Recently, some have taken umbrage with emotional support animals, defined by the government as an untrained companion of any species that provides solace to someone with a disability, such as anxiety or depression. Service animals must be trained in the performance of a task, and while many benefit from a reduction of anxiety provided by emotional service animals, that reduction doesn’t fall under the ADA’s guidelines as a task. Further, the ADA does allow for service animals, also known as psychiatric dogs since that is the only species covered, to assist with individuals with panic attacks and post-traumatic stress, but their function is not to provide comfort as much as it is to recognize the signs and symptoms of a panic attack ahead of time, or to assist in the navigation and avoidance of triggers.
