The Benefits of Having an Emotional Support Dog

By MVK
When You Are Sick They Are There for You

I was diagnosed with schizophrenia over 12 years ago, when I turned 40. I had persecution paranoia, severe anxiety and was hearing and following voices. I also had delusions that were very beautiful and although brief in duration, they gave me great insight into what seemed to be a very spiritual world. It took a few months, but the right medications were found for me which turned down the volume on the voices I was hearing. I was relieved that the evil voices were gone, but saddened that those that seemed good were also gone. The one thing I learned early on in my illness, however, was that all the voices lied, regardless of my interpretations. This was hard to believe for one as trusting as I.

During this period, I had two miniature pinscher dogs that were my constant companions. Although they could not help with the voices I heard, they did comfort me and give me a reason to get up in the morning and deal with the day. I would jog with them in the morning and that helped with the anxiety, and when I was hearing frightening scenarios at night, they knew I was distressed and in fear and would curl up beside me as I laid in bed with fast beating heart and rapid breathing. 

Both dogs have since passed away, but last year I was blessed to get another dog—a miniature pinscher/chihuahua mix puppy that I named Elsa. She is a constant source of joy for me as she gives me an outlet to release some of the love I have inside. And she feels the same towards me and follows me around wherever I go. There is something about having a dog that benefits me. 

It has been found that Oxytocin, a powerful hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, increases when we stare into the eyes of our dog. Oxytocin, also called the love hormone, creates a bonding loop between dog and human; its release into defined regions of the brain affects emotional, cognitive, and social behaviors. That is why so many people say they feel better after spending time with their dog. This bonding loop also holds true for cats, but to a lesser degree. 

“It’s an incredible finding that suggests that dogs have hijacked the human bonding system,” says Brian Hare, an expert on canine cognition at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  Hare says the discovery might lead to a better understanding of why service dogs are so helpful for people with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

But Elsa is not a service dog; she is an emotional support dog. Emotional support dogs assist people who suffer from a wide range of mental illnesses. They perform no specific tasks but rather provide comfort, support and emotional stability in the forms of affection and companionship. 

All this information aside, what does this mean for me in terms of my dog? Well, when I am in distress, she runs to my side and gives me kisses, and when I am feeling depressed or anxious, she simply stays near me and reminds me that there is a life form who cares. She gives me a reason to go out for long walks which helps keep me healthy, both in body and mind. She is my mood stabilizer as I can hug her when needed and I always get back a loving response. 
Having a dog gets me out of the house and enables me to socialize with people in my neighborhood. Even when I feel like isolating, people will approach and ask about her; or, if they have a dog too, our dogs will socialize while we humans chat a bit. People walking dogs just seem more approachable. 

At home, I am never alone. So, when I clean and cook or am reading a book or playing piano, she is near to me, watching my every move and keeping me company. She helps ground me in reality as she does not let my thoughts wander too far off track. If they do, she nudges me with her nose and lets me know that it is time to do something else.   

There is great responsibility in caring for a dog, however. Illness or injury can affect her life in which case I must be prepared to obtain veterinary care. Recently, she had a growth appear on her leg and I was very worried, but had to make a decision to forego the vet and treat with a topical agent that was recommended to me as the growth was thought to be bacterial in nature. Fortunately, this did the trick and her leg got better. But not all things can be treated this way and one must be prepared to pay for vet care. 

One should write down the pros and cons of having a dog before getting one. And then, once a decision is reached, if a dog is desired, find one with the right energy level to match your lifestyle. Elsa has a good deal of energy in her so I must exercise her well during the day. This entails long walks and play time and training time. She is a perfect match for me because I wanted a dog to exercise with as well as having a companion. 

Dogs are not cuddle toys to make one feel better. They have needs and feelings just like any living being and should be respected. It is a privilege to have a dog, which is not something to take for granted. 

I care for, love and respect my dog and in turn I am given an abundance of love and support from her. She is there for me 24/7 and is in tune to my many states. My dog is central to my emotional well-being as a person who lives with a severe form of mental illness. While Elsa cannot eliminate symptoms when they arise, she can help alleviate the power they have over me. This small loving dog gives me the support I need to face my daily challenges and move forward with my life. 

Animal Companions Help Us to Heal

Animal Companions Help Us to Heal
By Dan Frey, Editor-in-Chief, City Voices

RIP Parker Henry Brooks Frey

Animal companions are a beautiful part of life. They bring joy, love, and unending affection to people with or without psychiatric disabilities. They help to heal us. We are dearly missing Parker Henry Brooks, our animal companion of ten years. Those were the best ten years of our life. Rest in peace Parker. We will strive to live as you have lived—in the moment, with enduring optimism and boundless love.

Pets can play an important role in your recovery. We have all heard of service animals, but have you heard of “emotional support animals?” These are just what the name implies and studies have proven that pets help us to heal from trauma and increase our life expectancy and quality of life. 

For 12 years, Community Access, Inc. has been running a “Pet Access” program that helps their clients acquire and maintain their furry little companions. For information on Pet Access or how you can advocate for having pets in your program, you can contact City Voices via CityVoices1995@gmail.com. Pets should be an option for anyone who has survived trauma, especially people with a psychiatric history.

Emotional Support Dogs and Service Dogs for People with Mental Illness

Emotional Support Dogs and Service Dogs for People with Mental Illness

By Cissy Stamm, Co-Founder, New York Area Assistance Dogs

You Too Can Benefit from Animal Companionship

The Basics

Something happens when humans and animals interact. For millennium we’ve been aware of it. Now the science is developing. Much of the effect of human/animal interaction appears to be the result of the release of the hormone oxytocin, often called the bonding hormone between mother and nursing child. It now appears that the release of oxytocin may be mutual, meaning both the animal and the human experience it.

For the research on the reasons behind the beneficial effects of human/animal interaction and what those benefits are, a summary of the research can be found at: Psychosocial and Psychophysiological Effects of Human-Animal Interactions: The Possible Role of Oxytocin http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408111/

This is good information to give to any healthcare provider if you are considering getting an emotional support animal (or service dog), especially if you live in “No Pets” housing.

One of the first things that need to be clarified is proper and legal terminology.

Therapy Animals

A Therapy Animal is an animal that provides comfort to a person other than its owner. The animal can in addition act as an emotional support animal for its owner. Therapy dogs usually have to go through special training for this kind of work, be certified and have insurance, normally provided through the organization that trains therapy animals and arranges pet visitation in various venues.

Emotional Support Animals

An Emotional Support Animal is an animal that provides comfort and support to a person with a psychological disability. They need not have any specialized training, and are not considered pets for the purposes of most housing pet limitations. They are legally covered under the Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations and are considered “reasonable accommodations” so that people with disabilities can have enjoyment of their homes equal to that of people without these conditions. A request for reasonable accommodation must be given to one’s landlord in “no pets” housing or housing that has pet weight limits (which your animal may exceed) if your animal is for emotional support. A letter from a healthcare provider stating the need for the animal is required. It need not state the nature of one’s disability. It is important to note that Emotional Support Animals do not have public access with their handlers, except under certain conditions, on airlines. Emotional support dogs must not create a nuisance in housing. A sample request for accommodation letter for a landlord can be found at Fair Housing Information Sheet # 6, Bazelon Center Right to Emotional Support Animals in "No Pet" Housing: http://www.bazelon.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=mHq8GV0FI4c%3D&tabid

Service Animals

A Service Animal is a dog who has been trained to do tasks to mitigate an ADA-covered disability. A description of a service dog and the laws covering its use can be found at: Revised Service Animal Brief http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

It is very important to note that most individuals are not qualified to train a service dog and will need professional help. People using service dogs have access with their dogs to places the public can normally go. Service dogs are expected to behave appropriately in public and not bark, bite, to be house-broken, and not interact with other people or dogs without the handler’s permission.

Another thing that must be considered when thinking about a service dog is one’s ability to deal calmly with situations in which one is denied access because s/he is accompanied by their service dog. This can happen at any time whenever you encounter an employee or owner who isn’t familiar with or doesn’t care about the law. If you are not prepared for the possible stresses of public access, you might be better served not considering a service dog.

In either case, one needs to be able to afford to feed a service dog (food allowance under SNAP still being tested), and veterinary care and training if necessary.

Reasonable accommodation as described for emotional support animals should also be requested for service dogs in no-pets housing.

Persons with questions on emotional support animals or service dogs in housing can contact their local HUD office. Questions on service dogs in employment and places of public accommodation can be answered by the ADA hotline: 800-514-0301 (Voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY) or you can contact Cissy Stamm at New York Area Assistance Dogs for free information and advocacy at 212-677-4383.

Pullout: “An Emotional Support Animal...provides comfort and support to a person with a psychological disability...need not have any specialized training, and are not considered pets for the purposes of most housing pet limitations.”