EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) refers to a dog or cat that offers companionship, comfort and emotional support. To qualify for an ESA, you need to obtain a letter from a licensed mental health professional.

However, ESAs are not the same as service animals that are used by people with psychological disabilities. Service animals are legally defined and are trained to perform tasks for a person with a psychiatric disability to help their owner identify the onset of symptoms and help mitigate their impact. An ESA, on the other hand, is not legally recognized and does not require any specific training. However, any pet used as an ESA needs to be obedient and well behaved in public settings. Although ESAs are not trained to execute specific tasks they can help to alleviate psychological symptoms.

What does an ESA evaluation involve?

The ESA evaluation process consists of a psychological assessment conducted by a licensed psychologist. The initial part of the process includes a clinical interview and validated psychological testing. You will then receive feedback regarding the test results, and an ESA letter if appropriate and warranted based on the evaluation. Dr. Meier conducts assessments for identify if you are eligible for an ESA.

Research on Emotional Support Animals

Though there are people who will claim various animals provide them with emotional support (such as recent headlines about a peacock), it is important to note the majority of scholarly research on the therapeutic benefits of animals has been limited to dogs and cats. Today, living creatures continue to provide a pleasant external focus for attention, which has a calming and relaxing effect on viewers (Gullone, 2000). It is well documented that interaction with pets is associated with positive outcomes for individuals of all ages, from children to the elderly, in a variety of settings such as psychiatric and medical hospitals, colleges, and long-term care facilities. For example, research has shown that spending time with a pet has helped patients in hospitals feel less stressed and more connected, comforted, happy and calm. Similarly, spending time with a pet improved depressive symptoms for elderly patients with mental illness in a long-term care facility. Spending time with a pet has also been shown to have physical benefits, including quicker recovery times from physical illness and increased cardiovascular health as well as psychological benefits, such as stress reduction, improved quality of life, and an increase in positive, meaningful social interactions. However, it’s important to also weigh and consider the responsibility of having a pet, including financial costs (food, medical/insurance, etc.).