PSD vs ESA: Animals do so much to assist us in different tasks such as hunting, plowing, herding, search and rescue, et cetera. They save us time, relieve our stress, and give us comfort.
Nowadays, many animals even become stewards of our mental health and physical well-being. Dogs, cats, and even some reptiles being in hospices is quite a common sight.
People with mental and physical disabilities often have their furry—or scaly, as the case may be—companion whenever they leave their homes.
These animals are psychiatric service dogs (PSD) and emotional support animals (ESA). What’s the difference between PSD vs ESA, you may ask? Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of it.
PSD vs ESA: An Overview of Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support animals give peace of mind to people suffering from mental health conditions just by merely existing. Quite literally—when it comes to emotional support animals, being there is enough. They don’t need to do anything at all.
They don’t receive training to do any special tasks. Think of them like that friend you want to come with you whenever you do something that makes you nervous — that, but cuter and fluffier.
Emotional support animals can be anything as long as they fit the bill. Animals such as dogs, cats, birds, pigs, guinea pigs, and ferrets easily get a pass. On a rare instance, even a gator named Wally became an emotional support animal.
Although there is no governing body that warrants emotional support animals to be registered, an ESA letter is always good to have. All you have to do is request one from a licensed mental health professional.
The letter would state that you suffer from a mental health condition, and the pet that you have helps you overcome it.
The mental conditions could be one of the following:
- OCD
- PTSD
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Schizophrenia and the likes
Allowed Access
You now have a certified ESA. What can you do with it? Of course, the first thing to do with it is to pet it for being good. Another thing that you can do is to let it live in your pet-free apartment without extra fees because now, it’s no longer just a pet. It now classifies as an assistance animal, so it gets special treatment.
If you’re thinking of taking your emotional support animals to board planes for free, though, let me stop you there. Recent revisions to the Air Carrier Access Act revoked that benefit except for service animals. So, unfortunately, you’d have to check your airline’s rules before traveling with your animal.
An Overview of Psychiatric Service Dogs
Psychiatric service dogs do more than just give you comfort. Unlike emotional support animals that support you by being there, psychiatric service dogs receive training to do a specific task to help a person suffering from mental conditions.
If you witness a psychiatric service dog in action, I think you’d be in awe. The qualities and tasks that psychiatric service dogs are usually trained to do are:
- Smart and able to heed specialized voice commands.
- Have great temperament and do not get distracted easily
- Trained to detect anxiety attacks and bring you medication, water, or any object necessary.
Alert you about an oncoming epileptic seizure. - If you are debilitated by your impairment, they can alert someone and get you help.
Another key difference between PSDs and ESAs is the fact that only dogs can be service animals – except for small horses. This is due to the definition set by the legislators that made the American Disabilities Act of 1990.
In Title II and Title III, the term service animal only refers to dogs. In 2010, ADA changed to include small horses as well, but that’s a story for another day.
Like emotional support animals, psychiatric service dogs are also not required to be registered. As long as a dog is trained to do a task to help a mentally impaired owner, it’s considered a service dog.
Allowed Access
Since service dogs are required to be in the presence of their person most of the time, they are generally exempt from no pet-allowed rules. This means that service dogs can access most places, like:
- Apartments and housing spaces
- Schools and universities
- Hotels, restaurants, and shops
- Hospitals
- Emergency shelters
The only reason a service dog can be removed from the premises is when they are out of control and not housebroken. Given their intensive training, this is rarely the case.
Psychiatric service dogs are also allowed in practically any vehicle. Airlines and cruises allow service animals to accompany a passenger free of charge.
Can an Emotional Support Animal be a Psychiatric Service Dog?
For an emotional support animal to be a service animal, first and foremost, it has to be either a dog or in some cases, a horse. So, if your emotional support animal is anything other than those, the answer is already no.
Aside from this, the dog must also be trained, either by a professional or by you, to have the necessary qualifying abilities mentioned above. Of course, this can cost money and take time to do.
Lastly, you, the owner, must have a psychological or mental health condition affecting your quality of life, and your dog must play a part to overcome that.
If you meet the mentioned criteria, then there’s nothing stopping your ESA to be a PSD. By all means, you should proceed with it.
Is a PSD the same as an ESA?
No, a PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog) and an ESA are not the same (Emotional Support Animal). While both provide assistance to their owners, a PSD must be trained to perform tasks specific to the owner’s disability. ESAs, on the other hand, do not require any specialized training and can provide comfort to their owners simply by being present during difficult times.
What is PSA vs ESA?
A psychiatric service animal (PSA) is an animal that has been trained to assist people suffering from mental illnesses or learning disabilities and is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). An emotional support animal (ESA), on the other hand, provides comfort to its owner but lacks specific training and is only covered by the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA) PSAs and ESAs are both prescribed to their owners to help them with mental impairments, but PSAs are trained to perform specific tasks and responses.
Is a PSA an ESA?
No, a PSA (Psychiatric Service Animal) and an ESA are not the same thing (Emotional Support Animal). While they both help people with psychological issues, their roles and regulations are not the same.
What does PSD stand for in service dog?
PSD stands for Psychiatric Service Dog in the context of service dogs. These dogs are trained to help people with mental illnesses and have the same legal rights as service dogs who help people with physical disabilities.
Do airlines allow PSD dogs?
Yes, psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) are permitted to fly in the cabin with their owners. All airlines accept the Service Animal Air Transportation Form from the Department of Transportation as proof that you have a PSD.
How do you get a PSD letter from a dog?
You must consult with a licensed healthcare professional or mental health therapist to obtain a PSD letter from a dog. One organization that provides quick and easy access to professional PSD/ESA letters is Service Paws USA. The letter serves as backup documentation for your condition and legally allows you to have a psychiatric service dog.
Conclusion
To sum it up, both ESAs and PSDs help their people cope with their mental conditions. Both can be recommended by a licensed mental health professional and require no registration.
Emotional support animals can be any animal that gives you comfort just by being present in times of distress. They are recognized by the Fair Housing Act, but not by the Air Carrier Access Act and American Disabilities Act.
Psychiatric service dogs are animals that receive training to do specific tasks to help a person suffering from mental impairment. They are recognized by the American Disabilities Act, Fair Housing Act, and Air Carrier Access Act.
If you liked this blog article about the comparison: PSD vs ESA, don’t forget to leave us a comment down below to tell us about your experience with these two.
