Not All The Same Thing - StandWithMeOrg

Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks to help a person with their disability. Service dogs go through extensive training to not only perform their tasks, but also to have exceptionally good manners, behavior, and socialization so as not to be disruptive while working in public. A service dog team is comprised of one human and one dog, but in the case of disabled children, may include two humans (i.e., the parent/guardian and the child with the disability).

Under ADA law, a person with a disability who decides to get a service dog can choose to train their own dog, so service dogs do not all necessarily come from a service dog organization (but many do). There is no legal requirement of registration or identification for service dogs. Although it is common for service dog organizations to provide registration, identification, and require program participants to keep an identifying vest on their service dog while in public.

An emotional support dog belongs to a human who has a psychiatric diagnosis (not necessarily a disability), and that person’s treating physician has written a prescription stating that the person’s emotional and mental health are supported by the presence of the dog in their home and life. Emotional support dogs (which may have a vest that say ESA/Emotional support animal vest) and their person do NOT have public access rights. They DO have the right to live in housing where there may be a regulation prohibiting dogs, under the Federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), provided they have a prescription from their licensed physician.

A select few privately-owned public transportation organizations (e.g., certain airlines) do have policies allowing an emotional support animal to accompany their human during travel. While there are no specific training requirements for Emotional Support Dogs, it is important that they do not cause disturbances to neighbors, landlords, or to any other people in the public places where dogs are allowed.

Therapy dog teams provide therapeutic visits to others who might be lonely, stressed, sick, or traumatized. Therapy dog teams always consist of one human and one dog who have been tested, registered, and insured by an accredited therapy dog registration organization (there are several accredited therapy dog organizations in the U.S.). Therapy dogs are trained to have good manners and be well socialized. They must be accustomed to a variety of environments and provide comfort to a diversity of people.

Therapy dogs do NOT have the right, under any law, to go to public places where dogs are not normally allowed. Therapy dog teams DO receive invitations and special permission to go to places where dogs are not typically allowed to provide therapy to those in need (e.g., nursing homes, schools, hospice centers, mental health clinics, children’s hospitals, disaster relief areas, etc.).