i’ve been wanting an emotional support dog to help me through specifically my depression and anxiety. does anyone else have one? are they helpful? i’ve been trying to convince my mom for over a year yet i just read on quora digest (i know not the most reliable place) that wanting one is dumb and no one should need one unless it’s a service dog.

@SummerKissesWinterTears so you don’t think i’m crazy for having two dogs but thinking a new one would help? that’s how my mom feels

@SummerKissesWinterTears thank you so much for the insight. it’s so so helpful

@SummerKissesWinterTears i absolutely will!

These are two pretty different things (ESA vs service dog) but from what you were saying above, a letter from your doc approving an ESA would probably be fine 💜 The main legal difference (in the US) is that a service dog has to be able to perform specific tasks that assist with your disability. So for a psychiatric service dog, that might be something like visibly checking the doors and windows in a room for someone who has combat PTSD, or leading their person to a specific kind of safe location if they’re dissociating or having a panic attack… things like that. A service dog is legally allowed to go into any public space if they’re with their handler (owner). An emotional support animal doesn’t have to be trained to do anything specific or disability-related, and they can legally live with you even if your apartment/condo doesn’t allow pets. They just can’t go in public places with you if animals aren’t allowed; only service dogs (like above) are exempt from those rules.

@JoyousEffort Also, anything online that says they’ll sell you a certificate making your pet a service animal is automatically a scam 🚮🚮🚮 Service dogs don’t need paperwork, but they need to have the training to do their support tasks reliably in almost any situation (with distractions around, if their person is becoming incapacitated, etc). Those places are part of the reason emotional support animals are kind of controversial, which is a shame.

@🤎 P.S.: People don’t have to get a “new” animal specifically to be an ESA… if the doc writes the appropriate letter, it can apply to a pet someone already has, too.

@JoyousEffort i know! that’s why i feel dumb wanting a new dog when i have two. i just don’t feel as if my dogs could be my emotional support animal. they’re above ten years old and not trained very well. i also wouldn’t be able to take them to school with me when i move out because they’re not trained to be in public settings a lot so it would make things much harder

@🤎 Don’t feel dumb, that’s actually a pretty wise approach to your situation. Are you thinking you might live in dorms/campus housing when you go?

@JoyousEffort either that or an apartment because i’ll be a junior

@🤎 There’s a process for having ESAs in campus housing, so you’re good either way. I’m glad you have a nice doc who’s broached the topic with you 💖

@JoyousEffort i know it’s just convincing my mom she’s not on board

@🤎 sigh 🥀