When Pets Provide Service, Therapy and Emotional Support

January 13, 2016 – – League City TX: Companion Animals.org is pleased to announce the launch of an informational website devoted to information about the animals that provide physical, emotional and mental assistance to owners. The website is intended to promote respect, education, and understanding for all types of working and assistance animals. The information covers laws and requirements, registration and certification and training requirements for each of the three main categories of these animals.

Service Dogs (http://www.companionanimals.org/) are individually trained to do work or tasks which benefit their owner who may have a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability. These canines are defined very narrowly under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is a federal offense to misrepresent any animal as a service animal under the ADA. Some of the specific tasks include guide dogs for the blind or visually impaired, hearing alert dogs, psychiatric service dogs, seizure alerts dogs and sensory or social signal dogs. These dogs are often trained Labradors or Golden Retrievers.

Personal pets of the owners that provide comfort and affection to people in need of an uplift in the spirits are called therapy dogs. These canines and their owners visit retirement homes, nursing homes, hospices, schools, hospitals and disaster areas, as well as people with autism. Therapy canines come in many sizes and breeds, both large and small.

Yet another type of companion animal is an emotional support animal. Unlike the earlier two categories, the ESA is not a service animal and doesn’t require formal training. It is an animal which offers therapeutic benefits to the owner or handler by mitigating or alleviating symptoms of emotional or mental disability. Usually, an ESA is a dog or cat, but may be other types of animal as well. The animal’s owner or handler must be diagnosed with an emotional or mental disability and must have a written recommendation from a licensed mental health professional which states the need for an ESA.

Contact Information

Companion Animals

League City, TX 77573

(346) 333-2970

info@companionanimals.org

http://www.companionanimals.org/

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