The mental and emotional benefits of service dogs are vast and often indescribable. Those who have leaned on their four-legged friends for daily support report feeling less lonely, anxious, and stressed. Having an emotional support animal can benefit personal responsibility and consistency while helping give despondent people sincere purpose.
Having a friend to walk with can encourage people to leave the house and spend much-needed time outside. Unfortunately, some may take issue with a person bringing their ESA (emotional support animal) into certain establishments.
To give owners of an ESA and those considering a support dog a bit more insight, we will review Georgia’s emotional support animals and how they apply to you.
What is an Emotional Support Animal?
It is important to differentiate between service dogs and emotional support animals. A service dog is a canine trained with a specific purpose, such as visual guiding, allergy detection, diabetic alert, and hearing. An emotional support animal is any pet that serves the function of emotional support, though they are not typically trained for the role.
It is worth mentioning that emotional support animals can include a wide range of pets, from canines to cats to reptiles. So, while we typically think of dogs in this position, many animals can accomplish the task, given they possess the correct temperament.
Because of their lack of training and non-immediate necessity, emotional support animals are not given the same privileges as service dogs. This does not mean that you are confined to keeping your stalwart companion within the confines of your home, but you should be aware of their traveling limitations.
These laws also fluctuate state-by-state and may change as more is discovered about the benefits of emotional support animals. Georgia, for instance, follows federal guidelines and has no personal stipulations or regulations surrounding emotional support animals.
Benefits of Emotional Support Animals
While it may seem like emotional support animals are a one-trick pony, they have many benefits beyond being a fuzzy friend to spend time with. Outside of anxiety, depression, or extended isolation, emotional support animals have had proven benefits for people with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
1. Increased Activity and Responsibility
Those who have had the misfortune of going through a period of depression know just how good it is at keeping us from getting out of bed in the morning. Considering that around 280 million people are estimated to have depression, having a treatment that gets people out of the house and fulfilling daily responsibilities is a massive asset.
Having an emotional service dog will require individuals to exercise the animal, feed it, and physically and mentally interact with it. These small tasks throughout the day start to build a body of beneficial habits and gently push people to make more positive and productive decisions.
2. Socializing Without Anxiety
For those who grow anxious in social settings, dogs and other animals create a judgment-free relationship for people to express themselves without self-doubt. They are great for folks who overthink their interactions and stress about extroverted activities. An ESA is an excellent introductory step towards reintegrating into society for those who struggle with it.
3. Positive Areas of Focus
An emotional support dog requires as much care and attention as any other kind of dog. For owners, this dependency can help those suffering from mental ailments focus on a more positive area of life, such as their dog. Having a dog that can uplift a person’s mood and give them ways to distract their mind can help move someone out of a cloudy week.
4. Emotional Empathy
Certain dogs perform better as emotional support animals because of their individual temperament. While some dogs are lovably carefree, dopey, and energetic, others are quiet, codependent, and emotionally intuitive. This makes the latter dog more suitable for the emotional support role.
You want an attentive dog because certain dogs are more easily able to sense when their owners are sad, anxious, or panicked. They can aid the owner by distracting them, applying light pressure to soothe negative feelings, or even staying close to help them through an uncomfortable moment.
Emotional Support Animals and Service Dog Differences
Service dogs will almost always be allowed more public permissions than an emotional support animal will. Emotional support animals do not have the same level of training and legally are not considered as essential to a person’s everyday well-being as a service dog is. A few key differences should be noted before going into specific Georgia laws.
A psychiatric service dog is an animal that has been trained to lessen the symptoms of mental ailments such as PTSD, severe anxiety, and more. A psychiatric service dog will notice the effects of a flashback, anxiety attack, and panic and can react appropriately to lessen the symptoms. An emotional support dog is not trained but can comfort an owner.
Because of the added specialization that a psychiatric service dog brings due to its training, it is allowed more privileges than an emotional support dog. It is not only considered essential because of its necessity, the training usually results in better behavior.
Some people have genuine phobias of certain animals and must be assured that a service animal won’t lash out or get protective. Similarly, business owners do not want an animal that frightens or intimidates customers.
In many states (including Georgia), an emotional support dog will likely have to be kept at home in certain scenarios, such as air travel, restaurant visits, and more. For those who need their animal present, it is best to research places and airlines that allow animals ahead of time.
If you feel your dog provides an invaluable service to your disability, it may be worth considering training it as a psychiatric service dog. This process will require some diligent work on the owner’s part, though it will give the dog access to several otherwise unavailable areas.
Similarly, an emotional support animal will provide more privileges than a regular pet, such as the right to have an animal in most apartments or homes.
Georgia Laws On Emotional Support Animals
There are many permissions service dogs are allowed that emotional support animals are not, and it is important to know ahead of time what and where you are allowed to bring the animal. Emotional support animals have permissions of their own, though, particularly when it comes to housing the animal.
Georgia Law on Housing Emotional Service Dogs (Fair Housing Act)
Since the Fair Housing Act (FHA) has gone into effect, it is now unlawful to prevent someone from bringing their emotional support or service animal into their home. The animal is not specifically labeled as a pet and is considered a treatment for mental illness, which is one of the protected disabilities listed in the Fair Housing Act.
The FHA does not mean that people can bring a trunk full of empathetic canines into every apartment they move into. Due to emotional support animals not being considered pets, they are only offered to those with recognized disabilities.
Recognized disabilities for an emotional support animal are:
- Depression
- Stress
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Schizophrenia
- Fears and/or phobias
- Personality Disorders
- ADHD
- Insomnia
- Anorexia
- Bulimia
If you want to move with your emotional support animal, you will need to present an ESA letter signed by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP). Thankfully, this letter will cover most documentation needs when bringing your emotional support animal to places. This will also eliminate pet fees or deposits, as the ESA is not classified as one.
Once a person has an ESA letter, they can move their emotional support animal into several different “dwellings.”
Dwellings covered by the Fair Housing Act:
- Group Homes
- Nursing Homes
- Seasonal Facilities
- Mobile Homes
- Residential Facilities
- Trailers
- Condos
Unfortunately, not every type of housing situation will be under the umbrella of the FHA. Hotels, clubs, buildings with four units or less, and single-family homes sold without a real estate agent are not covered by the Fair Housing Act. If traveling or moving into unique circumstances, you may have to adjust your plans to accommodate your emotional support animal.
Landlords can also deny your request if it directly endangers the health of other tenants, results in unmanageable financial strain, or would cause significant damage to the property. They may also reject the request if it sincerely changes the identity of the place you are planning to live in.
Landlords are not permitted to question you regarding your disability unless you specifically ask about disability accommodation options. They cannot inquire into why you need an emotional support animal unless you are modifying your home, applying for housing benefits for the disabled, or trying to request a rent reduction.
Georgia Travel Law for Emotional Support Animals (Air Carrier Access Act)
While housing has become much easier for folks with emotional support animals, air travel is more tricky. In compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), Georgia has made it mandatory for airlines to accept service dogs. This acceptance does not transfer over to emotional support animals, which aren’t considered service animals by airlines.
Psychiatric service animals (PTSD service dogs, etc.) are still considered service animals and are protected under the Air Carrier Access Act. The airline can request DOT documentation that outlines the animal’s well-being, temperament, and training to ensure they are compatible with longer flights.
If a service dog is showing signs of aggression to employees or passengers, the airline has the ability to deny its entry onto a plane. The same applies to animals that cannot fit within the direct foot space in front of the owner. Most airlines will limit the number of service animals to two per person, per the ACAA.
The new revision in the ACAA does not mean that airlines are required by law to prevent an ESA from traveling with their owner, though the airline does have the final say. For those who need their support animal while traveling, it is highly recommended that you look into the individual stance of each airline to see if there is a fee or special accommodations for an ESA.
It may be difficult to find an airline that will accept emotional service animals, particularly during busier parts of the year. It is best to call and inquire ahead of time instead of finding out after you have purchased a ticket.
Service animals, emotional support dogs, and psychiatric service dogs alike can be required to wear leashes or harnesses at all times, whether on the plane or in the airport.
Georgia Laws on Emotional Support Animals in the Workplace
As of 2024, there are no laws protecting people’s right to take their emotional support animal to their job site. This does not mean employers cannot accommodate workers who wish to bring their animals to work; however, they will have the final say. The likelihood of an employer allowing an ESA for an employee depends on the person’s line of work.
The laws surrounding emotional support animals, service dogs, and psychiatric service dogs in a workplace are detailed extensively in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Georgia has no state laws that allow special permissions for emotional support animals. The ADA will be the best general guideline over what a person can and can’t do with their ESA.
Corporate jobs could very possibly be accommodating, depending on the atmosphere of the office. However, restaurants will understandably be hesitant to allow animals on-site. It is highly recommended that you ask your employer about the company’s outlook on emotional support animals to see what options are available to you.
Service dogs are given more permissions as they can help people perform their duties more easily. Regrettably, emotional support animals are not considered service dogs in Georgia when it comes to employment positions.
Georgia Laws on Emotional Support Animals in Public Areas
Similar to the workplace, an emotional support animal’s ability to move in public spaces is documented under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The law states that while service animals can go into most public spaces if they provide needed assistance to their owner, emotional support animals are not required entry.
Whether an emotional support dog can enter an area depends on the business owner and what they permit in their establishment. Some owners may be more accommodating to an ESA, but calling ahead is advised. Restaurants and hospitals are less likely to allow emotional support animals than other businesses.
Having your emotional support animal letter on your person can lessen the likelihood of rejections in a public space, but it will not protect you from all scenarios. Several establishments in Georgia will outline their policy on emotional support animals, which can help give owners more insight into whether they can bring their ESA.
Similarly, some areas will allow emotional support animals and service dogs, but they will not allow a person’s pet. Because of this, it is paramount that you keep your ESA letter available so you can prove your pet’s purpose to people who may ask.
Summary of Georgia Emotional Support Animal Laws
Emotional support animals are a great asset to many people and have been more widely accepted by federal laws. Unfortunately, they are still not allowed in some areas, and owners may have to search around to accommodate their four-legged friend. Airports, airplanes, trains, and certain establishments may legally object to an ESA on their property.
Housing is much more forgiving. Landlords will waive pet fees and offer near-universal acceptance of emotional support animals in compliance with the Fair Housing Act. If you feel that your ESA is a non-negotiable part of your everyday life, it may be worthwhile to see if you can train it as a psychiatric service dog.
While it may be frustrating to navigate the different laws and regulations surrounding emotional support animals, time has benefited ESA owners. So, while it is a bit tedious to see where your emotional support animal can go, it should not cause undue stress.