3 Things to Consider Before Registering an Emotional Support Dog

An emotional support dog can have a positive effect on people that suffer from various mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. In order to officially make your dog an emotional support animal, you need to receive a letter from a mental health professional. This will allow your dog to fly on airplanes and live in housing that typically wouldn’t allow pets or charge additional fees for pets. Here are some things to consider before seeking emotional support dog registration.

Does Your Dog Make You Feel Calm?

For some people that deal with anxiety or depression, few things can make them calm and relaxed. In some cases, medication might not work as well as petting a dog. This is because being around dogs releases serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that cause calmness and relaxation. If having a dog around is what makes you the most relaxed, making that dog an emotional support animal might be the right decision for you.

Do You Want a Consistent Relationship with a Therapist?

While having an emotional support animal around might help with your symptoms, it’s not a cure. You’ll still likely need to see a therapist regularly to deal with your condition. Additionally, the letter from your therapist that makes your dog an emotional support animal doesn’t last forever. In order to take your dog on airplanes, the letter needs to be updated once a year. When it comes to housing, the letter will last until the end of your lease agreement. If you wish to move into new housing that has pet restrictions, you’ll need to receive a new letter. Rather than thinking that you can simply receive a letter and be done with it, you should continue seeing a therapist to deal with your condition.

Will You Fly or Live in A Place That Doesn’t Allow Pets?

While your dog might help with your symptoms, you might not have the need to make it an emotional support animal. The purpose of designating a pet in this way is that they can fly on airplanes and live in housing that doesn’t allow pets or requires additional fees for pets. If you don’t plan on flying and own your home or your housing allows pets free of charge, you might not need to make them an emotional support animal.