People Are Taking Emotional Support Animals Everywhere. States Are Cracking Down.

[Demovictory9]

Many Americans say living with an emotional support animal has done wonders for their mental health. Vayne Myers was threatened with eviction over Primadonna, the duck he keeps in his Florida home to help him with anxiety.CreditCreditEve Edelheit for The New York Times

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The vast majority of emotional support animals are dogs, but some Americans turn to a wide variety of other species. Wally the alligator was approved by his owner’s doctor in York, Pa., as an alternative to taking medication for depression.CreditTy Lohr/York Daily Record, via Associated Press
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The number of people claiming they have a right to live with animals for their mental health — as well as to take them onto planes and into restaurants and stores — has been growing rapidly.

In 2011, the National Service Animal Registry, a for-profit company that sells official-looking vests and certificates for owners, had 2,400 service and emotional support animals in its registry. Now the number is nearly 200,000.

But the spread of such animals — the vast majority of them dogs — has also been met by concerns from landlords, airlines and other businesses that many Americans may be abusing the system. Critics say that pet owners are obtaining phony certifications or letters from online therapists to avoid paying fees or to get permission to bring creatures where they wouldn’t normally be allowed.


“We’ve seen everything from reptiles to insects,” said Amanda Gill, government affairs director for the Florida Apartment Association, which represents landlords.

“Obviously, you want to accommodate people with legitimate requests, but that’s harder to do when you have so many bogus requests,” Ms. Gill said. “Everyone is recognizing that this is a growing problem right now.”

More than two dozen state legislatures have enacted new laws to crack down on fraud.

A law passed in Utah this year makes it a misdemeanor to lie about a pet being an emotional support animal, or E.S.A., expanding a law already on the books that made it a crime to misrepresent a pet as a Seeing Eye dog.

Oklahoma just passed a law clarifying that restaurants and stores have a right to keep support animals out. Virginia’s law cracks down on websites that promise to provide E.S.A. verification letters for a fee, without having any therapeutic relationship with the animal’s owner.

“A true service animal is a highly trained dog,” said Tammy Townley, a state representative in Oklahoma who supports her state’s new law. “When someone comes in with an emotional support animal, they are saying, ‘It’s my service animal.’ No — it’s something you bought a vest for.”

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/18/us/emotional-support-animal.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

[Ilsa]

1. Bill Maher: " May I bring my emotional-support virus,

Marburg, on board?" It makes me feel warm, like 105°F, and fuzzy, when I bleed out and get dizzy."

I wonder how supportive the alligator will look when it is fully grown. It's a reptile.

Emotional support animals are fine, but I think there needs to be limits on where they can be taken. If you need a alligator to eat dinner in public, maybe it's better to stay home.

[Lucid Dreamer]

2. My mother was a therapy dog trainer.

I understand the importance of these animals.
But some of them are "emotional excuse" pets. I frankly don't need a gator or a scorpion sitting next to me. I'm a little to fragile for that.
Get a cat or a dog that fits the venue.

[TheBlackAdder]

3. I've seen college kids discuss bringing in exotic animals because regular pets, everyone has.

.

Colleges allow only certain animals, and these folks want to bring in exotics, because no one else has them.

Others talk about invoking the need as a way to have their house pet come with them to school.

But, as late as 2017, while I was actively on campus getting continuing education degree, attention seemed to be the main driver. Many of those discussing it were a little awkward and wanted pets to garnish vicarious attention from others classmates and dorm room residents. My kids asked about bringing a pet to school, using this clause, and besides Why? I mentioned the care involved. They were mentioning hedgehogs (which we've had before), but they go into thermal shock under 70 degrees and a campus can't be trusted to keep environmentals running to provide heat in winter. They asked about a cat, a marmoset-like animal, and other weird animals.

.

[titaniumsalute]

4. I guess I will get shit for this post but whatever

I've had a dog since childhood. My wife and I are on our third rescue (black lab/pit bull mixes) and we love our doppy dog. I do let him ride in the car for short trips to the store, taking a kid to school. I walk him 2 to 4 times per day around the neighborhood. He's very friendly and loves everybody.

But I don't take him to restaurants, to get my hair cut, to the pub, on airplanes, on vacation. Yes we miss him while we are out of town. But come on. I have two friends who own restaurants. Both tell me that one of the biggest problems they have today...dealing with people and their "emotional support" creatures. One friend literally got into a verbal argument because he wouldn't let a patron bring his bird onto his patio at his pub. It is really getting ludicrous.

If you really need an emotional support animal...then fine. STAY HOME AND EAT or DRINK. I don't want to be bothered by zoo animals while I am out enjoying myself. My emotional situation gets upset when I see animals in public places especially where I eat or drink.

[llmart]

7. I agree with you.

What about the emotions of the other patrons? Give me a break. Seems to me like it's an excuse to get attention.

[USALiberal]

21. +1000! nt

[Pobeka]

23. Completely agree!!!

Thank you for being a responsible pet owner, and recognizing other persons needs and wishes!

[Thekaspervote]

29. Agree! I dearly love animals...but A dog in a grocery store, restaurant NO!

[msongs]

5. its a scam. nt

[hunter]

6. Is this really a problem?

The worst I've ever seen was a little teacup toy dog in Lowe's who bit a woman passing by.

Fortunately it was a tiny, tiny, little toy dog.

No skin was broken.

The manager told the owner and her companion dog to leave and she did. A few "fucks" among loud words were heard on both sides.

I've experienced far worse when I've been traveling with Spot.

My emotional support animal Spot, or maybe I'm Spot's emotional support animal, once ate a bad cop who shot me.



Fortunately nobody missed him.

[Initech]

8. If I get on a plane and see someone's emotional support alligator sitting next to me...

I'm getting off that plane and my next call is to the FAA. Sorry but I don't want to spend a 4 hour flight thinking that the animal sitting next to me could possibly kill me. But hey, emotional support!

[titaniumsalute]

9. Didn't someone just get mauled on a flight by a dog?

Standby. Looking it up now.

On edit...

Here it is from NBC News. Yeah this poor fellow trying to fly somewhere got his face eaten off by an emotional support dog. Enough is enough.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-attacked-emotional-support-dog-delta-flight-sues-airline-passenger-n1011881

[LanternWaste]

14. Is that conclusion applied consistently to non-support animals?

If a pedestrian has his face mauled by a house-dog being taken for a walk, do we then also say "enough is enough, by-gum!"

Or is this melodramatic over-reaction to an under-whelming and severely limited problem limited only to service animals ("but there's been ONE whole documented case!!!!&quot ?

[Blues Heron]

35. Absolutely

the dog situation in general is out of control. It's a plague. My quality of life has taken a nose dive with all these college kids and their dogs - The yelling, the clapping, the incessant barking, all hours , day and night. Just when one settles down, another moves in with a bellowing, poorly trained Lab, or a tiny never-stop yapper.

One of the worst fads to come down the pike in ages. Off the leash? check. Shit bag on the ground? check. Bring it in the store? check. On a plane? check. At the restaurant? check

F these snowflakes. Get a cat or a gerbil. Or best of all a Goldfish.

[titaniumsalute]

36. One documented case?

First off that is a sweeping statement. You have no idea.

Second, it seems like everyday i am seeing these "emotional support" animals in public places like restaurants, grocery stores, malls, planes, public transportation. It is nuts.

[hunter]

12. You've obviously never been an emotional support animal.

Dragons are very sensitive creatures.

[Demovictory9]

26. alligators are cute when tiny

[Jose Garcia]

11. Yes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1011881

[Hortensis]

18. Lol. Aside from Spot, not in our experience, Hunter.

Granted, we're not world travelers, but I'd expect to see emotional support animals in supermarkets and malls, parks, etcetera, and we do not. Much less see or hear about attacks.

Expect this is vastly blown up, no doubt more prevalent in some areas than others like any other fad.

Now, this we see around Florida all the time, where lots of people downsize their pet along with their homes and lives in general.

[spinbaby]

20. You don't see them in supermarkets and malls?

I don’t know where you live, but I see them all the time here in western Pennsylvania. Just yesterday I saw a little dog riding in a grocery cart. Once I witnessed one peeing on a mannequin in Macy’s. Tiny emotional support critters are quite popular here.

[emmaverybo]

30. Was a big problem recently when an emotional support dog attacked a Delta flight passenger.

Indicted severe facial wounds. The nature of the attack suggests the dog was not trained, and that
the dog guardian probably did not have any dog handling ability or knowledge about canine behavior. Also the dog was not in adequate safety equipment. Guardian had broken Delta policy by letting the large animal stay seated in her lap.
Seems to me the problem is that unlike service dogs, any dog can be a therapy dog and the paperwork is far too easily done.
I also do not think most people are equipped to care for exotics. If I had to sit next to a croc, I might not live through the experience, no matter how sweet the croc was.
I enjoyed the duck photo.
Just gotta be Standard’s set for support pets as to training, vetting, putting guardian through a basic course with her pet.
In this case, on Delta, the passenger did nothing to disturb the dog and had asked guardian if dog was safe.

[Aristus]

10. Hell, I'M cracking down! I don't write notes for emotional support animals anymore.

There's no regulatory agency that specified which animals can be considered for emotional support, or trains them, certifies them, and draws up guidelines for their use in public areas.

Until that happens, no more 'emotional support animal' notes from me.

If you can't go anywhere unless you have a ferret with you, maybe you shouldn't go anywhere.

[hunter]

15. My funniest ferret story...

... I was in the laundromat and this ferret ran up my leg onto my shoulder and got in my face.

We were both shocked.

I looked around and there was a guy who was about my height wearing clothes that looked like mine.

Yes, it was his ferret.

[Demovictory9]

25. lol

[LanternWaste]

13. Well thank Christ this problem is being taken care of.

Well thank Christ this pressing problem is being taken care of. There's no telling what a country can do when its sets its priorities and puts its shoulder down.

God Bless America for nipping this proto-crises in the bud before it inconveniences me personally.

[Bettie]

16. My son is going to college in the Fall

he is going to live in the dorms and they asked about allergies. Seems that a whole lot of kids have emotional support animals and the dorms are filled with pets for whom the people have little vests and doctor's notes.

Go figure. An alligator for comfort? I honestly don't understand.

[Doreen]

31. Well, think about it this way

No one is going to be allergic to the alligator. 😁

[NewJeffCT]

17. What happens when people decide they don't want their emotional support alligator anymore?

3 alligators found in Pittsburgh in a month? WTF Pittsburgh?

PITTSBURGH - A third alligator has been found in a Pittsburgh neighborhood in less than a month.

According to police, this one was found on a porch of a home in the 300 block of East Agnew Street in Carrick around 6:15 p.m.

https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/pittsburgh-alligator-3rd-alligator-found-in-pittsburgh-in-less-than-a-month/956554471

[titaniumsalute]

37. That is a big problem right now in Florida

People get snakes, alligators, lizards, etc. that are not native to the Everglades. They either get tired of them, can't deal with their size anymore, or when a hurricane approaches they release them. They have been going on Boa Constrictor and Python kills in the everglades. some are so big they eat fucking alligators.

[Midnightwalk]

19. There is potential here

If the support animal community does not get their act together or there will he pressure for government regulation. I don’t see regulations as a horrible way to go.

All it will take to force the issue will be a few more cases where a bystander is attacked by a ooorly trained animal whether it is an exotic alligator or a dog.

I think there might be money to be made by a credible organization that set up training, testing and certifications. That organization wouldn’t be credible if it also sold merchandise like the company mentioned.

That opportunity might have already passed. Once there are multiple such organizations standardization will be necessary. I wouldn’t want to decide which support animals to allow based on a certificate from one of a dozen companies.

Personally I don’t have any problem with pets on the street. Some restaurants and bars handle it well, others not so well. One place i was in smelled of animals. That’s easy because i can decide to leave. Confined spaces like planes where you might soend several hours need regulation most urgently. I live animals but I don’t want to spend hours next to a bad smelling bad behaved “support” pet.

[rampartc]

28. +1

[Talitha]

22. So THAT'S why shitler brought his family to London... as support animals!!!

[smirkymonkey]

24. So does this mean I can't bring my emotional support honey badger to the next

Trump Rally?

Damn, he was so looking forward to it.

[rampartc]

27. stop this madness

for my mental health I can not fly with your emotional support duck in the damn cabin. pack it in baggage or leave it at home.

[Doreen]

32. What pisses me off is that those who fought

to have legitimate service animals are the ones who end up suffering. These PETS do things that are bad and it makes people blame both the ESA and legitimate service animals. ESA's should not be going into business or public transportation.

Service animals are trained to do TASKS to enable their handler to have an easier/possible daily life. They are not just there to make their handler feel good.

The blind had to battle for the right to have their dog guides and then others who have legitimate needs fought later.

[titaniumsalute]

38. I agree

There is a big difference between a service/support animal and an animal someone wants to have around to make them feel better. (emotional support.)

[Doreen]

39. In some sense legitimate service dogs are emotional support but only to the extent that they enable

a person to live a normal daily life without relying on others. My service dog made it so if I got disoriented in public or fell I would not have the embarrassment of asking gawking strangers for help and not expect friends and family to cater to me.

[Thunderbeast]

33. If I buy a vest for my spouse...

can she ride on a plane for free as my emotional support animal?

[stopdiggin]

34. why not?

I have no objection. I can also see additional "opportunities" here for training. Let us know where to direct flowers and cards!

[Retrograde]

40. Living security blankets

I have cats, and yes, they can be soothing at times. But they do not travel with me: it would be too much stress for all of us. IMHO, there's a lot of "Look at ME!" going on with so-called emotional support animals, subjecting the creatures to stressful environments so they can show it off/get sympathy/flout the owner's specialness. And, as someone said earlier, this insistence on bringing poorly trained animals everywhere will affect people who actually depend on well-schooled service animals. The latter are accustomed from an early age to being in situations with crowds of strangers, and can go out in public with no concerns that they'll suddenly bite someone: when they're in harness they know they're working. The ones that ride around in their owners's bags and yap at everything in sight are not "service" animals, no matter what their mail-order vest says. I often wonder how the owners of such animals make it through the day if they are in such constant need of a pacifier.