Obtaining a service dog can be a daunting process, but it is often very rewarding. Many people believe that since they have a disorder or medical issue that isn’t consuming their life or completely visible that they can’t benefit from a service animal. This is not the case.
Service animals are permitted and considered on a case by case basis. Because these animals tend to have a hefty price tag, only those individuals who are in dire need tend to seek them out. If you believe that a service animal could help improve your quality of life, then it is more than worth your consideration.
Those who suffer from panic attacks could greatly benefit from a psychiatric service animal. These animals are trained to pick up on cues to intervene and help alleviate high stress situations with their owner. Often times those who have panic attacks have extreme anxiety and can be aided greatly through the help of a trained service animal or emotional support animal.
What is the Difference Between a Service Animal and an ESA?
Service animals are highly trained to perform specific tasks that are tailored to the needs of their handler. The tasks they can perform vary drastically depending on the disability from which the handler suffers and their specific needs. Service animals are incredibly intelligent and trained to perform their duties even in times of extreme duress.
In contrast to the highly trained service animal, an emotional support animal (ESA) is generally used purely for the comfort its presence provides. ESAs are closer in demeanor to pets than are service animals, but this does not mean ESAs are any less valid or effective at performing their roles. ESAs can help those with anxiety and panic disorders by providing a constant sense of comfort and security with their mere presence.
Service animals trained specifically for those with extreme panic or anxiety disorders have very specific tasks they will perform if given the command to do so or when they sense their handler is in need of them. This training can vary from one person to the next due to the varying nature of mental disorders. Both ESAs and service animals play vital roles in helping their handlers cope with their daily lives. The only real difference is the specialized training that service animals undergo.
How A Service Dog Can Help
Service dogs can provide an enormous variety of services and support to help people deal with their panic and anxiety issues. Here is a brief look at some of the more common tasks that service dogs for patients with anxiety and panic disorders are trained to perform:
- Bringing medication or water to help swallow medication during an anxiety attack
- Bringing a phone over during an anxiety attack, which you can use to call your therapist or other support system
- Leading someone to you if you’re in crisis
- Providing tactile stimulation such as licking your face or hand to help disrupt an emotional overload
- Providing pressure against your chest or abdomen to create a calming effect during moments of distress
As you can probably tell from this list, these tasks are tailored to the specific requirements and circumstances of the person in need. Not everyone would necessarily feel comforted by having a dog climb up onto their chest in the middle of a panic attack. And not everyone takes emergency medication in times of panic. These differences, among others, are the reason for specialized training for service animals that allows them to help the individual person they are given to.
Due to these differences, there are cases where emotional support animals (ESAs) may be preferred over service dogs. For one thing, ESAs are much less expensive than service animals due to the fact that they don’t typically require much in the way of training. Furthermore, ESAs can be animals that are much more convenient to have around such as a guinea pig or a snake. Emotional support animals can come in all shapes and sizes because it’s all about whatever provides the patient with the most comfort and sense of security.
Requirements for qualifying for a service animal are much more stringent than those of an ESA.
How To Qualify
Qualifying for a service animal isn’t really a cut and dry process because each individual has different needs, symptoms, and responses to stimuli. The primary requirement for obtaining an official service animal is having a diagnosed disability and a recommendation from a trained physician that suggests a service animal could help in overcoming the issues associated with that disability.
Here are the primary qualifications for obtaining a trained service animal:
- Having a physical disability or debilitating illness or disorder
- Being able to participate in the dog’s training process
- Being able to independently command and care for a service dog
- Having a stable home environment
In most cases to qualify for a service animal you will need to have a recommendation from your medical doctor or another licensed professional. It’s important to understand that the patient will be responsible for the care and handling of their service animal. As such, not all cases are ideal cases for the use of service animals. Some people may crumble under the added pressure of having to take care of another living creature in addition to themselves.
Start Your Official Service Animal Registration
Service Dogs vs Other Forms of Care
Some of the reasons that those who suffer from frequent panic attacks benefit from service dogs is because the dogs can help provide company even when you aren’t wanting it. Some major perks of choosing a furry companion over a human one includes:
- Dogs will always cuddle
- Your dog will serve as a great distraction
- Dogs will listen to you and not try and fix you
- Your daily activities with your dog will help clear your mind (example: going on walks)
All of the above probably sounds pretty great, and it is! The important thing to remember is that service dogs aren’t as easy to acquire as other dogs and they don’t cost remotely the same. The average price of a psychiatric service dog ranges from 20-30k. Talk about an investment.
An emotional support animal might be a more practical option for many anxiety sufferers. Regardless of the option chosen, federal regulations provide you with the ability to keep your animal with you in almost any situation provided you have the proper documentation and clearance from healthcare professionals.
Here are some of the federally protected rights provided to owners of service dogs.
Rights Afforded to Owners of Service Dogs
Those with disabilities are allowed to take service dogs pretty much any place that a person without an animal would be allowed to go (even if that place normally prohibits animals). This means you can take your service animal with you into grocery stores, taxi cabs, theatres, public transportation, parks, and airplanes among many other places. This ability to keep your service dog with you provides you with the constant safety and comfort of knowing you won’t be forcibly separated from the animal upon whom you depend.
Additionally, service dogs are permitted free of charge in places that would otherwise add a pet fee. This means landlords, airlines, or hotels cannot charge you extra for bringing your service animal with you wherever you go. This can be a big deal as pet fees can get rather extravagant depending on the business owner’s preferences. Furthermore, public entities are not allowed to assess disabled handlers with additional pet fees or require the handler and their service animal to be seated or positioned away from other patrons intentionally to separate them.
If you think one of these animals could greatly benefit your life, then the investment would be worth it. However, you probably shouldn’t consider one of these animals if you have only suffered from a handful of panic attacks in your life. These animals go through intense and thorough training to ensure that they are equipped with the skills to help those who truly depend upon them.
Going through official channels and properly obtaining and registering a service dog can be a difficult process, but the value a service dog can provide in a disabled person’s life cannot be overstated. USSA can help guide you through the entire process and make sure you have everything in order so you can make the most of your service dog investment.
Acquiring a service dog is not a process that should be taken lightly due to the fact that you are assuming responsibility for the safety and well-being of the animal. However, when trained well and used properly, service animals can provide amazing, life-saving services to their handlers that make their daily lives much more enjoyable than they would otherwise be. Contact a service animal professional today to learn more about the process and get you started on a path towards a better life.