According to Mental Health America, a psychiatric service dog (PSD) is a trained service animal that assists people diagnosed with a mental illness. There’s no specific mental illness that qualifies a person for a psychiatric service dog; what’s more important is what tasks the p [...]
You can feel the history in Virginia. It’s the “birthplace of a nation” and the site of Jamestown, one of the original 13 Colonies of the United States. Virginia is known for the Chesapeake Bay and the gorgeous Appalachian mountains. The history and romance of Virginia are what m [...]
Pet fish may not be the first thing you think of as a treatment for depression. After all, fish don’t communicate—at least not in the traditional sense—and they’re not the cuddliest of animals. Fish, however, may be most underrated. They do much more than swim and eat. It turns o [...]
When you have an emotional support animal (ESA) and the right documentation, you are protected by certain rights under federal law when it comes to housing. The Fair Housing Act and guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Housing (HUD) ensure that ESA owners are not unfairly [...]
Most people don’t decide to ask for an emotional support animal (ESA) without giving it a lot of thought. Typically, a person with a mental or emotional disability finds themselves needing the unconditional companionship and affection of an animal. They then decide to inquire wit [...]
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), human-animal bonds are essential to human health. This bond even applies to aquatic creatures, like fish. After dogs and cats, the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey discovered that fish are the third leading type [...]
Although service animals have a unique bond with their owners, they might not provide the same closeness as an emotional support animal provides. The deep relationship between an animal and a human can’t be forced, after all. Sometimes, a service animal that is focused on perform [...]
According to the CDC’s latest data, 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Of these children, boys are four times more likely to be autistic than girls. Autistic children may experience other conditions related to autism. For instance, 28% of 8-year-o [...]
In the world of assistance animals, emotional support animals (ESA) are frequently mixed up with psychiatric service dogs (PSD). Both ESAs and PSDs are used by their owners to help with similar types of mental and emotional illnesses and learning disabilities. However, that’s gen [...]
To get a PSD letter, the first step is to connect with a licensed healthcare professional. A licensed healthcare professional helps someone establish whether they have a qualifying disability for purposes of owning a psychiatric service dog. Owners of psychiatric service do [...]