# Therapist classified my dog as an "Emotional Support" animal?



## GShep90 (Oct 16, 2014)

Hey everyone there is some very useful information here, esp http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/guide-therapy-service-dogs/221874-emotional-support-dog.html so I hope I am not causing frustration by posting more about this subject however:

I am a 25 year old student who is suffering a great deal of emotional stress in a violent household, and have not been able to move because my G.Shep puppy is considered a dangerous breed. Well I've been in therapy for years and upon hearing this my doctor declared that my dog is an "ESD" or "Emotional Support Dog". Does this help my chances of finding a new home? I don't know how comfortable I am with this. It's just a puppy! It does help me greatly with emotional stress, but he deserves a life revolved around his proper training not mine! Thank you


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

ESD dogs are in a squishy category. Since dogs can be declared Emotional Support fairly simply, like your doctor did, they are often not allowed the same privileges of other service dogs. 
Keep looking, you will find a place that allows GSDs. Maybe getting a CGC or a BH will help with the search. Those are titles that show that your dog has been trained in obedience.


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## Vega-gurl (Sep 1, 2014)

I have a ESD, and while it can totally be a grey area/taken advantage of by people who don't have a disability/disorder/issue etc, ESD can be hugely helpful for those of us that need them. Squishy is an excellent way to describe it.  
I would recommend looking into the National Service Animal Registry, it is an extremely informative and helpful site explaining the different types of service animals, rights and protections, qualifications and the like. ESDs/ESAs are partially protected under the ADA, in that they can get around the "no pet" rules and fly in the cabin of an aircraft with you. For my ESD, I had many long discussions with my doctor, german shepherd breeders and had did a ton of introspection before deicding an ESD was right for me.


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## Thewretched (Jan 1, 2014)

It's not a service dog, it doesn't have a task, it has no rights under the law, place to place policies may differ


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I would just look for an apartment that allows dogs. I know it's hard when the dog is a GSD but there are places available. Your doctor giving the dog a "title" really isn't the same as being a service animal. I work in the mental health field and several patients have requested we write letters saying their dog is a service animal just so they can ride in the cabin of the plane with them. That is actually illegal. We can, however, write a letter saying the pet dog is emotional support for the patient and then it is up to the airlines or where ever to decide whether they want to make an exception for them. We always tell people to get it in writing from the airlines way in advance so there are no surprises upon boarding. As far as apartments go, the landlord is going to have the final say if the dog is not a real service animal. A CGC or novice obedience title go a long way in convincing landlords and their insurance companies.


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## kburrow11 (Jan 31, 2014)

I've actually went through this. Under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord cannot refuse housing as long as your animal is classified in a letter from a medical professional as an Emotional Support Animal. This only applies to housing, not to public spaces, so you can't take the animal with you everywhere like you can a service animal. 

These links should hopefully help.

http://www.bazelon.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=mHq8GV0FI4c=&tabid
https://www.animallaw.info/article/faqs-emotional-support-animals
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=servanimals_ntcfheo2013-01.pdf
Service and Support Animals in Housing Law


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Vega-gurl said:


> I have a ESD, and while it can totally be a grey area/taken advantage of by people who don't have a disability/disorder/issue etc, ESD can be hugely helpful for those of us that need them. Squishy is an excellent way to describe it.
> I would recommend looking into the National Service Animal Registry, it is an extremely informative and helpful site explaining the different types of service animals, rights and protections, qualifications and the like. ESDs/ESAs are partially protected under the ADA, in that they can get around the "no pet" rules and fly in the cabin of an aircraft with you. For my ESD, I had many long discussions with my doctor, german shepherd breeders and had did a ton of introspection before deicding an ESD was right for me.


There is no reason to look up information from an online "Service Registry" who are there to sell certificates and ID that are of no legal value.

An ESD is NOT a type of Service Dog. To qualify for an ESD your doctor must not only be treating you for a mental illness but also must claim that your mental illness is severe enought that it disables you. 

For a good article to follow to go about having your dog qualify read the following
Emotional Support Animals in Housing | Service Dog Central


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## Thewretched (Jan 1, 2014)

ilghaus has helped us tremendously with our service dog, if there is anyone you choose to listen to, let it be them.


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## Vega-gurl (Sep 1, 2014)

Considering I am being treated for a mental illness, and had two doctors prescribe me a service dog over yet more medications, plus contacted a lawyer about the legailties of owning an ESA becuase of people are conviced they are not real service animals and undergoing extensive training, I am going to say that ESAs are real service dogs. It just depends on what you need them for and how much time you are willing to spend working with that animal. Are there people who abuse the system? Yes, but that is true of any system. 
Kburrow11 has it right, ESAs are pretty much only protected for housing and travel, not public spaces. Also, airlines are allowed to place stipulations on any animal traveling in the cabin. ESA can bring freedom and confience to those who need it. If it is right for you, OP, I would say go for it.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

There is confusion by many on Emotional Support Dogs vs. Service Dogs and
Emotional Support Dogs vs. Psychiatric Service Dogs.

Important to remember: *Service animals by definition (Dept. of Justice) are dogs only.*
Important to remember: *Service Dogs by definition (Dept. of Justice) are individually trained to do tasks or work for their disabled handler.* 
Important to remember: *Psychiatric Service Dogs are Service Dogs.*
Psychiatric Service Dogs are individually trained to do tasks for their disabled owner just the same as a Mobility Service Dog or any other SD. 
~~ The extra description is not required but often added for clarification on the main duties of the dog. 
“Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.
_(There is a special appendix published in the same volume of the Federal Register for disabled handlers of Min. horses to be acknowledged under some circumstances to hold protections as those given to handlers of SDs.)_


Important to remember: *Emotional Support Dogs are not Service Dogs.* 

The DOJ clarifies that Emotional Support Dogs are not the same by saying: " ... the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition."
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...d-dept-justice-definition-service-animal.html

In housing matters (rentals and a few other situations), often in official memos, they are mentioned together as the owners' rights are the same per HUD. Reasonable Accommodation Requests are a right of the owner under the Fair Housing Act (FHAct) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974. 

*Emotional Support Animals (ESA) can include other types of pets in addition to dogs* such as cats, birds, ferrets, and "pocket pets'. When speaking of dogs they may be referred to as ESAs or ESDs.

*Emotional Support Dogs (ESD) do not need to be trained.* It is highly recommended that the owner does simple obedience with the dog so the dog is a good neighbor. (potty trained, no excessive barking) ESDs can not pose a threat to others.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

GShep90 said:


> Hey everyone there is some very useful information here, esp http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/guide-therapy-service-dogs/221874-emotional-support-dog.html so I hope I am not causing frustration by posting more about this subject however:
> 
> I am a 25 year old student who is suffering a great deal of emotional stress in a violent household, and have not been able to move because my G.Shep puppy is considered a dangerous breed. Well I've been in therapy for years and upon hearing this my doctor declared that my dog is an "ESD" or "Emotional Support Dog". Does this help my chances of finding a new home? I don't know how comfortable I am with this. It's just a puppy! It does help me greatly with emotional stress, but he deserves a life revolved around his proper training not mine! Thank you


A couple of points ... Based on U.S. Laws

1) Breed of dog does not have anything to do with a dog being an Emotional Support Dog or a Service Dog. Remember that German Shepherds were some of the first Guide Dogs in the U.S. and there are still a couple of Guide Dog School that only use GSDs. There are many German Shepherds, Bull Dog, Rottis, Great Danes, Dobs etc. etc. that are on different dangerous breed lists. When the ADA was going through revisions there were many wanting certain breeds to be kept out but the Dept. of Justice stated that there were to be no breed bans -- that dogs had to be looked at as individuals. 

2) Did you request that your doctor write a letter to document that you were raising your pup to train as a SD or did your doctor on hearing about your pup decide to write you a letter to request Reasonable Accommodation for an ESD? 

Besides federal agencies, some states also give housing rights in their statutes to cover a PWD's dogs.


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