UO

BruinsBabe33

@amandaf6383 I feel like that would probably be detrimental to his owner. If I can find out where to get one, I will try to get one for you though!

seahorse01

I am going to get an emotional support animal and make it something like a liger.  Yes, I think a liger will do.

wiggyslilsis

My mom works for a state funded transit center in WA state and here in WA the only animals recognized as service animals (ie allowed on the bus) are dogs and miniature horses. They do not recognize emotional support animals as service animals. You must have some form of physical/medical disability.

I am not saying whether this is right or wrong just thought it would be an interesting piece of information to go along with the conversation.

Panderp

Yeah, depression and anxiety aren't medical at all. Perhaps those people should just use ligers. :-q

LuckyAngel07

wiggyslilsis said:

My mom works for a state funded transit center in WA state and here in WA the only animals recognized as service animals (ie allowed on the bus) are dogs and miniature horses. They do not recognize emotional support animals as service animals. You must have some form of physical/medical disability. I am not saying whether this is right or wrong just thought it would be an interesting piece of information to go along with the conversation.

The ignorance of some agencies in this day and age is astonishing. If a doctor has diagnosed a condition, what right does some public agency have to deny it as legitimate by denying that person something they need to cope with that condition? SMH.

ILoveRedVino

I just wonder where they draw the line - and who does it - to determine whether depression/anxiety/something else is a disability, or when it becomes one.  Maybe there is a clear answer to that - I just don't know it.

seahorse01

Panderp said:

Yeah, depression and anxiety aren't medical at all. Perhaps those people should just use ligers. :-q

You'd better not touch my fucking liger.

poppies717

I don't think people should offer advice when they hear about medical issues. Just say, "I'm so sorry. Let me know if/how I can help. I'm always here to listen," and move on. 

A friend of mine is going through a bunch of medical stuff, and my rage just intensifies when I hear people say, "Oh, you should see my doctor; she's wonderful. She'll know how to help you." Really? How about respecting the fact that she loves the doctor she's seeing? And she didn't ask for advice!

MadeOfAwesome

Google says:  It is important to note that having a diagnosis of a mental illness, by itself, is not sufficient to qualify a person for an ESA unless that illness is so severe it disables them. Only a judge can truly determine whether a person is legally disabled. However, a doctor can probably make a medical determination of a person's disability and on that basis prescribe an ESA. To qualify as disabled under federal disability rights laws, a person must experience substantial limitations on one or more major life activities because of their mental illness.

 

RockABye

caseyandlizzie said:

Panderp said:

I think people sometimes take the "service animal" idea too far. It is one thing for people who actually need it, but I just witnessed a girl on my bus with her dog. It was wearing the service animal vest thing, walking up and down the aisles, jumping on her for cuddles and whining at each bus stop. That's not a service animal. That's a pet that you want to bring to work.

How do you know it wasn't a service animal?

This. A girl who works at the Michaels near me has a very friendly lab that hangs out with her during her shifts. A customer asked about it, and she mentioned having seizures and her dog warns her about them before they happen. Just because the dog is a happy pup, doesn't mean they aren't there for their handler/owner.



Because we JUST had training about this at work, there can also be disabled veterans (PTSD) who have service animals. The real life example they used was a guy who got really stressed and would break down... The dog he had would sense the stress and would calm him. I think it's awesome.

As a person with a panic disorder (one therapist even said I could be considered PTSD bc it all started with one incident) I could totally see how an animal would be calming. I seriously wish I could have one. My anxiety is under control at the moment, but at its peak, an animal really would've been beneficial. As a note, my current counselor has therapy dogs... I LOVE them...

ILoveRedVino

@rockabye  

We actually have therapy dogs at work too.  They're amazing.

BruinsBabe33

@rockabye Kit really helps me when I am having a bad PTSD moment. She has always been really sensitive to me, even though she is not a service animal.

LuckyAngel07

My friend's brother got a dog a while after he returned from overseas. He was in bad shape, and she's said the dog helps keep him soooo much calmer. The dog isn't a licensed therapy dog or support animal, but she's there at home for him, and that helps him a lot. I think he might take her out and about, but nowhere you wouldn't expect any other dog to be.