There is a difference between a service animal such as a guide dog for the blind or a seizure dog which go thru intense training and accompany their humans with them everywhere, ( and are quite expensive, and require much effort to obtain) and an emotional support animal which can be any animal as is purely for emotional support and as such does not accompany their human in stores and such like a guide dog for a blind person (one example) would.

The requirements, and procedures for each is quite different.

My cat is a therapy or support animal as she is there for me to provide emotional support and help me when I start getting upset. She is not a working service animal which is a totally different category of animal that includes for example seeing eye dogs for the blind, seizure detection dogs, dogs used by autistic people. These dogs undergo intense training and must meet certain standards.