Understanding Support Animals - a podcast by Ty Brown

It’s come to my attention in recent years that very few people really comprehend the differences between service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support dogs. I have other videos and materials on my website that contain this information, but I didn’t have one piece of content that simply outlined the difference. Since this is a question I answer so much at work, I thought I’d tackle the subject here as well!

There are a few differences and legal distinctions between these three kinds of dogs, which is why it’s important to get them straight. People often interchange these words without actually understanding what they mean: they might say “therapy dog” when they mean “service dog,” or “service dog” when they mean “emotional support dog.” So if you’re looking into owning one of these animals, it’s imperative that you clearly understand those differences.

A service dog has been trained to provide at least one service that mitigates a disability. Basically, they help people with disabilities live their lives. Some service dogs are trained to open automatic doors or pick up cell phones and keys for people in wheelchairs. Some can smell high or low blood pressure, or help visually impaired people navigate the world. All service dogs dog have been trained with “task work” to help a person with some kind of disability.

Because of these responsibilities, all service dogs also have various rights. They can ride on planes and go into grocery stores or restaurants, and they don't need registration or certification to do so. In fact, any advertised registration that you may find for a service dog online is fake. There’s no such thing as a real certification, because the government has specified in the ADA that you don't need one. You don't even legally need a vest for the dog in order to go into a store.

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