Emotional support animals are invaluable partners and allies for those who need them. They are incredible companions who can significantly decrease how much stress any event can cause those who need them. Still, they do not receive the same sort of protection as support animals.
The differences between the two kinds of animals have led to considerable frustration and confusion. We seek to help lessen the stress you may have to endure that can be caused by other people not understanding the differences. Today, we will provide readers with several invaluable tips for when one is traveling with an emotional support animal.
Tip 1: Know Your Rights
It is essential that you understand the differences between an emotional support animal and a service animal. These differences and more information about ESA certification can be found online and will only take a few minutes to research.
As an emotional support animal owner, you can travel with your companion, but you must be prepared for individuals to question you. If you plan on traveling with your animal, which makes sense given how stressful traveling can be, you need to be ready to answer questions and prove the supportive status of your traveling partner.
It can also help if you know the benefits of having a support animal, rather than just specifically for your particular situation.
Tip 2: Have Your Documentation
Unfortunately, many people may feel entitled to question you, but there will always be one or more people who think they have a right to know your business. To address those people, you ought to be prepared, and that goes beyond simply knowing your rights. Having a copy of the documentation, you need to acquire an emotional support animal on your person. At the same time, traveling can go a long way toward ensuring that your companion is respected and that you are not discriminated against.
Having to show your paperwork may be frustrating, especially if you are regularly questioned. Still, it will often be enough to appease those who’d challenge you or otherwise attempt to worsen your traveling situation by depriving you of your animal partner.
Tip 3: Outfit Your Animal
One excellent tip for traveling with any kind of service animal, be it an emotional support companion or not, is to consider outfitting it. Dressing a service or emotional support animal in special gear is not legally necessary. Still, it can show an interest in transparency and ensuring that others know your animal is not just a pet.
Putting gear on your animal helps show onlookers that it is providing a service of some sort and marks it as different from a mundane animal owned by a human. This is one way to help lessen the number of questions you may get when traveling.
