Page 26 2024 Animal Stories Lincoln Daily News February 2024 By Lesleigh Bennett Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s) are animals that have been recommended and or recognized by a doctor and appointed to provide assistance. These animals are different from service animals. Federal law defines an ESA as a pet. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that an animal that provides emotional comfort is not recognized as a service animal. A service animal is defined by the ADA as a “dog that is individually trained to work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Emotional Support Animals differ from service animals in that service animals go through a rather rigorous training program to learn to provide support for a specific ailment. Some common conditions that qualify for a service animal include autism, blindness, asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy. Most service animals are limited to a particular breed, but Emotional Support Animals come from a wide range of critters. These Emotional Support Animals are used to treat issues like depression, anxiety, phobias, and other psychological or emotional difficulties. Any type of animal or breed can qualify as an Emotional Support Animal if it provides you comfort. Emotional Support Animals: what are they, and could your pet qualify as one? Types of Emotional Support Animals The most common Emotional Support Animals are dogs and cats, but animals such as parrots, bunnies, ferrets, and hedgehogs can qualify as Emotional Support Animals too. As you are selecting the type of animal that would benefit you, take into account your personal preferences and living situation. Housing with Emotional Support Animals According to federal law and the Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA) it is illegal to discriminate against someone with a recognized impairment. This law relates to Emotional Support Animals because it means that housing rights must be given to those animals. A “no pets” policy must be considered void, and the landlords must make reasonable accommodations for Emotional Support Animals, however there are some exceptions. A private club does not have to accept Emotional Support Animals. A landlord occupied dwelling with four or less rental units, and a single-family dwelling that is rented also does not have to accept Emotional Support Animals. Public dwellings such as dorms and public housing facilities must abide by the FHAA as long as it does not supersede public health recommendations. For instance, some states have regulations that prohibit dogs in swimming pools, including emotional support and service animals. Traveling with Emotional Support Animals The “Air Carrier Act” used to ensure that Emotional Support Animals could fly in the cabin of the airplane for free. The law has since been updated and now Emotional Continued --
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzExODA=