Psych Service Dog?

I am going to explain the difference between a service dog, a therapy dog, and an emotional support animal, as it seems that people don't know the difference. Only one type has FULL access in public and those are service dogs. You have to have a DISABILITY (not a diagnosis) and the dog must help relieve symptoms of the disability but performing a trained task. These dogs get EXTENSIVE training, like around 1000 hours minimum of training. These dogs do not have to registered with any organization.

A Therapy dog is a dog that is trained to go to certain areas. They are used to HELP OTHER PEOPLE, such as in hospitals, schools, etc. They do have to be registered by a therapy dog organization and tested thoroughly before being able to have partial access to a certain event, etc.

An emotional support animal is an animal that does not have any prior training or do specific tasks, but help relieve the symptoms of a DISORDER (not a disability) at home. They do NOT have any special public access, but are protected in the housing act (allowing them in no-pet rentals).

This website shows the differences between them:

Please Don't Pet Me

Please get educated, thank you

^ Seriously. It really irks me people think they paid someone website a fee and now have a SD. ESA<SD.

People spend thousands of dollars and hours getting a SD. That is like a giant slap in the face to them. A fly by night "Service dog kit" is like buying a PhD online. Maybe some really uneducated people will buy it, for a minute...You are in fact, breaking the law, as well as being disrespectful by taking your ESA into public and passing it off as a SD. Contact or just visit the ADA website and learn about it if you think you aren't.

Not to mention SDs are not always even possible. My dog, although extremely smart, does not have the personality of a SD.

The above is correct. All the places online that say you can "register your dog here for $65 to become a service dog" are B.S. They are scammers. There are big differences between Service dogs, Emotional Support Dogs, and Therapy Dogs. BUT Psych issues, such as bipolar, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues DO fall under the ADA's criteria as a disability. Yes, the dog MUST perform a function/task other than just comfort to be a SERVICE animal. And although nobody can ask you what your disability IS, they CAN ask for proof of what tasks your animal can do. And YES, ONLY a SERVICE animal is allowed access to places where animals are generally not. A Therapy or Emotional support animal is not granted all the same privileges as the Service animal.

P.S. Nobody asked for anybody's snarky, sarcastic responses on here btw.

Is a service animal really necessary or common for people with Bipolar? I have Bipolar 2 and always wondered that. I love seeing animals and they make me smile and relieve so much stress and loneliness. I think I am happier with them around, but I know they're no joke and i just don't know if I really NEED one even though I have Bipolar 2.

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I did not realize how much a pet did for me until I kept a friend's sick cat for 4 months while he rehabilitated. I fell in love with him and was sad when she took him back. So I found my own. He's a lot like me. Crazy active, likes to be left alone sometimes, and is a biter. So we get along great. And now that he is getting to where he is comfortable and will snuggle... it's even better. (He was a rescue... took some work)

If you talk to you Pdoc about it, they can write you a note to give you a ESA. This one doesn't allow you access to public places, but it will allow you to have a dog in rentals that have a no pet policy. You also do not have to have a disability as with a service dog, just a diagnosis of a disorder. If you are not sure whether you need one, talk to your pdoc and get their advice, they will tell you