Very impressed with the accuracy! Only thing I would add is in the USA, service dogs are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which is federal. However, service dogs in training are covered by the individual states and may need to be accompanied by a certified trainer in public- but may also not be required.
Wow thank you so much for this wonderful addition! I wasn’t aware of this, though I have heard that in *some* states SDs are required to wear a harness, though federal law will negate state law?
@@Emzotic exactly. There are no outfit requirements for trained service dogs, but some states prefer hearing dogs to wear orange collars for example. States have no bearing on fully task trained service dogs. However, if the dog does not meet the requirements of a SD, then the state is allowed to dictate stricter requirements. But if you are on Indigenous land, like a casino, then the federal law does not apply and it is up to the sovereign nation to decide if they will follow ADA and allow you. Also, private clubs like paid membership golf clubs, do not have to follow ADA. ADA covers places that are accessed by the general public like ball games, restaurants, and hospitals. But not places of private residence, sterile surgical rooms, or places that prepare food.
@@EricaDiebold The orange collar/ vest thing is basically that they have extra strong protections. The fines are larger for discriminating if the vest is bright orange and stuff like that. And I'm sure you know this, but I want to say this for anyone reading. Service animals must be allowed into restaurants in the same way the general public is. They can only be denied if they will be in an area where food prep occurs, like if a chef needed a Service Animal. On another note, I don't know if you have an ESA or SD or not, but either way, thank you for knowing the laws. We need more people like you around💜
Are you in the uk though? If so they have access rights when training as long as they’re well behaved etc and you are actually training them. I had a load of people tell me I shouldn’t take my SDIT out with me so I contacted assistance dogs UK and they said dogs in training do have access rights thankfully :)
By the way, it sounds like Kiba is a Service dog in training rather than an ESA. Wishing you the best luck with training! Feel free to reach out if you would like any help from a current SD handler!
@@Emzotic My Grandmother and myself have been working off and on for about a year with my standard poodle, so she knows to protect my left side of my body cerebral palsy. I can walk but I get really anxious if that side is left undefended.
Some lady tried to come into the restaurant I work at with her fiancé’s ESA when her fiancé was nowhere in sight. Makes me think it wasn’t a real ESA. Just leave the dog at home. You can be separated for an hour or two 🙄
ESAs don’t have public access rights anyway and aren’t allowed. Actual service dogs must be with their handlers. Even SDs can be removed if they aren’t trained or break training by barking, potty accidents or aggression. Sorry you dealt with that!
i agree with @Ezmotic , ESA's are as important as SD"S they provide and help so much , there was a boy years ago that had ADHD one fateful day friend of his brought over a black labrador and with in 2 seconds that black lab changed that boy's life
Too many Karens think it’s animal abuse to not let their children grab at service animals. I just silently congratulate them on being good boys at a distance
and thats so appreciated!! i personally dont mind when people come up and congratulate my dog on his behavior or training in public just be kind! it also never hurts to ask to pet or even to take a picture! some handlers may say no but if its a good day and you are kind you might be a well earned cuddle break!
And they’re all important, but have different access rights. Seriously, if a dog isn’t well behaved enough to stay home alone for a few hours, they shouldn’t be appeased by constantly being with their owners. They should be trained
I 100% agree. In my case specifically, the process of training, and keeping up on that training, is part of my daily work that I have to do for my health. Situations where ESAs aren't being trained to behave, and so they casue even more stress, seems like it would defeat the purpose of them being in that role to begin with .
Biggest notice the video probably needs that was missed that this is for the US only. It is very different at least where I live for how some of these systems work and requirements etc.
I have a good boy his name is Clutch I've had him for 3/4 years he's helped so much with my PTSD /Epilepsy (other health issues) many blessings to everyone with a REAL service dog
You did amazing THANK YOU! One way I describe each is Therapy Animals provide emotional support/comfort to a group of people, Emotional Support Animals provide emotional support/comfort to one person, and Service Animals are task trained to help their disabled handler live a more free and independent everyday life. :-) I always go in that order because the number of people gets decreased (if that makes sense, like Therapy Animals are for a group of people, while ESAs are for one, and SAs are for disabled people) I find people understand more when you go in that order :')
So something on, but off subject.... recently someone posted he had a blue eyed lucy ball python as an ESA for his daughter. However, this post was in a lost & found group. He had the snake in a small pet carrier, forgot it on top of his van, & it fell off somewhere & he was seeking help finding it. 😳 I really, really hope someone has found it & its ok. 😥
Oh thank you thank you THANK YOU! For making a video that explains the differences between the three types!! I also appreciate the highlighting of differences of different kinds of SDs, as well as asking not to interact with them. I cannot tell you how times I hear of public trying to mess with them. I appreciate you saying that for now, Kiba is an ESA until it's shown whether or not he has the potential to be a SD, and if not, you're totally fine with it. I have encountered people passing off ESAs as a SD, and I've gotten yelled at when I pointed out they aren't the same. It was very scary.
Oh no! I’m sorry people did that to you.. people get super defensive when their ignorance is pointed out. People passing off ESA’s as service impacts the service dog community SO much
@@Emzotic Yeah, I used to work at Petsmart and that's where I saw this happen. It was scarier cause big dude and I'm stuck in a square register section. I only asked one of the two questions you're allowed to ask, and they flat out told me it was a ESA and that its the same as a SD. I think what made them angry was they had been able to dupe businesses before without question, and hadn't expected me to see through the charade. If it was a well behaved dog, I would've let it be, but the little dog was all over the place. Meanwhile, I've seen actual SDs and SDiTs come in and I've been blown away in awe of them and their work. I don't ask to pet, but I do compliment and voice admiration to the handler and then just let them be.
I didn't know what an ESA was. I've had pets my entire life and as an adult I had my chihuahua for 11 years. After he passed I wasn't going to get another pet. After several months talking with my therapist, she mentioned ESA and that it was possible a pet could help with my depression and anxiety. Forward to today, I have three ferrets that I go to when I'm anxious or can't process how I'm feeling. Even so, I never take them anywhere or expect businesses to just let me walk around with them because they are not service animals. I suppose its easier to respect boundaries with ESAs when you have or need one of your own. Thank you for making this video, Em. You're a personal hero of mine.
I was at a children’s hospital for almost 10 years (sickkids 🤟🏽) and they had 5-6 therapy dogs who would come in. I’d get to have a dog comfort me during my chemo treatments or when I was in hospital for 4 months they would come once a week and just sit on me or comfort me and id just sit there and cry and hold the dog. I’m planning to eventually get a service dog for my bpd/ptsd along with my 10+ physical disabilities ranging from hyper mobility syndrome to blood clots (which Dogs can be trained to sniff detect blood clots!!) and heart issues which I’ve had a heart attack. I’m so excited to get one one day!
Thank you for making this important video Em! I have a therapy miniature horse named Snickers who we bring to nursing homes, schools, hospitals, and even prisons! He enjoys riding the elevator and especially loves watching tv and cuddling his head into laps at nursing homes ☺️
Thank you for making this video! It amazes me how many people are uneducated on the matter. When I got my COVID vaccine, the nurse who was administering it AND the nurse at the booth next to us were talking to my service dog, trying to touch him and saying how they think "every dog should be a service dog, they bring so much happiness," all while my dog was actively tasking in an effort to prevent an episode. And these are medical professionals smh.
I feel like if flying with pets was better and you didn't see a pet being abused when loaded onto the plane almost weekly, then there would be less people trying to bring their animals into the seating area.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and educating us on this topic. In the UK, ESAs aren't considered as assistant dogs. This means they don't get the same rights or access to different places as guide dogs. I have anxiety and depression and my 2 dogs (who aren't trained as ESAs) definitely have help me to calm down. ESAs can't fly with their owners as certain airlines don't allow it. I really wish the UK would take examples from other countries, like USA, to make life easier for those who need their esa, therapy and guide pets to be more independent and stay healthy. ❤️
This reminded me of the time a friend of mine tried to get her dog certified to be a Therapy Dog (the proper way of course). In the end, when it was time to test the animals the person running the class basically told my friend her dog was too stupid to be a therapy dog (though in much kinder words). Plots Twist: He was a Black Lab/German Shepard mix. (And for anyone wondering what she actually said was: despite his personality being EXACTLY what you want from a therapy dog, like 100/10 goodest boy for that job, his "self-preservation' was too low. ie in one test they had the handlers roll a wheelchair towards the dogs while they were laying on the ground to see how they'd react. The Goodest Boy in question remained exceptionally calm-which is good!-but didn't move out of the way-not good-in fact my friend even set the wheelchair gently over him so he was "trapped" under it, and he still didn't move. This later foreshadowed events where a patient of hers actually ran him over with their wheelchair (it was a hospital manual pushchair, not electric), and... he still didn't move. Goodest Boy was okay. He ended up with hematomas of his ear and he needed surgery to fix that, but he sustained 0 injuries to his trunk, pelvis, or spine.)
As another service dog in training handler, i wish you and Kiba the best of luck in training! Service dog training is a long and exhausting road to go down but in the end, it’s so worth it! No matter what happens with his training, i know you two will make and already are, an amazing team! Thank you for making such an informative video on this! More people need to know the difference between these three types of jobs animals can have!
As a service dog handler, thank you so much for bringing awareness to this with your video. It can be so tiring to explain the difference to people constantly out in public when I am bombarded with questions. I often end up taking out my hearing aids so I don't have to listen to stupid.
Love this video! Thank you for listing more invisible disabilities, many people use the examples of blindness, deafness, and combat-induced PTSD so it’s very refreshing to see a more complete list of reasons someone may use a service dog.
One thing that’s controversial is wolf hybrids as a service dog. A service dog can be any domesticated breed of dog. My service dog is a chi weenie. Helps me with disassociation and anxiety.
What is the correct way to make your animal an esa? There’s so many scams online so is there a way people can do it the correct way without getting scammed online?
The route I took was to speak to my LMP (my therapist) about how much I benefit emotionally and psychologically around Kiba. She wrote a prescription for me to have Keebs as an ESA, and whenever we used to travel together via airplane (ESA’s are not allowed onboard anymore due to changes in the law) she’s be on hand to speak to airport staff if they ever needed to verify his ESA status.
The only valid way to get an ESA (or even a SD) is to talk to a licensed professional and they must determine that your quality of life will significantly benefit from one. In the US, there is no such thing as a registry, although some local government entities may have an option registry, and program dogs may come with "ID" and "papers" but by law there is no such federal requirement
Story 1- I was a waitress. This gentleman was at in my section. I helped the man to select his meal. And did my uneducated best to help him. His dog sat under his table. Didn't make a sound. Not sure anyone else knew the pup was there. Other than commenting about his dog or moving the tail out of the footpath I ignored the dog. At the end of the meal, he said I could give his dog a hug. Being that I was at work I opted for petting the dog instead. Pleasant man well behaved service dog. Story 2- I was going to be traveling between Japan and the US. I wanted to bring my cat with me. I thought about claiming him as an ESA since he is so well behaved (honestly was, he loved everyone and didnt get scared easily). I hoped I could skip some of the Japan import procedures for our return and wanted to skip the airline pet fees and alone him to sit on my lap during the flights. I chose NOT to this. I paid for his flight, his import stuff and had his carrier on my lap with my arm zipped inside it to comfort him (and me). I have not and will not claim my pets as ESAs.
This is a great video to introduce the differences between ESAs, therapy animals, and service animals! It's very informative, speaks of issues and benefits between all types, and is very neutral/unbiased! We will be doing training at my workplace soon, so I will send this video to my boss as this video will significantly help the crew with handling and dealing with service animal teams in order to provide the best possible experience for *all* customers.
Thank you for putting this information out there I have a Service Dog and a puppy prospect on the way . I saw 3 pets in the grocery store today this needs to stop
How do cats go through therapy animal training and things like that? I understand dogs doing training, desensitizing, etc. but I’d it the same for cats?
Cats don't really go threw training when it comes to ESAs but for therapy I think they just wonder around and visit people on their own. I have an esa cat and she's good at comforting
@@Artsylotus865 yeah both of my boys are ESAs, but they’re both dog, cats, and small animal friendly so I wonder if they would be good therapy animals. They love other people so much
THANK YOU 😭 as a service dogs handler it is SO amazing to see a huge creator like you speak and educate on this! you absolutely just SAVED a service dog / their handlers life by getting this info out there 💛
honestly, my guinea pigs kind of act as ESA's to me because I was very unhappy for like a year or 2 after moving but after I got very focused on my piggies I have gotten happier though I'm not sure if a professional would call them though
I don't see why they wouldn't any animal that helps you can be a ESA. Thing I've always questioned is even if they act as a ESA when is there a point in getting a note saying their a ESA. When I was younger I had a rat that was DEFIANTLY a ESA (also had others that were just pets) thought i never got a note saying so. She even got to go to therapy with me a few times and went to any pet friendly places I went.
ESA's are amazing. My ESA saved me from falling down a dark path many times. I probably wouldn't even be here if it weren't for him. Whenever I feel like I want to be done with the world I look at him and remember I will be leaving him without his companion, so I stay. I've only had a therapist in 6th grade and that didn't go well for me. I have trouble opening up because I constantly feel I'm being judged or looked at like someone less than. But with Dexter (my ESA) I've never felt that way. Some people think it's weird, but I will talk to him as if he were just a normal person. Even though how amazing Dexter is, I would never bring him into a non-pet friendly space.
This is definitely an important subject to talk about. I really hate the people who try to pass off ESAs as service dogs, especially when they're not trained at all. I'm also currently working with my dog on being a therapy dog. She's a rescue and has a fantastic temperament but didn't have any training so we're going through classes. She's doing good and I'd love to be able to help and volunteer with her to help out.
I have tons of mental disorders, more in the process of being diagnosed, and I have always wanted a service dog because I think it would help me a lot, one of the things being grounding when I dissociate which can happen, or alerting when I start to get too nervous and need to be removed from a situation, or stopping my bad anxious habits such as severe nail biting, I also sometimes tic so hard I cant really see (blinking tic) and i sometimes zone out so having a dog be able to lead me out of the way of others or to a corner where I can calm down would be so helpful! I doubt I will ever get one but we'll see
I love that you did this video, I’m a fairly new service dog handler and have also owned three therapy dogs that I’d take to the hospital and senior homes. I’m blown away every day by how many people don’t seem to clue in that an ESA, therapy dog and service dogs are all different
Service dog handler here I love the way you still included therapy dogs and ESA animals as higher then the normal pet but made it clear service dogs are at the top of the line
My cat Piggy is "registered" as an ESA for my depression, anxiety, and OCD. Basically, my therapist confirmed that I'm more stressed when I don't have a pet and that having an animal to care for motivated me. I know quite a bit about ESAs and service animals from the process of turning Piggy from pet to psychiatric aid, but I didn't know ESAs were protected under the fair housing act! I thought it was only service animals. I'm planning to get my own service dog for a variety of tasks, but I guess I have more to learn still!
Thank you for this precious information! I'm Italian, I'm trying to have a service animal since 2015 but here it's a whole different story. I wish I was in the US 😭
I have currently a ESA, and soon a task trained PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog) to aide me in public places due to my mental disability. Trying to explain the difference to people is so hard.
Hey Em! Love you and your channel. Just one thing, many of us autistics dislike autism being referred to as a “mental disability” and prefer “neurological difference”.
That’s different for everyone. I consider my autism a disability. There’s nothing bad about having a disability, it just makes my life a little more difficult sometimes. I find that a lot of people in the autistic community call it a disability, but that doesn’t make your experience less valid if you feel it’s just a difference.
The most loving breed I know is Shih Tzu I have 3 of them they are all my emotional support dogs each of them has a different help to offer. Angel the puppy one when I am coughing right away would jump on me and licks my throat. Cough is my come-on calling for her. she never ignores me when I cough even one time she comes running to me. Shirley would cuddle me sat on my chest. Bryson is the entertainer he would hide his head on a blanket or a pillow leave his tail out and wag then he would seat on my belly.
Great video! ESAs are great for people, but do not have access rights. Many states are cracking down on owners who bring ESA’s in stores, with fines and charges.
There's actually a vaccine in development that stops cats from producing the stuff that most people allergic to animals are responding too, it'll also likely, eventually, be effective on dogs. You inject it into the animals, and it lasts for quite a while, but they do need regular boosters. No idea when it will be available to the public, or if it ever will. But it looks promising. If they can make it for cats, they will probably alter it for other animals, too.
There are actually several dog breeds that are considered hypoallergenic, for instance Poodles, Komondors, Airedales, Portugese Water Dogs, and Schnauzers, to name a few. ;)
*I own 2 miniature horse's; I would love to get therapy miniature horse's* 🐴💜 I sat next to someone on a plane a few years ago with a faux service dog; I remember the flight attendant giving her the look 🚫🦮🐕🦺
So would I be able to train my Jack Russell puppy to be an ESA? I have been diagnosed with anxiety and instead of going to behavioural therapy I feel as though training my puppy would be more beneficial as he is so special and caring already🥰 Of course I would speak to a doctor about this first but I’m just checking whether I am allowed to train my own dog to be my Emotional Support Animal xx
I have 2 esa’s (2 cats) and I’m planning on getting a service dog! I’m currently talking to my medical professionals and my household members for what fits best for us all
I’ve been diagnosed for a year now with severe anxiety disorder and severe depression….About two weeks ago I was also diagnosed with Bipolar 2. I’ve been wanting a SD for a long time because I always have thought it would give me more independence to go out and about on my own. I literally can’t go anywhere without having a safety person there with me because of my mental issues. I’m 22 and I’m watching my life pass me by because the world isn’t accessible for me. Thank you for making this video Em, the info was really lovely and I’m gunna talk with my therapist and see if we can get the ball rolling for me. I didn’t know that Bipolar 2 qualified as a mental disorder that can benefit from a SD, I feel like this diagnosis will make life just a little easier from now on. -sorry for the word vomit It’s 40C and my brain is soup
This was a very interesting video! I’m about to go away to college and am bringing my pet rabbit. She is not an ESA as she was not prescribed to me but my college does not consider that as a factor for some reason! She meets all of the other requirements however as I am diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and she brings me comfort. An interesting little grey area.
Thank you providing such accurate information to the public. And I wish you the best on your journey with your pup, I’m happy to see such a great image for the service dog community
I've been looking into service dogs recently and unfortunately my country doesn't recognize them. In the end I don't think I need a service dog, but it makes me feel sad that people here dont have access to something that could be lifesaving.
Just a heads up that Autism is not a mental disability, it is classed as a developmental disability. I have seriously considered an assistance dog for my ASD but in the UK up until very recently all charities that train ASD assistance dogs only do so for children (which I think is ridiculous since you can’t outgrow autism and with more independence an assistance dog is likely even more important) owner training is possible but it would be a lot of work and require a lot of time alongside other things
Well my little lady is no longer ferreting, sooo, down to the vets soon for the last goodbye, God its going to be hard, as a rescue ferret, I got her late but been with me 6 years now,so part of the family, just leaves me 7 boys
I am so sorry, Hugh. They’re only small creatures, but they leave such lasting footprints on our hearts. I hope that in time you’ll find comfort in the memories you made together in the time you had ❤️
@@Emzotic Hi Em ,thank you for that, after the posting from the modern ferret and their loss .I would like to think of ALL ferrets go to a great big playground and get to run free forever
Hey Em I am a Therapist here in Colorado. I rescued my dog last November and already bring her to my office for my clients. I believe she has all necessary things to become a therapy animal, but wonder what is a reputable place to go through for the full certification.
I’m gonna show this video to my aunt. She thinks my dog is an ESA, but he’s not just for psychiatric disabilities. He’s also for cardiac alert and mobility too. She doesn’t believe I need a service dog.
I'm sitting here looking at my service dog who is currently sprawled out on the couch with her tongue hanging out as Em voices over "Service animals are highly skilled and highly trained" She may be highly trained but she is the biggest derp 🤣
My cousin has kind of a support animal (or maybe it counts as a Service animal) it’s a cat and it’s had no training, anyway cousin has PTSD one day she was home alone and starting to have a panic attack one of her cats noticed this and jumped on her lap and slightly scratched her leg and meowed at her and was keeping her distracted from having a PTSD attack till her mom got home
cats can also be service animals - mainly in canada. there are a few special instances where a cat is considered a service animal in the US. it doesn't matter on the state's law. if your illness is severely life-threatening, you're permitted a service cat. it may be harder to explain to people that your cat is a service cat, though.
Best of luck with your beautiful partner Kiba! I loved the video, very informative. Thank you for helping us to spread the word and prevent confusion! I make it my personal mission to educate as much of Texas as possible about how to spot ESA vs a task trained Service Dog.
