Emotional support animals can provide mental calmness to people who are emotionally disturbed. They can transform how you see the world by bringing joy and meaning into your life.
Often, humans need emotional support in life. Finding and choosing the right emotional support animal can be overwhelming. If you are considering to get an emotional support animal for yourself, then this article is for you! Let’s dive in.
What is an emotional support animal?
Emotional support animals are animals that provide companionship and comfort to people with mental illness or emotional disorders. Emotional support animals (ESA) help their owners by being a source of love.
People who have been diagnosed by a mental disorder and are currently getting treatment from a licensed psychologist are the ones who should have an emotional support animal.
When you have an ESA, you may access certain places due to legal protection. For example, the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA) allows passengers with emotional support animals to bring them into the cabin for commercial flights. This legal protection applies even for commercial airlines that usually forbid normal pets into their cabins.
Why some animals may not qualify to be emotional support animals
Any domesticated animal qualifies to become an emotional support animal. However, there are two things that must be taken into account before a mental health professional prescribes an ESA to a patient. First, the animal has to be providing solid benefits to you. Second, the animal must be easy to move around with. For example, cats and dogs are easy to travel with even on airlines. However, horses and pigs may be difficult to go with too many places. That is why mental health professionals may be hesitant to prescribe some animals as your ESA despite them being domesticated.
What to look for in an emotional support animal
Before considering the type of emotional support you want, you should take a look at your lifestyle. Do you travel often? Would you want to take your ESA while visiting restaurants or going shopping? Will you leave your ESA behind for a long time while on a journey? Or will you travel with it?
Once you have answered these questions, then you will find it easier to identify the right emotional support animal to fit your needs.
Here are some of the traits to look for in an ESA:
Ability to remain calm even in stressful situations
Since you have mental disorders, your ESA should be able to calm you down when things are not going right. So, you need an animal that can retain its composure when you are disturbed!
They should have a bond with you
The only way your ESA can bring you the comfort and love that you desire is when they truly have a strong bond with you. This strong connection is necessary to treat the symptoms of mental conditions such as anxiety.
They should have good manners
A well-mannered pet is easy to control. The perfect ESA does not bark or become aggressive without the permission of the owner. Ensure that your emotional support animal is also trained to obey the seven basic commands.
What are the best pets for emotional support?
Here are the some of the pets that may make the best emotional support animals:
Cat
Cat lovers will tell you thousands of reasons why cats make better pets than dogs. Cats have a playful mood and can bring joy into their owners’ lives. Most people find cat purrs therapeutic and soothing sound brings relief to their minds. Get an emotional support cat certification to be able to carry your favorite pet wherever you go.
Dog
Who doesn’t love dogs? They are the most demanded type of emotional support animal because of their wonderful traits. The most important one being the ability to connect emotionally with humans.
While every dog makes a great ESA, there some breeds known to provide extra comfort and companionship. Some of these include Labrador retriever, Golden retriever, Beagles and German shepherd.
Rabbit
Rabbits make great emotional support animals because they are shy and quiet most of the time. So, you won’t have to deal with noises that other pets such as dogs and cats make.
Even better, your bunny takes up little space. So, you don’t have to worry about accommodation if you have a small apartment. They don’t also need a place to roam or walk like dogs that need to exercise regularly.
Horse
Horses are wonderful pets. Horse lovers claim that they prefer them because of their long life span (of about 30 years) unlike other pets who rarely make it past 10 years. So, you develop a long-lasting bond with your horse which is critical for emotional support.
Bird
Birds are intelligent animals. In fact, some birds like parrots can replicate your speech. This trait alone is enough making them wonderful emotional support animals. Imagine talking to your parrot and it responds back in the same language.
Conclusion
Emotional support animals provide comfort to people with mental disabilities and disorders. Many types of pets make good ESAs including dogs, cats, birds, horses and rabbits. Only a licensed mental health professional can prescribe an emotional support animal to you. With an ESA certification, you get access to various legal protections such as travelling with your pet on airlines that don’t usually allow animals into their cabins.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What is an emotional support animal (ESA)?
A: An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides companionship, comfort, and emotional stability to people diagnosed with mental illness or emotional disorders. Unlike service animals, ESAs do not need specialized training — their primary role is to offer love and a calming presence to their owners.
Q2: Who qualifies to have an emotional support animal?
A: People who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder and are currently receiving treatment from a licensed mental health professional — such as a psychologist or therapist — may qualify for an ESA. A licensed professional must formally prescribe or recommend the ESA as part of the treatment plan.
Q3: What are the best animals for emotional support?
A: Dogs and cats are the most popular ESAs due to their emotional connectivity and ease of travel. Other excellent options include rabbits (gentle and low-maintenance), birds (intelligent and interactive), and horses (known for forming long-lasting bonds). The best ESA depends on your personal lifestyle and needs.
Q4: What traits should I look for in an emotional support animal?
A: The ideal ESA should be calm and non-reactive in stressful situations, easy to travel with, well-behaved in public, obedient to basic commands, and suited to your living space and lifestyle. The animal should bring you comfort rather than cause additional stress.
Q5: Do dogs make good emotional support animals?
A: Dogs are the most sought-after ESAs because of their remarkable ability to connect emotionally with humans. Breeds like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, and German Shepherds are particularly known for their comforting and empathetic nature, though any loving dog can make a great ESA.
Q6: Can cats be emotional support animals?
A: Absolutely. Cats are wonderful ESAs for many people. Their playful personalities bring joy, and the sound of a cat purring is widely considered therapeutic and soothing. Cats are also relatively low-maintenance compared to dogs, making them a great option for people with busy or quieter lifestyles.
Q7: What legal protections do emotional support animal owners have?
A: ESA owners benefit from certain legal protections. For example, the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA) has historically allowed passengers with ESAs to travel with their animals in airplane cabins. Additionally, housing laws may allow ESAs in no-pet properties. It's important to have proper ESA documentation from a licensed mental health professional to access these protections.
Author: Vincent Otieno
