4635 Totally second the train your own SD for cheaper (but not actually cheap), still 1000s of $$$ (I'm probably gonna pass 10k before mine is ready for public access, plus 100s upon 100s of hours of training time).
I highly recommend Donna Hill's Service Dog Training Institute, where there are free articles about estimating the costs of owner training an SD and how to choose a service dog candidate.
@@dirkdiggler9379 How exactly are they gaming the system?
If you have the energy for it, look into training one yourself.
It costs about the same amount over the time you’re training them, especially because you should be working closely with a trainer.
I’ve had an ESA letter for my dog about a year after I adopted him. I made sure to do all the research BEFORE to see what the true differences are. It comes down to the general public not really knowing these differences between ESAs and service animals. I’ve worked in both attractions and food service and have had to train my management on something that should be required knowledge. It makes me so mad when ESAs are not made to leave because people think they will get sued , even when they ask the legal questions. I don’t put up with it when I am in charge when true service animals need to be protected as they are specialized equipment. Plus, as much as I would LOVE to bring my dog to work as a “service” animal I don’t, so no one else gets to pull that crap on me.
I used to work at my University's Disability Office. Students bring their documents to register their pets with our office as ESA's so they could keep them in the dorms with them. During registration, we would thoroughly explain to them the difference between SA and ESA and how they were not allowed anywhere on campus besides the designated areas and their dorms. We would routinely get calls from professors complaining about a student bringing a dog or cat into class and it disrupting the class, barking, biting, peeing/pooping in the classroom. We would then have to call in the student, and deal with them arguing with us, saying they didn’t know and we didn't provide them any information 🙄🙄
I can actually help you with the miniature horses question! Miniature horses are useful as service animals because they live for, on average, 25 years. And you can spend the first 2-3 years training them as a service animal, like a dog, and have a much longer and more cost-effective working life. (They also have cute little booties for indoor situations so they don't damage the floors.) And horses are very intelligent, so they can learn just as many commands - if not more - than most dogs.
Horses are not dogs though. Very different needs. Like one commenter said, is it worth curing your depression by making the horse depressed? Do we consider the welfare of service animals? If we do, horses aren't suitable for that kind of life, unless they get to live like horses, in a herd, getting all their needs met. Which would be impossible for most households. Also where I live, it's common to only purchase your own horse once you're at least somewhat experienced in taking care of one. Anyone inexperienced needs help from a professional, if they want to provide good care and not abuse their horse.
@@elainelouve Which is why people need to be educated before making that choice. However, they can be happy. Maybe a little bored. . .but that's like saying cats shouldn't be kept inside. I'm not saying keep a horse inside all the time, even service dogs need some time to be a dog, and horses are not exempt from needing 'off' time. But that doesn't mean a horse can't be happy solo. You just have to that into considerating for their care.
I got my first dog, Leila, when I was in college and going through a very bad period of depression. She was instrumental in my recovery. Some days she was the only thing getting me out of bed or out of the house. She was my constant companion and even helped me come down from panic attacks. But was she well-trained enough to behave herself in a grocery store? Or on a plane? No, no she was not 😂 this is definitely a nuanced conversation. Animals can have such a profound impact on a person’s life and be integral to their survival, but as with anything, there will be people who come along and abuse a privilege like this. We definitely need some regulation on the use of ESAs
I'd like to share my ESA story.
2 years ago I got myself chickens for that purpose.
I had been bedridden and super depressed and anxious. To improve my health, I needed ro go outside. I lived very small.
I had already heard about therapy chickens and after looking into it again, that's the animal I needed.
So I happily and proudly told everyone how I housed 2 chickens in my studio and I walked them daily.
Everyone was FURIOUS!!
And I had no idea why.
So, they (the rest of the world, I posted on facebook ya know...) thought I was gonna leash my chickens and walk m down the road like a dog visiting people / dog parks, take m to people places etc.
I was going down the road they had that right but it was like 10m, which I carried them in a carrier, to a nearby soccer field that had 'wild borders'. It wasn't a busily visited place with hardly anyone coming there etc.
Stuff happened in the meanwhile, way too long of a story to tell.
But the chickens did indeed help.
I had to clean every day and takr care of myself, for they needed to go outside and have inside digging bins and foraging places etc.
I got out of my depression.
My chickens were able to be chickens, had top notch care lived the life, like they slept in a kitty basket (their own choice, I offered different sleeping accommodations) on a blanket.
They avoided hay and straw to sleep and rest in and 'demanded' a blanket or a pillow, like for real, they hogged all soft spots 😂😂.
I did spend literally all my time on them.
Woke up with them, made them breakfast of fresh herbs and veggies and fruit etc.
They ate the good stuff, not even the kitchen scraps.
I sprouted seeds for them.
Twice a day fixed time we went outside.
Late fall I turned off the heating more than it was on, making sure they wouldn't experience temp shock etc
They had top notch care.
I couldn't do that right now though.
Still have chickens (and quail by now).
But they are my worker bees.
Still very time and one of them is a hugger like no other 🥰
But I can easily go out for a day, do my work, they go to bed themselves and these don't mind straw and hay because I never offered them blankies and pillows 😂
The ones that helped me out of my depression, did a wonderful job, so that now I can have chickens in a very chicken way.
If it's done right and one choses the animal that fits the needs and they treat the animal like it should (don't walk chickens like a dog, take m to a field and sit with them, every animal is different), the animal can do wonders and both come out better.
Too bad it's being abused
I adopted a kitten around a time in my life when my suicidal urges were getting particularly extreme, specifically to become an emotional support animal. I heavily researched the topic before I got her and made sure I understood the difference between them and service animals; the only public place I've brought her was to my therapist appointments (after making sure it was allowed ofc)
She may not be trained, but I believe she was adopted out too young, so in the end she heavily imprinted on me. Especially since I could rarely bring myself to leave my house at the time.
So now she follows me around like a cute little shadow. She hangs around me when I'm on the computer, and if I raise my voice at all, whether it be me getting upset or excited, she will hop down from her perch and rush over to me, meowing very worriedly. She's very good at her job 😊
That's just a cat though. She likes you, and you like her, so she naturally provides you emotional support. That's not a reason to call it an emotional support animal. That's just an animal.
@@0.-.0 well, then how would you define an emotional support animal besides an animal that is emotionally supportive?
@@0.-.0I used to think like you did until I got an emotional support cat of my own. I was struggling to live on my own up until that point because I was having a hard time at night, and I doubted that I would be able to properly care for a dog because of my individual needs and environment. so cat it was.
Right now, I spend most of my time inside. If that ever changes, I might consider a trained service animal, but until then, my cat does just fine. I still need him around, and I am grateful for the emotional support animal laws that keep him from being taken from me, because I get a level of support from him that I cannot get anywhere else, from anyone else. If somebody goes to their doctor and a doctor says that owning an animal would help them with their issue, the animal stays inside, is kept well, and doesn't bother anyone, it's a legitimate Esa in my mind. And while it doesn't have the qualifications or skills of a service dog, it's still very important to the person who has it, and that should be respected.
My body temperature goes up when I'm stressed. I don't think my cats care about emotions but they do accept the free heat
Working in he restaurant business esa has been a nightmare. My question is, how did peoples entitlement become so out of control they are willing to claim disability to take advantage of the ADA?
ESAs are NOT entitled by the ADA because they are NOT "service animals", by definition.
Wait restaurant business? Not one single mention of unruly obnoxious children and their oblivious parents?
There are no protections for ESA under the ADA. Your comment is illogical.
@@Starry_Night_Sky7455 - That would be off-topic.
Exactly, my issue is with customers bringing their esa into restaurants and claiming those animals are ADA service animals. @@coda3223
Pets are not a human right, they are a privilege, and if you cannot afford it (i.e. vet visits, food, training, etc.) you do not DESERVE to have one. The animal's well-being is just as important, and frankly I'm sick of people looking at pets like living comfort blankets. I have several disabilities that some people might have an ESA for, but for the types of spaces I frequent the most it would not be in the animal's best interest, no matter how it would make me feel. Having a pet is fine, having a medically necessary service animal is fine, but just because you love petting your cats or dogs doesn't mean 1) you should be allowed to stress out this living creature to the point they're pissing and shitting and biting people and 2) everyone should be exposed to your ill-mannered and sometimes dangerous animal. Humans need to de-center ourselves fr.
I wish I could give you 10 thumbs up for this comment.
" I have several disabilities that some people might have an ESA for,"
I don't understand. What disability can be aided by "emotional support"?
@@menow. Autism, anxiety, depression can all be helped by having a pet that can stay at home!!!!
@@wyltedleaves You are describing a significant majority of the population. Pretty much EVERYONE has some sort of "disability" or other.
@@menow. which is exactly why we can't let everyone run around with their pets as ESA, thanks for understanding!
Personally, I own a service dog. I trained her myself over the course of a little more than a year. I have traveled 14 states with her by my side everywhere the family went. She is always on her best behavior when you put her vest on. I feel that the support animals, as they stand now, are giving true service animal owners more grief than good. I have seen so many ESAs that are not trained well, or maybe not even at all. The businesses are starting to be upset about any animal on the property and i don't blame them. Its giving animals a bad name and look. I wish they had some regulations soon as well. Please train your animals before trying to go places with them. Its only fair to the rest of the public to do so. I hope some things change to put some standards in place soon.
If you personally trained the dog, it is NOT A SERVICE DOG. It is a trained PET, which could be a ESA, but NOT a service animal. You are NOT a professional trainer.
@johncampbell3979 lol how do you know I am not a professional trainer? So silly, my wife is a diabetic, and the service dog knows when her sugars are low and high and knows how to retrieve a bag that contains insulin and sugar shots. Don't make assumptions.
my cat emotionally supports me by knocking over every trash can he sees, kicking and biting my arm after demanding to be petted, and yarfing up a perfectly placed hairball for me to step in the moment i get out of bed in the morning
I appreciate you covering this... to be honest it's pretty frustrating and annoying to see these old ladies carrying their little dogs in every store because they are emotional support animals.
My wife is a server and people want to bring all kinds of animals into the restaurant. I have empathy for people but I think people are taking it way too far
I have no empathy for those people.
I don't believe that animals want to be in stores or restaurants. It must be an overwhelming environment for them.
I am glad that pretty much every place here in lima peru allows dogs who are well trained. A lot of restaurants here have outdoor eating areas for dog owners and some even leave water for dogs on walks and have dog friendly menus.
100+ years ago people owned other people. Those owned people were segregated and prohibited from all kinds of places because they were falsely all stereotyped as unclean, among other ridiculous notions. These days, I guess since you all can't really be outright racists, you fixate on old ladies carrying little dogs into these commercial sacred places. Oh oh my! How dare they bring that dawg into this fine chain restaurant establishment!!!??? The audacity!!! My word! The foundation might crack! Everything is now contaminated! Nevermind that 52 spit talking people double dipped the ranch dressing, or didn't wash their hands after wiping their poopy ass in the restroom. Heaven forbid somebody brought a dawg in here!
Geez! This is harmless,
especially your specific example 🙄. I can say that children can be far more annoying in a restaurant or store. Im guessing you don't travel much. In Europe, particularly in Paris, dogs in public places are a normal thing. In the USA, where freedom is nothing but a figment of the imagination, some people focus on this omg dog is in sight in public thing a bit like they're targeting anything they can feel empowered to control. Ooo You can't legally throw people out, but ooo look you can surely get all authoritarian with that person over there that has that dog in your presence. You can't hate on people but you sure can hate on their dog. It's a display of displaced aggression and territorial scapegoating. Really a dog being carried by an old lady is benign. I don't even like most small dogs. But I could care less if someone carries one into a store. The dog isn't really an issue as long as reasonable safety measures are in place. Apparently there is demand for people that want canine friendly establishments.
@@troyhailey Did you follow and spy on him the whole time? Perhaps mind your own business.
I think we've reached a point where service and emotional support animals need to have official ID, like a driver's license. Both should have to pass a standard test.
other countries do that, but not the USA sadly. personally I think esa's (and service animals, but obvs trained more so) should at LEAST be able to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizenship test.
I agree. I find it funny that we require therapy animals (ones that go in to senior/nursing homes, schools, hospitals, ect) to specifically pass certain tests (and many places require insurance which requires these tests for the service) but not all other animals in public.
Some Canadian provinces do this.
Yes but we also need to keep in mind there is a difference between esa and service dog esa do not have public access rights service dogs do
@@emilyhassell3126 100%. I've so many fake service dogs.
I have known more than one person who just got a random dog, bought a service animal vest off Amazon and would try to take their pet everywhere. The ADA should never have been made to include anything other than service animals, and there should be a verification system in place, not just working on the honor system as we have seen that does not work. ESAa should be revoked and we need to stop place shifting our emotional well being onto animals. That is not their job.
i loved this video, just wished you made more! i am a social worker, i see tons of critters at the stores that aren't service animals! I have a cat, would never ever take him to the store! keep up the great work!
Lastly, I think if someone has needs such that a companion (animal or human) truly is what enables them to participate in the public parts of daily living such as shopping, then a trained SERVICE animal is wholly appropriate and if their purchase and training were covered by our healthcare for those people, the need to attempt skirting the service animal rules with support animals instead would vastly reduce on its own. In other words, legit service animals are so prohibitively expensive for those in our community with disabilities of this type and it would be nice if our society recognized that by making it possible to afford under state healthcare or grants or something. I think the irritation towards the "cheaters" should really be acknnowledged as a reflection of anger about the flaws in an inherently ableist and classist system we live in where the poorest have the most competition for the things fundamental to human wellness.
I disagree about that anger directed towards “cheaters”. I personally have seen SO many people who have these fake ESA and it’s not about the animals helping them. It’s about the person feeling entitled that they can take their let where ever they go…. Any support” supplied by the animal is very small and not enough to warrant needing an animal to be wirh them everywhere they go .
It’s more along the lines of “ Oh look at me, Im SO special! “I” can take my animal,into places you can’t , I can take my animal anywhere! “
These are the people that use the various fake ESA websites to order official looking vets and latches, complete with a “ certificate” provided by some person the website claims is mental health provider , and the “certification of need “ for an ESA is granted by this mental healthcare provider , after a 10 minute FaceTime interview or even just an email exchange . The “healthcare provider “ working for these websites knows nothing about the behaviour or kind of animal,the person wants to use as an ESA.
There are people who do need ESA , but those people are very rarely the ones you see in stores or restaurants wirh badly behaved , poorly trained or inapproperate animals.
If the ESA animal,was regulated by law, and part of the regulation was that the animal mit behave appropriately in whatever place it was taken to, then this would make it easier for then people who need ESA and for people who need Service animals. That this area is unregulated is part of the problem.
Literally anyone can go to these websites get that fake certificate , the official looking vest and patch, ….and the process to claim that any kind animal is there ESA is the problem…..
That fake ESA animal may be agressive, not even be housebroken, have no training , not even basic obedience training, may be afraid of many of the sights, sounds and scents that they will encounter when their owner drags them around to various places….. busy sidewalks, honking horns and traffic sounds, sirenes , subways, busses , food in restaurants, trash on the streets, strangers wanting to pet , feed, and hug the animals , all these things can terrify an animal not accustomed to them. And in some cases the terrified animal may bite or attack, or run away, maybe into traffic ….
It is not good for,the animals to be placed in this situation just because their owner doesnt want to leave them at home or wants to be seen as “ special” because they can take their animal into places where animals aren’t permitted.
The issues is that these badly behaved, poorly trained or inappropriate ESA do things like toilet in stores or restaurants, attack people or other animals, bark, annoy other people …..and this causes those businesses to adopt policies of no animals at all, and this causss a conflict then a person wieh a See ice Animals attempts to patronize those businesses.
@@teresahiggs4896Not everyone who has an ESA uses those shady sites. Many of them get letters from legitimate therapists or doctors. 🤨 that includes the ones with poorly trained animals.
my partner had his leg amputated during the pandemic. We lost our home due to spending so much time without work and needing him to be in skilled nursing after the stump became infected. He was on the verge of suicide, and his kitten ( Who did fill the role of a service animal, picking things up off the floor when he dropped them, and reminding him to take his insulin.) was granted ESA so she could be with him during physical therapy. (because as a cat she could not be a service animal) - In addition, the certification of ESA is only for 1 year, so a new letter is required after that time.
My suggestion is that instead of "type" of animal, Service animals should be based on the task they do. Mental disabilities (like autistics) Do have specific needs, and it is not difficult to find and specify exactly what that animal does, require proper training and sociability.
Autistic here - so what you are describing is not an ESA, it’s a specific category of service animals. Service dogs for autism have to perform special skills and it typically costs at least $10,000 to acquire a trained autism service dog (I’ve heard of the range being anywhere from 10-20k).
I have a small dog that I trained to do one of the skills that service animals for autistics perform (deep pressure - my dog recognizes when I am having an autistic meltdown and will initiate lying on my chest or on my lap, adding weight and pressure that helps me to get through the meltdown).
Sometimes autistic people who cannot afford a service dog for autism will train dogs to do support skills like I did, just because those skills are so helpful. I also did not ask a therapist for an ESA letter, either. I just needed to train my dog to be able to help me with meltdown, so I did. Right now that means my dog can only help me at home, but that’s a hell of a lot better than nothing. If I could have afforded to have him trained and certified, I would have.
Just sharing all this to raise awareness that service dogs for autism already exist, but are difficult for autistic people and their families/caretakers to afford. An ESA is not a substitute for a support animal and if autistic people are stuck with ESAs, it’s a failure of our support structures for autistic people. More of us should have trained service dogs. This is an issue our governments need to deal with and provide more structural/financial support for, so that ASD people can have improved disability rights.
@@JaneTheMessage I absolutely agree. The problem is, when you have a Non-Dog animal or a Misunderstood disability you are left with little choice.
Should your landlord decide that pets are not allowed , you would br left with only 2 options, ESA or Eviction. I belive the issue to be addressed is the NEED for more diverse definitions of Disability & Service Animal. A regulated ESA system would be a good start, but really what we need is a better understamding of What Disabled persons is / needs and what an Animal does.
When I see an ESA peacock is have to wonder.. What EXACTLY does it do for you. I do not deny that Depression/ Anxiety. Etc are very real disabilities, my question is What does the animal do. If an animal cannot be housebroken I find it difficult to rationalize requiring it be allowed in public space ( where people walk ) However, often the task requires is not done by a dog. ( I know of a quadraplegic who has an ESA monkey, because he can not use his hands, a dog would not be able to act as his service animal because it also does not have hands. And yet it is not recognized as a service animal.
"and his kitten ( Who did fill the role of a service animal, picking things up off the floor when he dropped them, and reminding him to take his insulin."
I call bullshit. That kitten DID NOT do those things.
@@menow. n fact she did, (and it was not difficult to train) Actually I am glad to share this bit of information. Cats are relatively easy to train for diabetic warning. When small (s on solid food ) begin keeping treats with diabetic supply and giving one whenever glucose is too high. Cat likes treats, Cat tells you when she should get one.
Chasing small objects that fall to the ground is something cats love to do, provide the cat a reward and it will bolt across the room like a maniac to pick up your hair tie or find a lost wheelchair peg that rolled under the couch. Gladly showing off her wonderful hunting ability by dropping the object in your lap.
These are basic Cat behaviors, and with consistency and patience, a cat can be very happy showing off her skills in taking care of the person she loves - equal (IMHO) to any dog
I hope this information is helpful to you and anyone else who may want to work with cats ( they are intelligent motivated companions who can learn tricks and be trained to accept a lead and fulfill useful tasks as well as any other mammal.) The idea that cats are untrainable is just a misunderstanding of their motivations.
I will add (although this is already very long)
that MOST of what a cat does is trained, Most People just don't realize they trained the cat to do the things it does because they don't understand its motivations.
I agree that cats can do more than we think. I have known a few that fetch as avidly as any dog, and I, myself, have one that learned to work with us in hunting activities.
I didn't know they could learn about telling you about your blood sugars, neat! And sounds simple enough to train.
I had a friend a few years ago who had a couple of corgi's trained (very similarly if my memory serves) like service dogs because she used them for her really bad social anxiety. She would have panic attacks and risk even throwing up just going places like the grocery store, but she was a huge advocate of people having their animals trained so they behaved properly. I know the corgi's were cute, but since they didn't have to perform physical tasks (like fetching things from cabinets or turning off/on lights) I think their size was also a factor. It's a lot easier to handle and maneuver a 25lb animal than an 80lb one.
My problem with emotional support animals is that it's so easy to get. Pet owners all over the world claim that their pats are emotional support animals so that they can take them anywhere. This is a problem because most of these pets are untrained and can easily act unpredictably in situations a fact that their owners refuse to acknowledge.
I’m really happy you covered this. I don’t want to feel like I’m picking in people with ESAs because I know how beneficial it can be. But I live in a small apartment complex that I selected because it only allowed cats. I’ve lived here since 2007 and everything was good with the occasional ESA dog. Now there are more dogs than cats and cat owners are afraid to even take their cats outside because of the amount of dogs. I picked a place that didn’t allow dogs because I have trauma related to two separate dog attacks, one from my childhood and one as an adult, and this doesn’t help people like me. I feel like I’m always the ass. I go to the store and there are dogs in the carts, dogs in strollers, dogs everywhere. I have two cats and totally get the benefit as I also have chronic and mental illnesses that I deal with but sooo many people take advantage of the system, it’s hard to see when it’s legit need or abuse of the system. Not to mention the number of people who refuse to clean up after their dogs. I just can’t.
That's exactly how I feel too! Like it's not fair to take your ESA dog to a store to help your anxiety when you could be bringing it around someone like me who's been attacked by a dog and has anxiety around dogs. You shouldn't get to lesson your anxiety at the expense of someone else's anxiety.
I also have cats and I run into the same problem as you. I've trained my cat to walk on a leash, to walk with me and to stick to the sidewalk (and not the middle of the road) and to only walk in common areas near my unit. All the dogs in my neighbourhood are unpleasantly reactive. They would bark and snarl if I take my cat outside. Then the dog owners would get upset because there's a cat in a public space (weird, it's public so why not?) or giving me shit (ironic) because they see feces that they think are my cat's. And besides, my cat is not doing anything, he's just sitting there, enjoying a breeze and sniffing the air. I've made it so he is desensitized to things like people walking around, and cars and I can give him simple commands like "in", "home", "go", "no", "leave it", "say hi" etc. He does not yowl, lunge, or hiss, he always go to the potty right before we go outside (and I also carry a bag if anything happens). As a cat, it also makes sense for him to react to unfamiliar things but I always have a hold of the leash and that solves a lot of problems. Especially because of repeatedly training him, he knows to trust me to get him out of situations. He'd be more like to follow me than anything else.
I learned after a while that dogs are not the problem. It's always the dog owners. Dogs don't know any better. The owners do and should though. If it's possible to train cats, it's even more possible to train dogs. I understand that the recent lock down has probably made dogs stressed and sensitive to unfamiliar things. But there's always opportunities to train them, to desensitize them and to build trust. It just takes time and repetition. Trust is always the most important things when training any animal.
@@whossouli’ve seen fake esa dogs scare away customers at my job and it sucks but we can’t stop them. 😔
I’ve never seen so many dogs in one place before, are you serious?? That’s insane! I only see like a maximum of 3 dogs a day at very separate times
i had a similar problem, but rather where they ignored that my roommate’s ESAs were cats, and placed a massive ESA dog with us. My roommates had to *pay* to break their lease. The rental company could put the dog in a different apartment. It didnt need to be ours.
I don’t mind people having whatever weird species of ESA at all as long as all the animals are well trained.
Don't be silly. Most people's dogs are not trained AT ALL. The only control they have over the dog a physical leash. You can see people being dragged around by a dog pulling at the end of a leash all the time. Virtually NO ONE has trained their dog to "heel". NO ONE.
i am not sure all species can be trained the same
And the human handler is well trained too!
Emotional support animals are not trained.
And that's the problem with emotional support animals.
I have a dog named Evie that is my ESA. She is well trained, obeys all commands, and is quiet. I would never survive in this life without her, she is constantly by my side, never leaves me. I think it should be regulation to only give one to those that need them, but I also feel that public places need to be a little more lenient due to it being extremely hard for me to go out in public and cope without her
What about people who have trauma/ptsd/anxiety around dogs as a result of being attacked in the past? By bringing your ESA to help your mental health you could be harming the mental health of people with dog related anxiety who are there too.
@whossoul Just because some people have trauma regarding dogs dogs shouldnt be anywhere near public spaces? Thats absurd
@notaurenotsure2732 No, I'm saying having a dog in stores/restaurants who's not an actual service animal and is only there for someone with anxiety doesn't make sense because it might be helping one person's anxiety but triggering someone else's. I have no issue around actual service animals because they go through rigorous training and I know they aren't going to bite anyone or start barking in a store, they are perfectly safe. ESAs don't necessarily have any training and will bark at people and have attacked other people and actual service animals before.
Thank you for this. I have had an ESA since my freshman year of college because I've had anxiety my whole life. The companionship I have with my cat has helped me get through a lot, especially having to navigate university for the first time during college. I'm also much more organized and keep my space clean because I want her to have all the space she needs (and so she doesn't get into anything). She stays at home, I would never take her somewhere with me as although she is a mild mannered cat, she is a cat. Where service animals are trained to help their owners, owners are trained to utilize their ESAs. I know that's exaggerating a bit, but when we look to our pets for support, we are accessing them under their terms typically, playing with them or petting them in a way we have deemed works to calm ourselves, but when they are done, they are not trained to bend to our every need. Because of that, they shouldn't be a crutch. They are happiest being pets, trying to make them more than that defeats their purpose and can stress them out.
I have had incidents with people using ESAs to manipulate, and I have friends who have legit needs. Unfortunately, this whole thing seems to build on the stigma against mental health problems in general. Since mental health is invisible, there is no way to tell the need, people abuse the system, and since so many people think that mental health problems aren't real anyway, the ESA manipulation ends up reinforcing that stereotype. I would love to see all of the points you outlined implemented! However, you mentioned wanting a centralized database for ESAs, I love it! In my research looking to service animal and ESA policy, I did not find anything about service animals having something similar. I think they should share a database, with a notation as to which category, and what rights they are entitled to all in one place. It would really help with transparency.
Most EVERYONE is happier when they can bring their dog with them, wherever they go. Happiness is an emotion. That means that EVERY dog provides "emotional support". There is no end to this madness.
Why a database? Better to stop this entitled special people get special privileges crap. Just focus on safety. Perhaps have dogs pass behavior and training criteria. There are therapy dogs. The AKC has a canine good citizen test. This is better. Dog and handler pass tests. Handler passes knowledge test (compare to a driver's license). Dog passes demonstrated behavior and training tests. That is quite fair to license the pair for public admission into various places.
That way no one has to discriminate or disclose anything about their mental health or physical disabilities or whatever.
Let's not complicate this too far.
Safety should be the only matter.
Not much else.
Otherwise for my peace, I surely would ban children from a lot of places.
Miniature horses are used as an alternative to guide dogs for people who are allergic. They also have the advantage of living much longer than dogs.
I'm WAY more allergic to horses than I am to dogs. I'm also very allergic to cats
and much bigger footprint and shit likely. Please use common sense regarding other peoples right to eat and shop publically animal free.
@@vickimerritt2832 Miniature horses can be as small as 24inches and as tall as 38inches. . . and usually its the shorter ones being used. . .some service dogs are taller than that. As far as their bathroom habits. . .a responsible owner of ANY animal knows how to regulate and what signs to watch for.
@@olderandorganizedthe horses people are allergic to are in poorly ventilated barns with mold, etc. Curly horses are like poodles in that they generate far fewer allergic triggers.
@@vickimerritt2832miniature horses in work have poo catcher "diapers" not unlike carriage horses in certain areas w regulations.
When the airlines had to make decisions about ESA's, a woman claiming her peacock was a her emotional support animal was mentioned as an example of why the airlines needed some boundaries ~
My roommate and I left our previous home because our other roommate got a dog and lied to us, saying he was watching it for a friend, until he could get an ESA letter to force us to live with it. We wouldn't have even had an issue with him getting a dog, but he refused to follow safety boundaries regarding my cats. He told us about the ESA letter, and that the dog was his, only after we confronted him about our boundaries.
The dog had signs of aggression, and he knew that, but never told us or arranged proper introductions. The landlord was zero help, even though I told her and even showed evidence of the aggressive behavior. She just told him he would have to get the dog trained. We didn't feel safe living with someone who disregarded our boundaries so thoroughly, so when he refused to move out, we did.
I was raising funding for my business at that time, and had to back out of a potential investment because of the stress. I had to take out a loan for moving costs. I still haven't recovered.
my service dog helps me stay grounded during ptsd episodes. She helps me by jumping up on me when I start drifting to a different world of thoughts. she also alerts me before I pass out due to POTS.
This is what my dog does but she's not certified as a service dog. She's too old and missing a leg. A dog trained to help with ptsd is a life saver! My girl is also trained to put her paw on me when I'm dissociating to help bring me back and ground me. I lost so much time before we trained her and now I live a somewhat normal life, at least at home.
Confirmation bias and convenient fantasy. You simply enjoy having your dog around. People are completely irrational about their dogs.
@@menow. no my dog lays on my chest and listens to my heart beats and if I go into cardiac arrest while passed out she goes to get help
and other people have alligators for that, right? or emus
@@kaiyodei that's emotional support its different than a service animal
I live with cronic depression, anxiety and PTSD. I work from home and got an ESA letter for a cat I adopted because my apartments told me no pets. They even claimed they wouldn't accept an ESA letter. I was suffering from depression when I made my decision to request a letter and having my cat around has decreased my levels of sadness and depression. I light up whenever I see her. It has made my daily living much more pleasant with her around.
You need a antidepressant prescription, not an ESA letter
@figadodeporco Are you a doctor? What, do you think I haven't tried medications to help? I have all my bases covered with mental health and yet there is still depression. That ESA letter changed my life and the lives of my children greatly for the better! Please don't tell me what I need without knowing me.
ESAs themselves are awesome. i don't know why anyone would have a problem with the animals themselves or what rights are actually legally given to them.
the problem is when people think their ESA has the same rights as a regular service dog. literally all ESAs have the extra rights for is that a landlord can't tell you you can't keep it in your home. i think they used to be allowed on planes in the passenger cabin, but that law got changed due to abuse (eg. people would bring whatever their pet was with them regardless of whether or not it was trained, and ignoring people's allergies, stuff like that). they were never allowed in grocery stores, and there is no reason for them to have a fancy vest that just lets everyone know you don't have to pay pet rent
@vearose1230 If animals had this magic power of curing depression, anxiety, or any other mental condition, why are animal shelters not built inside pharmacies or hospitals? Why doesn't health insurance distribute dogs instead of pills? Have you ever wondered that? Taking (properly) care of a pet requires you to be more physically active, which makes your body produce endorphines. You are feeling better because of the activities, not because of the pet. You could go to a gym or a walk and have the same effectiveness, if done daily.
@@figadodeporcoi don’t think esas need to be in public 24/7 or have the same privileges as service animals, but therapy animals are common in hospitals and places where they would be beneficial. it’s not a crazy thing to acknowledge. I also think this is more of an issue of renters rights and landlords being leeches.
Bro!!!! I just found your channel and this is only the second video of yours I've seen. The first 1 being about EMDR,,, which you were SPOT ON about!!! And now this video which I have only made it to the first minute and I am 100% subbing!!! I love your personality and your candid genuineness!!! Plus your intelligent and have basic common logic and reasoning capabilities which has unfortunately become somewhat of a rare attribute in society currently. Thank You for your videos❤
As a disabled person that lives my life in a wheelchair 100% of the time ESA's have always rubbed me the wrong way. Especially after having one. I have really bad anxiety when I'm in public places and so it was recommended that I try an ESA. The whole idea of a ESA in theory sounds like a great idea, having an animal you love to support you in situations where your anxiety is likely to be provoked seems like something that would be very helpful. However in my experience it had the complete opposite effect. When I would go to places I'd have my dog with me ( a fully trained "proper" ESA) I would in turn have more anxiety about going somewhere. I'd constantly be nervous someone would question me about it, always have to be looking out for people wanting to pet or interact with my dog, worry about other peoples ESA's that weren't properly trained causing problems with my dog (which happened on a few occasions), having to worry about where I can go to relive my dog when they needed to go to the bathroom, and me being in a wheelchair I'm not able to pick up their mess if I'm alone. What if someone confronts me accusing me of having a "fake" ESA? All these things increased my overall anxiety ten fold and made it much more difficult for me to do what I wanted. So I eventually just stopped taking my ESA dog with me places and I found that my anxiety was much more easily controlled when I'm not having to worry about all those things associated with having a dog with me in places dogs aren't usually allowed to go. I'm not saying that ESAs don't work for anyone at all, I'm sure they're very helpful for some people in some situations. But IMO they cause more issues and anxiety triggers than just not having one. My opinion concerning actual task trained service dogs is completely different, that's a whole other animal (maximum pun intended).
I live in the UK where emotional support animals have no rights and is just an animal. I have struggled for at least 10 years where I couldn't leave my house without another person supporting me and even then I struggled. I would of benefited with my own independence if I had an emotional support animal that I could take in public spaces. Since then I found out I have a disorder that qualifies for a service animal but I will have to apply to a charity and end up on a long waiting list to possibly being turned down as children get first priority and late diagnosed autistics with early perimenopause causing increased anxiety are not seen as important :(
Thank you for sharing your story! I was unsure of what things look like in other countries. That is so disappointing that you’re running into so many roadblocks. Is there any estimate on how long you’ll have to wait?
@@neurotransmissions No as only charities can train a service animal they own and they can only train the amount of animals from donations. Otherwise you have to pay huge amounts of money to get a service animal as most pets won't qualify for this type of training and need the care from birth included in the charges, which there is no insurance covering that.
@@DRAGONFLYS06I don’t understand why there are so many obstacles put in place for service dogs! Some dogs can learn quickly, so I don’t understand why they need to be in the program since their birth. My heart and thoughts go out to you! You are worthwhile -please believe in yourself!! ✌🏼💖
My fiancée is my emotional support human! She is allowed access to parts of the hospital she wouldn't otherwise be, since I'm a transplant patient and I was out of it for years while in organ failure, and would panic if she wasn't there to expalain that the doctors weren't there to vivisect me to experiment on my failed liver and kidneys, since I actually WAS undergoing experimental treatments.
Another issue with emotional support animals is it ignores the people who get stressed around animals. I was attacked/bitten by a dog as a kid, and I still get anxiety around dogs I dont know. I understand service animals because they are necessary for those individuals to perform basic tasks. When it comes to ESAs though, then its like how is it okay for you to bring your dog to the store and trigger my anxiety just so it can lower yours? What makes your anxiety more valid or more worth stopping than the anxiety of people like me?
I have an emotional support cat who we spent years training (plus months researching what cats are likely to even be able to act as a proper ESA) in order to be able to safely take him out in public, including coming when called, being comfortable on a leash, interacting appropriately with other humans and animals, and properly responding to my anxiety attacks. We still can't bring him everywhere (as explained in the video), but we've never had any friction bringing him into places where I'm likely to have major anxiety issues. I'm not sure if it's because of how well behaved he is or how disabled I look when I'm anxious (whole other can of worms there), but we've never even gotten dirty looks, and he knows how to behave. He was even completely silent during a full funeral service while making sure I was doing okay. The fact that so many people abuse the ESA system makes me extremely mad. Without my ESA in a high-anxiety situation, I'm likely to become catatonic. If these people didn't have their ESA, they'd arguably be MORE functional.
Get a service animal then. End of story.
I had a friend in college who stopped actively participating in therapy to instead "shop around" for a therapist who would write them an ESA letter. Maybe I'm being unfair, they said they were still trying in therapy and believing in it, but the way they discussed therapy was almost always coated with annoyance and how much every type of therapy "didn't work" for them. They seemed serious enough about training a potential ESA dog that they would adopt after getting the letter. However, every therapist in the area denied to write them a letter. They brought it up at the first session each time and the one therapist in the area who was known to more willingly write ESA letters denied them too. At the time, and still even now, I'm relieved that the therapists did not write that letter. I don't doubt that my friend would benefit from a pet. I know and understand pet benefits from my own needs. They did not need an animal in classes with them though, and they frequently talked about how it was the only way to have a pet in available housing in the area. I experienced that frustration too! I was desperate for a pet and could not have one. I eventually learned that caged pets were allowed, so I kept pet rats until my allergy to them grew too severe. This friend was just very uncompromising though about needing a dog, and they talked about it like a dog they would train would solve all of their mental health problems. Idk. The whole thing was very uncomfortable to me. (my bachelor's degree is in psychology and for a while I wanted to be a therapist, too).
Where are you living that an ESA letter would get an animal into a classroom?
@@sabinegray1450 I don’t think it technically should, but it would and was talked about that way because people don’t understand the difference. I’m in the US.
Luckily, this issue hasn't blown up until after I addressed my own severe anxieties around dogs after being mauled at the age of 10; however, the other day I fell asleep watching a tv show and woke up to a scene with a young girl getting her face sewed up and I was suddenly 10 again in that doctor's office getting my face sewed up. I fly weekly and luckily this hasn't happened yet, but if I do end up sitting next to a large dog, I would work with the stewardess or other passengers to be reseated because while I'm fine while aware and awake, I typically fall asleep on planes and I don't want to have a PTSD type incident as I wake up from a flight nap.
My incident being hunted down once by a vicious dog as a 10 year old, was very frightening. Luckily I escaped over a fence and avoided being injured. I was not mauled, but the incident left me more aware that not all animals are friendly. Many raised indoors animals are very territorial and not adequately trained for public settings. I love all animals for the animals they are. They are being abused, by folks that are adamantly trying to and wishing to turn them into humans.
I
This, if someone has a fear or allergy both them and the handler of the service dog have to be accommodated. It’s not a reason for discrimination, and many handler have been denied access because someone refused to accommodate them both.
Thank you for doing all the footwork to the in's and out's regarding ESA's, to include the differences with service animals. My daughter and I have talked about these online sites that take advantage of people over charging people for their services, but she continues to ignore the fact she's getting scammed. I will share this video with her, hoping it will make a difference AND save her a few bucks in the long run. She does need an ESA letter for her two cats to be able to have them in her apartment, but being educated on the requirements makes all the difference of being scammed or not being scammed. Thank you for explaining all this in the video.
As someone with an esa: my ptsd spiraled in college so I got my official letter from my doctor and got a cat. I got her a vest and leash trained her but I don't take her to a store unless i have a carrier with me. And I abide by the stores rules about pets. She's a huge help, but people exploit the system sadly
TW: animal death
Please note several areas of life are simply not safe for some animals to go. This comment brought to you from a a lovely little brown furred ESA dog involved in a escalator incident.
Keeping all but service animals from some spaces is an issue of animal safety too.
I wish I’d never learned how common this kind of incident is.
I feel so double-edged about this. I live in a small college town and ever since hitting rock bottom due to substance abuse and dealing with the death of too many young disillusioned friends, I've had the blessing of being able to move in with my parents and get myself sober and sorted. It's been around 7 years of sobriety and teaching myself both emotional skills and programming.
I've done well, and found stability in my own right, but as an early method of keeping my mind calm from panic attacks and grief my parents bought me a ferret, and then another a year or so later. These little bundles of chaos have been invaluable to me. The routine of their care, the fact that they require many hours out of the day of supervised time - their joyous "weasel wardance" and "dooking" - it helped build the backbone of routine, and was distracting enough to keep me from ruminating in the softest way possible. (okay sometimes with claws and teeth).
But now... as I seek housing, there is nowhere in my budget that allows these little guys to come with me. There is such stigma against ferrets that I've been laughed at when asking even for places that allow dogs or cats.
But I don't feel like it's an ESA situation? At least not at this point. I would be incredibly sad to lose them. I feel I owe them the best life they can have for what they've done for me but it's incredibly frustrating to know you are "ready" for the next chapter and be in this weird gray area where the same animals that helped you get this far are holding you back simply because landlords cannot trust that you are honest and fastidious in their care.
When he said he cringes every time he is asked to "certify" an ESA, I couldn't agree more. Even as I type this, my cat is cuddled up to my side purring away. My life is better for her being here, but I know I can never take her out in public to sooth my nerves as it would wreak hers. Could I apply for a certification just to make my landlord not charge me? Probably, but I would not have a clean conscience. I have had this discussion with many friends and had to bite my tounge for over a decade as to not start a fight. A particular pair is dug in hard and will not recognize that their self-trained "service" dogs barely make the standard of ESA. UGG if I have to listen to another 15 minute lecture starting with "The ADA says..." I saw what it took my 4-H friends in the specialized guide dog program had to do to get their puppies through basic into the next level of training (which was done by adult professionals). I know my friends love their dogs, but as the owners/trainers they never put in the work or proper discipline.
I think the most important factor is to make sure that ESA-owners are able to actually handle the everyday responsibility for another sentient being, even when the going gets rough, a dog needs to be fed also walked several times EVERY DAY! Also, it is important that they can handle the stress that comes with owning and relating to a pet (owning a pet might be a comfort, but it typically also creates stressfull situations!) - and stress in general - without taking it out on the animal. I have known know seemingly healthy, normal people with good jobs who have not been capable or responsible pet owners.
It seems like the core issue is a lack of proper regulations and requirements surrounding 'emotional support animal'
If someone truly feels that they can't go anywhere in public without their pet, isn't that a phobia issue that their therapist should be working with them on? Typically, therapists try to get their phobic patients to tackle small pieces at a time of whatever they fear (in this case, spending time away from Fido).
Just want to say, I've been thinking of getting my rabbit an ESA certification. I'm not trying to game any systems, get special treatment, or anything like that. My rabbit is litterbox trained, clean, quiet, and well behaved. I do not take him out in public most of the time because it's chaotic and stresses him out. The only reason I want him certified is so that if I move, I can't get turned away. There are a lot of landlords that will allow dogs and cats, but will not accept rabbits, even though my bun is cleaner and quieter than the average dog or cat. I have extreme anxiety and OCD, and I live a good distance from any family or friends. My rabbit is an emotional support animal in the truest sense of the term: he provides me with love and companionship that I don't otherwise get. Just sitting on the couch and petting him, or getting kisses from him, soothes me immensely. I would be absolutely lost without him, and I'd likely go live in my car with him if I couldn't find a place that would take him. And for the record, the reason I live far from family and friends is that I couldn't find an affordable apartment where I was living that would allow me to have him there. That's what he means to me. Not everyone with an ESA is trying to get special treatment. I just don't want to be discriminated against by landlords because they think of rabbits as barnyard animals or livestock.
A quick fix could be to require ESA dogs to pass the canine good citizen test.
surprised but so glad to find a video about this. ive had roomies and friends who had “emotional support animals” and friends who legit need one or a service animal and it’s incredibly grating to hear my roomies and friends who didnt need them go on about how they know what its like and joke about it. its the farthest thing from a joke and i hate seeing my friends who do need them struggle to get them. theres such a difference between a pet who makes you happy but ultimately you function fine without them vs someone who has epilepsy and could greatly improve their life and possibly stop the worst thing from happening. missing your animal or loving your animal so much isnt always the same as absolutely needing them for survival. and esas really arent a replacement for therapy. its important to understand why they improve your mental health and what ways they hell you change your behaviors to get you out of whatever is holding you. i really hope theres more regulation with esas but also more support to help those who need esas and support animals get them
My cat was my uncertified emotional support animal. No letters. No vest. No special privileges. I just came home, buried my face in his stomach and it fixed things a bit. I didn't even realize it until he died last winter and suddenly I was on my own.
I think many owners get emotional support from their pets, but that's just because they are your family. Family, that won't judge, will love unconditionally and is friend-shaped. That emotional support is different from the one that actual emotional support animals provide. You wouldn't call your spouse "my therapist" just because they listen to your problems and comfort you, right?
Thank you for making this! An old friend of mine has an ESA dog and the poor thing is borderline being abused! He takes his dog everywhere, refuses to let people interact with his dog (literally tells them "oh just ignore him" if he's whining or getting ansy) and he claims it to help with his severe autism... Yet Ive never seen anything other just carting his dog around everywhere and ignoring the poor thing...
That dog is sooo love starved and would always run to me everytime he saw me! He knew I'd give him attention :) But then my friend started yelling at me too... "stop interacting with him! You're riling him up!"
My old therapist felt uncomfortable too. So I had to go on one of those websites and pay $250 just so I didnt lose my sanity and life. during a hellish time, with grief and PTSD to keep my only living family member and reaaon for even living, alongside me, for housing. And you have to renew every year at $200. 😭😟 honestly life is too much.. its hard to stay ok day to day. Trying to hold on.. 😢 i dont even have anymore living family or a home anymore. Atleats I still have my car....
But yes I get why. And I dont blame you. I just hate America and wish this was regulated like you said.. if my cat dies... well... i dont really have anything left. Life is a nightmare.
My heart goes out to you! I hope you find the help that you need! It’s not in every state, but in some states if you dial 211, Volunteers of America can help you to get your needs met. They helped me to pay my power bill when my power was about to be shut off. Good luck! ✌🏼💖
I think there needs to be three categories - physical service animals (like seeing eye dogs), medical support animals (like animals that sense blood sugar or seizures), and emotional support animals (that prevent suicide or severe phobias).
And all service animals need a certification process and a level of training to be OK in public.
Getting a disability parking permit has very little difference.
As someone with a degree, a physical disability, and a mom who is blind (neither of us have ESA or service dogs, just a pet), the ESAs kind of make my blood boil. Service dogs - well-trained dogs who perform a service - are amazing. But people making their pet a security blanket and demanding accommodation is ridiculous. If anything, it seems like it’s just causing you to be MORE dependent on external things than learning to cope with life.
I can completely understand this I work at 7-Eleven and people lose their minds when they show up to my store and I'm like hey no pets allowed...
I have a cat that is considered my emotional support animal. She has no special training, nor does she need any. Her mere existance in my life is what gives me some sense of purpose and gives me a reason to keep going. I do not take her places. I think some guidelines and regulations would probably be a good thing concerning these situations. However, I also know, from my personal situation, that an animal does not have to have any training to be a support for someone. My small cat has a huge job and no idea how very important she is to my well being. These situations need to be taken into consideration as well when (if) they decide to set guidelines for emotional support animals.
miniature horses as service animals are primarily for mobility, like helping support someone's weight while they walk together.
or eg, for someone prone to losing consciousness or leg strength, as a support to help avoid injury in sudden situations.
this is a very well written and researched video, thank you! i'm an obidience dog trainer, and my mom and sister have an esa, and i made sure that she was very well trained to avoid dangerous situations. which happens a lot more than i would like.
I've only come across one person with an ESA. It was a cat. This guy was dragging his cat, who looked terrified, around a busy mall street. The cat wasn't wearing a vest or anything. I went up to him, to query why he was taking his cat for a walk in such a busy area and commented that it looked scared. He snapped that it was his emotional support animal and kept walking. I felt so sorry for it.