Help Protect Acess to Emotional Support Animals

The following description is from Brittney Merrigan's Speech about the importance of access to support animals. The speech was performed on October 22, 2018. Sources used in the speech can be found at the bottom.

Most people when they hear the term "service animal", picture a dog in a vest that assists someone. They aren't wrong. However, support animals also assist people in one way or another. Though they assist people in different ways, they both aim to aid their owner.
Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not specifically trained for ONE task, rather they can help people conquer their emotional obstacles.
These may not be specific daily tasks, but support animals can do so much more. Yet, they do not have the same amount of access as service animals.
Many people need support animals to cope with their emotions. Because they can be so crucial for people to function, support animals can play such an important part in society. But many lawmakers overlook the concept of support animals, while they primarily focus on service animals. While it may seem insignificant, access to support animals is extremely important and tends to be overlooked. That is why I argue that the U.S Department of Justice should cooperate support animals under the same category as service animals so that people can have equal access to both.
This issue is something I have personally dealt with for several years now through my job and my family. The discrepancies between support and service animals is not the fault of one person, rather the U.S Department of Justice.
In the past years, the Department of Justice revised the Americans with Disabilities Act Titles II and III in March of 2011.
According to the ADA National Network, any animal that provides emotional support, ease, friendship, etc. are not considered services that would classify the animal as a service animal. Rather, they are qualities of a support animal and therefore are not protected by the ADA. Furthermore, access to these animals can be more complicated than it should be just because they are not labeled "service" animals. There are very few laws in place protecting the access of support animals. According to an article written by Karin Brulliard on July 3rd of 2018 for the Washington Post, quote "emotional support animals are not covered by the ADA, so no restaurant, subway, or store is obligated to let them in". End quote. Yet in another article written in 2016 by Kea Grace "10 Things You Probably Don't Know About Service dogs" for the Anything Pawsable news site, service animals can assist people physically, mentally, and developmentally. It is understood that support animals can also assist people with mental disabilities, so why isn't there equal access to both?
While our knowledge is increasing on the benefits of support animals, there has been no real push to increase access to them. This can be detrimental to many people who lack proper access to their support animal. For example, all service animals are allowed on airplanes. Yet, major airlines are trying to limit access to support animals.
This can be extremely dangerous because they can help people manage their anxiety, claustrophobia, and more. All of which can be heightened when flying.
According to an article written for the Refinery 29 by Sabrina Weiss in September of 2016, it is going to get much harder for people to bring support animals on planes.
Part of the cause for this is because of the numerous people who try and abuse the system.
In another Washington Post article written on February 1st of 2018 by Lindsey Bever and Eli
Rosenberg a woman tried to board a PEACOCK on a plane. That's right a peacock.
The article also mentions that the rates of passengers bringing emotional support animals on planes has nearly DOUBLED since 2016.

Much of the reason for a support animal is for the sole purpose of helping people cope with a sort of mental illness. To put more restrictions on access to emotional support animals can be dangerous. The issue needs to be addressed so that people who truly need support animals have access to them, while others who do not cannot abuse the system.

People depend on their support animals as the only way to manage their mental illnesses.
In an article written by Eva Grant titled "How Do Emotional Support Animals Help People? 7 Benefits Of ESAs" on May 17th of 2018, a study showed that support animals can help with a wide range of mental illnesses. Some including PTSD, anxiety, fear of flying, and depression. They also found that support animals can help people in social situations.

For the sake of people with emotional disabilities it is crucial that this problem of limited access to support animals can be solved and there is a simple fix.
I argue that the U.S Department of Justice cooperates emotional support animals under the same titles II and III that service animals fall under. With the amount of states, airlines, local businesses, schools, etc. that deal with this issue, the U.S Department of Justice is the right department to fix this issue across the map. In addition, the U.S Department of Justice is the only department capable of making changes to the titles and the ADA. By categorizing both service and support animals under Titles II and III, they will both equally protected under the ADA so that there can be equal access to both. This means people with emotional disabilities can have the support that they need too. With that being said, emotional support animals would have to undergo similar trainings and certifications that service animals do.This would include a temperament test and obedience trainings.
The only difference in trainings between the two will be that emotional support animals are not trained for a specific task primarily because they assist people emotionally.
Emotional support animals will also still have to be recommended by a licensed mental health professional.
If people truly needed a support animal, then getting the animal properly trained should not be an issue. On the other hand, the people abusing the system will find these trainings and certifications to be a hassle and will not likely partake in them. This in turn would help to decrease the amount of people attempting to bring absurd animals to places. (like the Peacock). This policy allows for better access to animals for people who need support, while reducing the amount of people who abuse the system.
In terms of cost and resources, it would be the same amount needed for service animals and this as we know is already feasible. The U.S Department of Justice just needs to take the time to revise titles II and III.

Humans use animals for services and supports when they need it most. Though they provide different services for us, support and service animals are vital to people who truly need them.
I have shown that there is limited access to support animals when compared to service animals, which can have a negative affect on some people's health. I also argued that the U.S Department of Justice could help to alleviate limited access as well as abuse of the system regarding support animals.
Limited access to support animals can be detrimental to humans, but our U.S Department of Justice can help solve this problem easily. Join me in the fight for access to emotional support animals today!


Works Cited

Bever, Lindsey. and Rosenberg, Eil. "United changed its policy for emotional-support animals.

That peacock still can't board." The Washington Post, February 1, 2018

Brulliard, Karin. "Service and support animals explained" The Washington Post, July 3, 2018

Grace, Kea. "10 Things You Probably Don't Know about Service Dogs" Anything Pawsable

News and more for Service and Working Dogs, September 5, 2016.

Grant, Eva. "How Do Emotional Support Animals Help People? 7 Benefits Of ESAs" Bustle,

May 17, 2018

Weiss, Sabrina. "It's Going to Get Harder To Bring Support Animals On A Plane" Refinery 29,

September 25, 2016

"Service Animals" ADA National Network, October 25, 2018

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