Service, therapy and emotional support animals: what’s the difference?
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EmailAssistance animals play an important role in the lives of many people, but the differences between them can often be confusing. Together, let’s explore how they are similar and how they differ from each other.
The information in this article was sourced from the Assistance Animals in Action curriculum published by Ohio State University Extension.
The bond between humans and animals is special! According to an article from the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, the human-animal bond has evolved for more than 15,000 years. What began as a working relationship has evolved into one of companionship and mutual benefit. As described in a TEDx Talk by Dr. Rustin Moore, entitled The Power of a Pet, research has shown that animals can have positive health benefits for humans, including benefits for our physical, social, behavioral, emotional, mental and psychological health.
Because the human-animal bond is so strong, we can utilize animals to help people with and without disabilities. There are three types of assistance animals whose sole job and purpose is to support people: service animals, therapy animals and emotional support animals. Let’s explore their roles.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are individually trained to perform specific tasks directly related to their handler’s disability or disabilities. Service animals are primarily dogs but can sometimes be miniature horses. Some examples of service animals include guide dogs for people with visual impairments and medical alert dogs for people who experience seizures. Service animals are considered necessary medical equipment and federal laws protect their right to accompany their handler wherever they go.
Therapy animals perform a variety of helpful roles to meet people's different needs. They are invited to volunteer with their human teammates in clinical settings such as hospitals, nursing homes or schools. Their purpose is to provide comfort and affection for many people. Some examples of therapy animals include horses used for equine-assisted therapy and dogs that visit and provide comfort for people receiving cancer treatments. Therapy animals can help relieve stress and provide companionship for everyone who interacts with them.
Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide in-home support and companionship for people with diagnosed psychological or emotional disorders. Federal laws protect their right to live in housing that does not typically allow pets when prescribed by a mental health professional. Their purpose is to provide comfort and companionship to an individual, and while they are similar to service animals, they do not receive special task-training like service animals do. Because their role is to help their person within the home, they do not have the same public access rights as other assistance animals. Remember: service animals are the only assistance animals allowed to accompany their person everywhere they go, so beware of websites that try to sell you a vest to allow you to take an emotional support animal in public!
Are you interested in working with assistance animals and giving back to your community? Michigan State University Extension partners with Leader Dogs for the Blind to give 4-H members the opportunity to train future service dogs.
