What Do Emotional Support Animals Do, Exactly?
There's been a lot of debate over the years about emotional support animals and the many forms they may take on a cramped flight. Although most tend to be dogs or cats, we've seen a lot of fowl making their way on board recently: an incredibly fancy chicken, a duck with some very chic footwear, and, now, a very regal peacock making its way through Newark Liberty International Airport.
So what does an emotional support animal actually do? How is it different from any other dog cuddling up to you on the couch? And how does one go about getting their emotional support bird cleared to fly coach? Here's what you need to know:
Most emotional support animals are not peacocks. But they can legitimately help people with mental health issues.
In general, emotional support animals help people who struggle with anxiety or depression, Gail Saltz, M.D., a psychiatrist and author of The Power of Different, tells SELF. “Their presence, their unconditional love, their warmth and softness to pet and hold are all thought to be calming and mood-boosting,” she says. “The need to care for them provides structure, purpose, and being needed.”
Usually the animal in question is a dog or cat, but technically it could be any animal, Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., an animal behaviorist and professor emeritus at University of Colorado, tells SELF. “The emotional support is in the eyes of the beholder,” he says, pointing out that he knows someone who found a lot of support with a pet mouse. “The mere presence of an animal can make people feel more comfortable.”
Animals can relieve emotional stress “in ways that therapy and therapists can’t,” licensed clinical psychologist John Mayer, Ph.D., author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life, tells SELF. “They provide love and devotion without question or consequence. Their calmness provides a ‘mindfulness’ experience for their adult partners in a way that is often more effective than isolated, personal techniques.”
But emotional support animals are also a “touchy issue” and there are some psychologists that urge other psychologists not to recommend them for patients because it’s often exploited, licensed clinical psychologist Alicia H. Clark, Psy.D., tells SELF. While people can and do abuse the system simply to bring their pets with them to places they normally would not be allowed, Bekoff says that behavior is “egregious” given that so many people actually benefit from having an emotional support animal.
There are some laws in place that protect a person’s right to an emotional support animal, but the overall definition of these animals is a little vague.
As of 2011, the Americans with Disabilities Act specifically defines a service animal (including emotional support animals) as a dog that’s "individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” Although there is a provision in the ADA for service animals that help their owners with psychiatric issues, emotional support animals aren't considered service animals under the ADA.
The Air Carrier Access Act defines emotional support animals as “any animal that is individually trained or able to provide assistance to a person with a disability; or any animal that assists persons with disabilities by providing emotional support.” The act says that a “wide variety” of animals are allowed to fly in the cabin of a plane as emotional support animals but says that airlines are “never required to accept snakes, reptiles, ferrets, rodents, sugar gliders, and spiders.”
Additionally, according to the Department of Transportation, "unusual" service animals may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. But airlines can exclude animals that are too large and too heavy to fit, can pose a direct threat to other flyers, can cause disruption of the flight, or are prohibited from entering a foreign country. To fly with an emotional support animal, a passenger must have a letter from a licensed therapist or doctor stating that the animal is needed, per the Air Carrier Access Act.
While the Fair Housing Act doesn’t address public travel, it does say that people and companies that provide housing need to make “reasonable accommodations” for emotional support animals and specifically states that an emotional support animal is “not a pet.” The act also says that providers may need to modify their “no pets” policy to accommodate these animals.
Airlines have varying policies when it comes to emotional support animals, but they all need to comply with the law.
In mid-January, Delta announced that it would impose stricter regulations on service animals in response to an 84 percent increase since 2016 in incidents involving untrained or poorly trained animals. The airline cited incidents of animals peeing and pooping on flights and biting passengers or crew members.
"The rise in serious incidents involving animals in flight leads us to believe that the lack of regulation in both health and training screening for these animals is creating unsafe conditions across U.S. air travel," John Laughter, Delta's senior vice president for corporate safety, security, and compliance, said in a statement on the airline’s website. As of March 1, the airline is requiring that people show proof of health or vaccinations for the animals 48 hours before flying, as well as a signed letter from doctor or mental health professional stating that the animal is needed. Passengers will also need to show a signed document from a doctor that confirms the animal can behave on the flight.
What the laws don’t say is that you have to register your animal. While there are various websites and organizations online like the ESA Registration of America that offer to help you register your emotional support animal, the ADA and Air Carrier Access Act don’t say anything about needing to go this route.
Federal law generally protects your right to fly with an emotional support animal provided they’ll fit in the cabin, won’t disrupt the flight, and are housebroken, but each airline has its own policies. So, if you’re planning to travel with an emotional support animal, it’s a good idea to look into your airline’s policy beforehand.
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