03/07/2026
Emotional support animals are very popular these days and I personally find this concerning for various reasons. A colleague of mine wrote an excellent article on the subject to which I really cannot add anything more. A very good read indeed.
And if you are a mental health professional this article is a must read. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DCiiFJ6DS/
Years ago, I outlined my growing concerns around the “emotional support dog” trend. Since then, I have had many discussions with colleagues who, like me, regularly get requests for training from people who have obtained a dog or puppy for this purpose. What is clear is that I am not the only one with a growing sense of unease when it comes to the expectations that clients have in this regard. I have been reluctant to write about it again and have been sitting on this post for a while, because it feels like stepping into a minefield. However, my job is to advocate for dogs and to put their welfare first. As I am more persuaded than ever that this is a welfare issue with serious ethical implications, here goes.
At the time that I first wrote about this in 2019, there was a growing backlash towards ESD’s, because it was becoming clear that many so-called support dogs were completely unsuitable for public access. However, it seems that the “support dog” industry is still booming and several organisations in South Africa are offering to help owners train their dogs to be emotional support dogs. When an on-line course became available to prepare dogs for the role of emotional support animals, I shared my article again and raised concerns about the idea that doing an on-line course could “certify” a dog for public access. Quite a few colleagues also started asking questions about the apparent ease of this process and a public response was issued by an organisation offering this course, stating that such courses were not intended to certify dogs to be able to go out in public and the emotional support in this case was intended entirely for home use.
Yet this message is not even remotely getting through to the public. Without exception, every person with an intended ESD who has requested help from me or from a colleague, ALWAYS wants the dog to access public facilities, such as hospitals, workplaces or even to attend schools with children. When I have pointed out that the online course does not supposedly qualify a dog for public access, I have been shown information from training facilities instructing clients to do the course, complete Bronze Canine Good Citizen (that is usually why they are contacting me) and to then do a certain number of hours of public access training with one of the organisation’s trainers, in order to be evaluated and obtain a vest for the dog to wear – presumably so that the dog is recognised for public access.
Yet, if you read the fine print, it is clear that if your dog is going to be allowed to accompany you into any public place or facility, you will still need permission from that facility. No one is obligated to admit your “qualified” ESD dog anywhere, because they are not a recognised service dog who’s access to public places is legally protected.
This is understandable, when considering the difference in the selection and training processes for ESD’s in comparison to legitimate service dogs:
Where an ESD may be any dog of any age and any breed from any source, with bronze canine good citizen, who’s guardian has done an on-line course and a few hours of public access training, registered service dogs are the product of decades of selective breeding, careful placement in a puppy raising home for optimum socialisation for 12-18 months, 6-9 months of intensive live-in training at a facility and 4 weeks of training with the matched owner - and not all service dogs even make the grade at the end of the day.
An actual service dog has their life planned out and carefully orchestrated from before they were born. They spend much of their lives not really being able to just be dogs. They are exceptional and exceptional expectations are placed on them. Honestly, I am not sure if what we ask of them is fair or whether it is the life that I would choose for a dog – what I do know is that the pet or companion dogs that I work with are not equipped for such a role. In 25 years I have only come across a couple of dogs who I think would have been suitable and funnily enough, both were Labradors and one was actually bred for guide dogs but taken out of the programme due to a health issue.
Every time I get a request for training for a dog who is to be “an emotional support dog” I am at an absolute loss as to what to say. I know what I want to say, but I know that it will upset everyone, from the prospective client to the organisation that they are hoping to “qualify” their dog with. It really puts us in an impossible situation. Do we just go along with it and pretend we think this is a good idea? Do we keep quiet and allow the client to find out on their own that they are unlikely to gain public access for their dog going this route? Or do we advocate for the dog and explain why we don’t think the dog will cope emotionally, behaviourally or socially in this expected role? Do we allow the client to continue to invest time, money and hope in something that we don’t think is feasible or even reasonable? Or do we get shot as the messenger who says what no one else wants to say?
Most of the dogs we come across who have been obtained for this purpose are young puppies of indeterminate genetics and background. We have very little idea how they will turn out and what challenges they may face as they mature. Yet, that is not even remotely considered. They are simply expected to grow up to be what they need to be.
I always want to ask:
• Why do you believe that your dog is suitable to be an emotional support dog?
• Have you had your dog assessed for such a role?
• Have you considered whether this is in the best interests of your dog?
• Are you able to meet your dog’s emotional needs?
• Are you able to prioritise their needs over yours?
• Who will provide support for them while they are supporting you?
• What if your dog has some anxiety or reactivity issues? Will this make you reconsider using them in this capacity and how would their behaviour affect your emotional health?
When we adopt dogs into our families, we take on a “parental” role in relation to them. They are utterly dependant on us to provide for them physically and emotionally and meeting these needs is the basic definition of responsible and ethical dog guardianship. For a dog to thrive we must be a source of security and safety. We must always look out for their emotional wellbeing, protect them from bad experiences and provide guidance, comfort and reassurance when they need support. Why have we suddenly decided that it is okay to reverse roles?
Research indicates that an adult dog has the emotional capacity of a 2 or 2 ½ year old child. Would you expect your toddler to support you emotionally? Would it be ethical to do so? What effect would this likely have on your child’s emotional health?
Dogs have no choice as to the homes that we bring them into. They didn’t ask to be part of our lives. Surely, if we choose to share our lives with a completely dependent sentient being, it is our duty to meet THEIR NEEDS, not their duty to meet ours. We are responsible for their wellbeing; they are not responsible for ours.
Of course, if we are wise, we choose dogs that will suit our lifestyle in the hopes of fulfilling both their needs and ours. If we enjoy training, we should choose a breed or type of dog that thrives on working closely with people. If we want a companion for trail running, we will hopefully choose a dog that gets great pleasure from moving freely in open spaces. If we have a more sedate lifestyle, we could choose a breed of dog (or adopt an older adult dog) that has lower energy levels and for whom quieter companionship may bring great pleasure.
However, in these cases we are choosing a dog that suits our lifestyle so that we can meet THEIR needs with relative ease. When it comes to emotional support dogs, there seems to be no realistic choice of breed or type and the focus is entirely on our emotional needs. Despite it often being described in the most warm and fuzzy way, there is nothing romantic about placing the burden for your emotional health on a captive, sentient being.
I don’t want to minimise anyone’s emotional or mental health challenges. The older I get, the more I realise how hard life is and the extent to which we all struggle, some disproportionately more than others. I firmly believe that there should be support available for anyone who wants help for the difficulties they are facing and that we should all be compassionate and kind to the people we deal with. But I find it hard to accept that dogs, with their own personalities and struggles and inability to regulate themselves emotionally at times, are going to be the answer. As someone who has worked with dog guardians for over 25 years, I can’t help but recognise the high levels of stress and anxiety often caused BY dogs when they don’t live up to people's expectations or have complicated challenges.
Of course, I believe that dogs can bring us great joy, comfort, companionship and a reason to get up in the morning. Absolutely. But in most cases, it is CARING FOR that dog, that gives people meaning, purpose and fulfilment, not the other way around.
