Dr. Cynthia Maro: How to protect and support guide, service, therapy and emotional support animals

By now almost everyone has heard the terms “Therapy Dog/Pet,” “Guide Dogs” and “Emotional Support Animal.” There are also “Seizure-Alert Dogs,” “Service Dogs For the Hearing Impaired” and “PTSD Service Dogs.”

Service dogs are allowed in public places that exclude animals, such as restaurants, stores and hotels. They are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act for access. Animals specifically trained to fill service animal roles are selected for temperament, ability to learn commands and avoid interactions/distractions with other people and animals.

If you have a pet you just want to take everywhere with you, please do not purchase a service animal vest to sneak them into businesses that only allow service dog entry. Animals who are not properly trained will not interact as a trained service animal and often pose a threat to trained animals and other humans. Their presence can create problems for actual service animals and people who rely on their service animals to be their ears, eyes and comfort when in an area with loud noises.

An example of one of these problems is the case of a highly trained guide dog for a blind man. The dog was 5 years old when another untrained “service” dog attacked the guide dog in a restaurant. The guide dog became fearful and distracted after the attack, always on alert when another dog was in the vicinity. He could not properly perform his duties as a Guide Dog.

The animal was sent for retraining, but never got over the fear of other large dogs while out of his home. The blind man had to wait 6 months for another trained dog to become available, go through the heartache of losing his companion and suffer increased expenses in the interim, as his traumatized companion had been his “eyes” while walking to his workplace.

Emotional support animals aid people with mental health disorders, but are not covered by ADA. They have no public access rights granted to service dogs. Accommodations, such as housing/apartments may choose to allow them, but it is not guaranteed. They are not always as highly trained as guide dogs, but do provide important assistance to their owners in helping create more freedom to be in public or deal with crowds or other overwhelming situations.

Therapy dogs are certified to work with their handler to go into public areas where they have been invited, to work with many individuals. They may visit health centers, schools, nursing homes, crisis shelters and other public places where they provide comfort and joy-filled time to individuals who may not have accessible interactions with pets or other people they can connect with. These animals and their handlers must pass certification tests regarding distractions and good behavior in public places. Therapy dogs are not protected by federal law and are not guaranteed access to public areas which prohibit dogs, unless they are actively providing therapy.

It is illegal to misrepresent an animal’s role/status, so if you know someone who has the bright idea to pass off their companion as a service animal to fly on vacation, ask them to reconsider. Not only can veterinarians spot an imposter, but so can TSA and law enforcement.

Animals trained for their roles and the humans who work with them need to be aware of the burdens their companions face.

Guide and service dogs are selected for temperament, resiliency and trainability, which make them suited for their roles, but many emotional support animals do not have the same characteristics. Though lovable and emotionally supportive, they may take on stress and emotional burdens, leading to illness.

Some of the therapy animals I work with may show signs of illness, if they are regularly visiting people suffering from cancer, depression and anxiety.

When therapy dogs show signs of chronic illness or stress, I suggest giving them a break from a hospital and nursing home routine. Visiting schools for reading dates, playgrounds with children, and having happy outings may help them unburden from depression and anxiety.

In some cases, changing venues permanently may be necessary.

Awareness that animals can take on physical symptoms of owners and people they connect with is very important in protecting and caring for our four-legged companions.

When emotional support becomes burdensome for pets, it’s time to look at how we, as humans, can bear more responsibility for our emotional well-being, while providing support for our animals.

If you have pets, chances are they are providing some level of emotional support, regardless of whether they’ve been trained to do so. Be sure to get out for fun times, run with them off-leash at a dog park or play with a laser light for them to chase.

When the topic of never expressing negative emotion around a pet comes up, I quickly discourage that behavior. Holding emotion in just gets it stuck inside. Instead, release your negative emotions by talking about them to your pet, crying, punching a pillow or expressing your frustrations rather than holding them in. You’ll do both yourself and your pet a favor.

Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at the Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and the Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to have addressed, email [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Maro: How to protect and support guide, service, therapy and emotional support animals