but while this is of general benefit to most dog owners, for some people with mental or emotional conditions, the companionship of a dog can be critical to their health and stability. but any dog can be trained to fulfill this role or to provide this kind of emotional support to someone in an unofficial capacity. but a well-behaved dog can help give their owner a focus and rhythm to their day that can otherwise be lacking, can provide companionship …

but while a pet monkey might qualify as an esa in the apartment you rent, that doesn’t mean your helpful primate gets to come along to a restaurant, on a flight, or your amtrak train trip. an esa does not represent the same thing as a service animal. if you need to bring your pet with you on a trip to which you’re traveling by air or rail, you will need to obtain an esa from your doctor or healthcare …

although we’ve previously shared some differences between therapy dogs and service dogs, we also receive questions about emotional support dogs. emotional support animals, or esas, provide therapeutic benefits to specific people with psychological issues like anxiety, phobias, or post-traumatic stress disorder. for these patients, emotional support dogs are a critical component of how they deal with otherwise disabling challenges. like service dogs, emotional support animals may accompany their owners on commercial airlines and they’re eligible to live with the owner …

this article was co-authored by brian bourquin, dvm. b” to his clients, is a veterinarian and the owner of boston veterinary clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, south end/bay village, the seaport, and brookline, massachusetts. the clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. there are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. not every …

do you know someone who is interested in searching for an emotional support dog? each of the three types has a different role, and the many terms can be confusing but they aren’t interchangeable. there is often debate about which breeds make the best therapy dog, but the truth is any breed can be trained for therapy work. service animals should be patient, gentle and affectionate. emotional support dogs are defined by their ability to comfort people through affection and …