December 2022

Emotional Support Animals vs. Therapy Animals 

Animals can be extremely useful in aiding in the treatment of various mental illnesses. But, there are many different types of these animals which can aid an individual in different ways. 

A service animal is typically a dog who is trained to work or aid in tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability. These disabilities could include but are not limited to a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability (ADA, 2022). Typical rules for pets do not apply to service animals because they are working animals, not pets (Holiman, 2021).

In a different way, emotional support animals are not limited to just being dogs. An emotional support animal is any animal that provides support and can alleviate one or more symptoms of an individual’s disability. For example, emotional support animals can help relieve loneliness, symptoms of anxiety and depression, certain phobias, and provide companionship (ADA, 2022).

Therapy animals are typically dogs, similar to service animals. These animals are trained to provide individuals with “healing contact” in order to improve physical, social, emotional, or cognitive function. Typically they can be found working in a clinical or institutional setting (ADA, 2022).

The biggest difference to distinguish between a service animal and emotional support/therapy animals is that service animals are trained to perform a task (Holiman, 2021). In other words, service animals are “on the job” and working while their owner needs them. They are trained to provide a specific service for the individual with a disability. Emotional support animals and therapy animals do not have the specified training needed to assist a person with a disability (Holiman, 2021).

Here is the link to the ADA’s guide to service animals and emotional support animals : https://adata.org/guide/service-animals-and-emotional-support-animals