The lines are blurry when it comes to what a service animal is vs what counts as an emotional support animal. It can be difficult to tell the difference if you don't know what you're looking for. This can make it difficult for businesses to know what to allow in their stores.

An Emotional Support Animal's sole responsibility is to provide comfort for their owner. Since they are not specifically trained to offer any other services, these animals are not considered "Service Animals".

A mental health professional must write a letter stating that an emotional support animal would add therapeutic value to a patient. However, a person must have a disability in order to quality for a Service Dog. Service dogs are specifically trained in a variety of skills to help the disabled individual with day-to-day tasks.

These are just a few of the key differences. Here, we will break down what exactly makes these service and emotional support dogs different.

The benefits that our furry canine companions have on our lives are immeasurable. Service Dogs are trained to provide specific tasks to their owners. These animals can help with tasks such as reminding the owner to take their medicine or picking things off the floor to aid people with limited mobility. 

Most commonly dogs, but also miniature horses, these trained animals are not considered pets because they are working. An American with Disabilities Act (ADA) ruling in 2010 validated this claim - stating that government agencies, businesses and any other establishment that serves the general public must allow people with disabilities to bring in their service animals in all areas where members of the public are allowed to go. These dogs are viewed as working companions, considering the functions and tasks they help their owners perform.

Yes. Service animals are welcome on all carrier flights. Service dogs include guide dogs and dogs trained to assist people with hearing, balance, and mobility impairments such as those in a wheelchair. 

Each airline has unique policies and rules about traveling with a service dog. A bigger percentage of airlines require you to let them know in advance if you are planning to travel with your dog. 

During the flight, the animal should sit on your lap or on the floor. The service dog shouldn’t block the aisle way or sit in emergency exit rows. The dog should be in your control at all times. You are not required to pay any pet travel fees when you are flying with a service animal.

Pet insurance is a hugely important part of being a responsible dog-owner. We’ve already
touched on the pros and cons of pet insurance, as well as what you can expect in general from
the services. If you haven’t seen those posts yet, you might want to go check them out. If you
already feel a bit more comfortable about the idea of pet insurance in general, it’s time to learn
more about how to choose the right insurance for you and your best friend.

In an earlier post, we discussed some of the most common allergy symptoms in dogs. Like
humans, dogs can suffer from food allergies, as well as seasonal and environmental allergies.
Unfortunately, allergies themselves can’t usually be cured and it can be a long and frustrating
process even figuring out what your little friend is allergic to in the first place. There are many
treatments, both in home and from the vet, that can relieve your pet of the worst symptoms.
This is important not just for your dog’s comfort, but his overall wellbeing. Allergies that go
untreated can lead to infections that require more serious intervention.