The Fine Differences between Service Dogs,

Therapy dog and Emotional Support Animals

• A dog is man’s best friend and proves itin many different ways. From providingsimple companionship at one end toproviding total service support forphysically and mentally impaired, the dogis more than worth his weight in gold,especially when trained as a service dog.

• Therapy dogs also provide invaluableservices to their owners. Emotional dogsmay not be trained but the emotionalsupport they provide and the affectionthey give their owners is beyondcompare. They all provide services of onekind or the other but there aredistinctions.

Introduction

• Therapy dogs can be compared to general practitioners who, afterextensive training, do the rounds and provide physiological orpsychological therapy to patients, if they are on general duty. Ifassigned to a specific owner they serve as helpful companions andimprove social interaction thus delivering a therapeutic effect.

• In order to qualify as one, a therapy dog must undergo trainingand must be certified as also carry a therapy ID, which is not thecase with emotional support animals. Service dogs have specifictasks for which they are trained whereas therapy dogs providemore generalized physical and mental support that helps adisturbed individual regain balance.

• Whereas a service dog may remain aloof, therapy dogs are trainedto be socially interactive with humans and are friendlier in nature.

Therapy dogs

• You can pick any puppy or dog and make him your companion. In the

case of physically or mentally challenged individuals, such animals

provide the much required emotional support due to which they are

termed emotional support animals. They have neither the training nor

the specialized skills to handle specific tasks but simply work as

loving companions to their handlers.

Emotional Support Animals

• Service dogs are specialists trained extensively for nearly a year or more to

carry out precisely specified tasks. Such dogs are required to be aloof,

never bark, always accompany their handlers and be alert to recognize

symptoms which trigger them to act. They are trained not to bark and will

recognize voice commands as well as hand gestures as well as “sniff” out

symptoms even before the handlers are aware of it and take action to alert

the owner or people nearby and render assistance. You could say he is

almost human in the way he observes, analyzes and takes action to help his

handler.

Service Dogs

• Laws apply to service dogs, therapy dogs andemotional support animals. Service dogs havethe right to accompany their handlers even inplaces where pets are forbidden and areprotected by the ADA. Emotional supportanimals may be forbidden entry but are allowedin housing with rules that do not allow pets.Service dogs must carry a photo ID andinformation about trainers as also about theirowners and their disability with contactnumbers. A therapy dog must also be equippedwith a therapy ID obtained from a Animalidshopspecializing in such tags.

• It is not all work and no play for all threecategories. When they are not providing the vitalservices to their human masters, they can sleep,eat play and relax.

Conclusion

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