Emotional Support Animals

Animals can be immensely comforting, particularly when you’re lonely or struggling with mental health problems. The team at TimeToday Healthcare in Glendale, AZ, can provide emotional support animal approval letters for patients who would benefit from an animal companion. Call TimeToday Healthcare to learn more about emotional support animals and see if having one is right for you. You can also book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.

What are emotional support animals?

Emotional support animals give comfort and companionship to people with mental health problems. They don’t perform special tasks like service animals; instead, their presence helps you manage your symptoms.

You’re entitled to have an emotional support animal if a mental health professional confirms you have a qualifying psychiatric disorder. You need a correctly formatted prescription letter, which TimeToday Healthcare can provide.

How do emotional support animals differ from service animals?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifies that service animals are dogs that have undergone specialized training so they can help people with disabilities. Examples of the roles service animals perform include:

• Guide dogs for blind people
• Hearing dogs for deaf people
• Seizure response dogs for people with epilepsy

Psychiatric service dogs help people identify oncoming mental health episodes and reduce their effects. They require a licensed mental health professional prescription detailing how the dog assists you — for example, waking you during night terrors or providing deep pressure therapy to reduce anxiety and prevent panic attacks.

Emotional support animals don’t provide these specific services but do offer invaluable comfort and companionship to people battling mental health problems.

Can any creature be an emotional support animal?

Any domesticated creature can be an emotional support animal, including:

• Cats
• Dogs
• Mice
• Rats
• Mini pigs
• Ferrets
• Rabbits
• Birds
• Hedgehogs

However, emotional support animals must behave well in public and not cause a nuisance.

Service animals can only be dogs (or occasionally miniature horses).

Is an emotional support animal right for me?

The chief benefit of having an emotional support animal is the comfort they provide when you feel low or stressed. Animals have an honest, nonjudgmental presence that many people find equally or even more helpful than human companionship.

You need to consider the responsibility of providing suitable care for the animal, which in some cases can be a considerable amount of work. For example, a dog needs daily walks and activities that you might struggle to provide during a severe depression.

However, knowing the animal relies on you can also provide much-needed motivation and help you stay active, benefiting your mental health.

If you think having an emotional support animal would be beneficial, talk to the TimeToday Healthcare team. They can provide you with all the information you need and can discuss the pros and cons.

Call TimeToday Healthcare or arrange a consultation via the online booking feature today.