Both emotional support animals (ESAs) and professionally trained service dogs are incredibly important for thousands of Americans. They are able to provide feelings of comfort and security, as well as be a grounding tool during periods of high stress and anxiety. Although both can provide similar emotional comforts, these two forms of assistance animals are quite different from one another.
Let’s compare service dogs vs. emotional support dogs when it comes to supporting Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
At Northwest Battle Buddies, we’re service dog experts. Our mission is to gift professionally trained service dogs to Veterans battling PTSD, helping them regain their freedom and independence. Your donation helps give back to our American Heroes. Make a monthly contribution, and put PTSD service dogs in the hands of Veteran handlers around the country.
The Legal Difference:
Service Dogs vs. Emotional Support Dogs
Legality is one of the major distinguishing factors between service dogs and emotional support dogs. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 defines “service animals” as ones that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Service dogs are classified as “working dogs.” Under the ADA, state and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is allowed to go.
Emotional support animals are not granted the same liberties or permissions as a working service dog. Emotional support dogs provide comfort to their person with their presence. Providing comfort is not a trained behavior, however, so the dog is not considered a service dog under the ADA. Emotional support dogs do not have the intensive and specialized training that a service dog receives. The broad public access rights for assistance animals under the ADA only extend to service dogs that are individually and specifically trained to perform tasks to benefit an individual with a disability.
Limitations of Emotional Support Dogs
Access
Because of these legal definitions, emotional support dogs are limited in where they can accompany their handlers. Under the Fair Housing Act, emotional support animals can be considered a reasonable accommodation for a tenant with a disability, meaning the ESA might be able to live in housing that’s not otherwise pet friendly. People with service dogs have the same rights. But under the ADA, service dogs are also allowed to accompany their handlers in public in areas that aren’t typically pet friendly, while ESAs are not.
Training
Though emotional support animals are incredibly useful in helping their handlers cope with daily challenges and stressors, while also providing comfort and support, they don’t receive the training that service dogs do.
PTSD service dogs might be trained to do a number of tasks, depending on their handler’s needs. These can include:
- Signaling and interrupting anxiety attacks
- Redirecting flashbacks
- Nightmare interruption
- Pressure therapy
- Providing a constant feeling of safety
- Creating a social barrier in public
- Altering on adrenaline
When comparing service dogs vs. emotional support dogs, it’s important to recognize that an ESA won’t have the same training as a service dog.
When a person living with PTSD struggles with symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, and hypervigilance, a trained PTSD service dog can help in ways an ESA can’t. Professionally trained service dogs trained to alert on the chemical changes that take place during these responses, helping their handlers manage their symptoms.
Trained PTSD service dogs can intervene and assist in the management of some of the more complex symptoms of PTSD, making a huge difference in their handlers’ lives. This training begins early for these dogs, and it’s a lifelong process.
The Impact of Training on PTSD Service Dogs
Professionally trained PTSD service dogs from Northwest Battle Buddies stand out with the extensive and specific standard of training they adhere to. They receive approximately 360 hours of training on everything from sensing changes in their owners’ chemical composition – such as adrenaline during a panic attack – to helping their handlers with basic tasks.
These dogs are capable of intervening through physical contact such as licking or laying their heads in the handlers laps (pressure therapy) or nudging them, actions that offer a grounding distraction. This helps shift the Veteran from a reactive state that can be harmful to one of presence.
In addition to the hundreds of hours of training the dogs go through individually, Veterans teamed with a Northwest Battle Buddies service dog then train one-on-one for an additional 135 hours. Together they can develop the skills to navigate life together with freedom and independence. With the combined 495 hours of intensive, individualized training, these dogs are equipped with the skills to help change the lives of thousands of Veterans.
Comparing service dogs vs. emotional support dogs, it’s clear how much the advanced training that PTSD service dogs receive can help their Veteran handlers. Show your support and put trained service dogs in the hands of American heroes when you make a donation to Northwest Battle Buddies.
