The Difference Between Service Dogs, Emotional Support Animals, and Therapy Dogs

While I am out volunteering with Andy as a therapy dog team, we often get questions from people about where they can find a service or emotional support dog for someone they love. 
I spend a lot of time explaining that there is a huge difference between what Andy and I do and what they are looking for. 

Andy with his English Setter friends Tru and Eve
 at CSUN's Special Needs Resource Fair 2016

Therapy dogs are pets first. They have gone through a difficult testing and registration process to be insured by an organization. Their temperament must be reliably easy going and pleasant around different noises, animals, and people.  Therapy dogs do not provide a service for their owner; instead they provide comfort and joy to all types of people from nervous airport passengers to hospital patients.  A therapy dog team is 100% volunteer. To become a therapy dog team, the owner must pay for yearly dues and other fees associated with testing and registration. Therapy dogs may only go where they are invited and are not exceptions to animal free housing. Andy and I are members of Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

Ready to go to our first visit at the Ronald McDonald House! 2016

Emotional Support Animals (ESA) are not required to have any training. These animals can help their owners with anxiety, stress, or other psychological issues. ESAs are NOT service animals under title II and III of ADA. A doctor must decide that this animal is needed for the mental health of their patient. Under the Fair Housing Act ESA are allowed to live with their owners in a residence with a no pets policy, however, ESA are not permitted to be taken to all establishments. 

Service dogs include guide dogs, hearing or signal dogs, sensory signal dogs, psychiatric service dogs, and seizure response dogs. These dogs are protected under ADA to be with their handlers in all establishments at all times. Service dogs undergo extensive training to provide support specifically for their designated person and their disability. These are the dogs you may see with vests that say "Don't Pet Me". Please respect that wish and do not distract a service dog. You could be putting their handler's life at risk.



This is the part where I beg that you do not abuse the system and falsely claim that your dog is a service animal. 
Service dogs are in a way, medical equipment for their owners. Their human needs them to live as independently as possible and stay healthy and safe. Please do not disrespect and diminish the hard work and dedication that continuously goes into each service dog because you hate leaving Fluffy home alone. 


Regardless of what your animal may be classified as, all animals are still required to follow vaccination and licensing laws. Be sure that your pet is up to date!