Have you been considering getting a service or emotional support animal?
Before you have one, it is essential to understand what qualifies you for one. If you have a disability and need an animal to aid you in your day-to-day life, they will do so. Something you should be clear you cannot use it as a guard dog.
Not only can they help you in your personal life, but they are also allowed to go with you to restaurants, on airplanes, and in public. Here is what you need to know about qualifying for one.
Mental Disability
To be eligible for an emotional support animal, you must have a diagnosed mental disability that significantly impacts your life. A few examples of common mental disabilities that may qualify you to include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Your mental health professional will need to provide documentation stating that you have a mental disability and that an emotional support animal is necessary for your treatment. An emotional support animal is an animal that provides comfort and support to an individual with a mental or emotional disability.
Physical Disability
There are a few different things that can qualify you for a service. One of the most common is a physical disability. It can be anything from a physical impairment that limits your mobility to something like blindness or deafness.
If your disability makes it difficult or impossible to perform certain tasks, then an animal can be a big help. For example, a guide dog can help a blind person or have low vision get around, while a hearing dog is trained to alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of sounds.
Hearing dog also warns a deaf person of approaching danger. Service dogs or other animals are trained to perform tasks or tasks that assist people with disabilities. Service animals are not pets.
Your Ability to Care for the Animal
To qualify for a service or emotional support animal, you must show that you can care for the animal. It includes providing food, water, and shelter for the animal, as well as having the ability to exercise and train the animal as needed. You must also be able to provide veterinary care for the animal and ensure that getting a service dog does not pose a threat to yourself or others.
How to Get a Service or Emotional Support Animal
There are a few things that qualify you for a service or emotional support animal. You must have a diagnosed disability that significantly limits a major life activity. You must have a medical professional’s letter confirming that you benefit from having a service or emotional support animal.
You must be able to care for your animal and provide it with proper housing, food, water, and veterinary care. If you meet all of these qualifications, then you are eligible to have a service or emotional support animal.
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