A Psychiatric Service Dog is a dog that helps its handler, who has a mental (psychiatric) disability. Examples of mental disabilities that may sometimes qualify a person for a Service Dog include, but are not limited to: Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Autism, Anxiety Disorder, and Schizophrenia.
Like all other types of service dogs, a Psychiatric Service Dog helps its handler mitigate his disability through trained work and tasks, including, but not limited to:
picking up/retrieving objects or aiding with mobility when the handler is dizzy from medication or has psychosomatic (physical) symptoms (i.e. pain, leaden paralysis, severe lethargy, etc.)
waking the handler if the handler sleeps through alarms or cannot get himself out of bed
alerting to and/or responding to episodes (i.e. mood changes, panic attacks, oncoming anxiety, etc.)
reminding the handler to take medication if the handler cannot remember on his own or with the use of an alarm
alerting to and/or distracting the handler from repetitive and obsessive thoughts or behaviors (such as those brought on by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
as well as many other tasks directly related to the specific handler's disability.
A Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSDs) may be of any size and of any breed suited for public work. Many are owner-trained (trained by the person who will become the dog's handler, with or without the help of a professional trainer), but, increasingly, service dog training programs are recognizing the need for dogs to help individuals with psychiatric disabilities. Some Psychiatric Service Dog handlers may choose to refer to their dogs as Alert or Medical Response Dogs, depending on what the dog does for them.
In the USA, handlers of PSDs are entitled to the same rights and protections afforded to handlers of other types of service dogs, such as Guide Dogs, Hearing Dogs, and Mobility Dogs, under federal laws. Like all other types of Service Dogs (SDs), Psychiatric Service Dogs are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the disabled person. They have also been trained to act discretely in public places, such as laying quietly under the table in a restaurant, keeping tightly to the handler's side and not sniffing anything on the shelves of grocery stores, and ignoring other people and animals.
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I was told by someone on yahoo answers I could not get one of these dogs to try to get an ESA dog.... I have SERVE anxiety mild panic attacks and mild OCD and depression. I at this point wont leave my house at all. My doctor though ESA was a great idea for me if I could take him in the public to help over come my fears and help with my panic attacks (will pass out in public)........I don't have a therapist can my Primary doctor write the prescription for the ESA or the psychiatric dog ? Also I have it documated that I have these disorders and phobia's but do I need to go to the court to make it 100% before I can get a ESA dog?
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You don't get a prescription for a dog. You have to get your doctor's recommendation and then apply to receive a dog from any number of organizations that train them. Find some organizations and look at their application process. It's not easy to get a service dog of any kind and generally there are waiting lists of a year or more.
Bottom line, Y&A is not the place to be getting this information. Do some actual research.
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- First, Yahoo answers is not the right place to be asking these questions. There are a lot of people who have NO IDEA what they are talking about but post like they are experts.
If your condition is disabling, you can get a psychiatric service dog. Technically, you could train one yourself, but from all of your posts, it appears that your disability is to the point that you are not going to be capable of doing this, so you need to focus on finding a program to train one for you.
An ESA is just a pet. They are not allowed in non pet friendly public places but are allowed in no pet housing and on planes with proper documentation.
Please, send me an email. I have experience with service dogs as I have trained my own. I will do my best to answer your questions and put you into contact with people in similar situations. - Nobody is stopping you from applying for a psychiatric service dog. What I said was that they cost money (typically around $5,000) and there is a waiting list (typically around 3 years). Whether you would qualify for one depends on the medical documentation you can provide. The diagnoses don't matter. What matters is the extent your condition limits your ability to perform major life activities (seeing, hearing, thinking, walking, etc.). Riding a bus is not a major life activity. If you do not have documentation from a mental health professional, your odds of being accepted are slim. A person so severely mentally ill as to be disabled by their condition is going to need some care from at least a therapist if not a psychiatrist. So step one is to see to your medical care by seeing some mental health professionals.
I'm fairly sure I already gave you a link for information on how to apply: http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content…
No matter how many times you ask the question, the answer isn't going to change. You have no legal right to take a pet places where pets are not permitted just because it makes you feel better. It doesn't matter what you call it, or what your doctor writes. If you aren't legally disabled and the dog isn't legally a service dog, then doing so or claiming so, is illegal. In some areas it is a crime punishable by fines and/or imprisonment and possible confiscation of the dog.
Either apply for a PSD from a program that trains them, or get a pet and take it only where pets are permitted. Those are your two choices. Unless you live in housing that doesn't permit pets, there's no point in even discussing emotional support animals. - If you look into a provider program for a psychiatric assistance dog Look at what limiting symptoms you might have. Would they qualify you as being substantially disabled under the ADA guidelines? What type of tasks could a dog be trained to do mitigate your disabilities.
Keep in mind comfort does not make a service animal. ESA's have no access rights to go with their handler into public access. .
Any program would need proper documentation of your limitations from the appropriate treating medical professionals . And a letter of need.
The other thing to consider is that getting a dog is stressful in and of itself. Getting a service dog can cause a whole different set of stressors. Think you can handle some mother screaming at you and chasing you through the store DEMANDING you allow their little screaming darling to PET your dog? Or store owners denying you access? With all the attendant headaches that involves?
A service dog requires more care and training upkeep to keep them happy working and to stay trained. having to pick up warm poop in all kinds of weather in places of public access. not ike yu can carry a pooper scooper with you. And by just having a dog with you everyone knows there has to be something WRONG with you. It puts you under a microscope. It can in fact create social anxiety.
Sometimes it can seem like one is carrying around a "kick me" sign with how nasty people can be to a person in public access with a service dog. You no longer can just blend in , disappear , and be invisible.
A service dog is not an end all cure all solution. - ES dogs do not have the same rights or training as service dogs. The law recently just changed slightly regarding service animals & you will need to speak to ppl who train service dogs & the right medical personnel. It is short description to help you understand. If you are wanting a dog to travel around with you for assistance, you need a service dog not Emotional Support.
A [b]service dog[/b] is individually trained to perform tasks that mitigate the disability of his owner. Training typically takes 18-24 months. Because of his advanced training, a service dog is considered medical equipment and is permitted to accompany his disabled owner to many places where pets are not permitted.
An [b]emotional support animal[/b] belongs to a person who is disabled. The person's doctor has determined that the presence of the animal is necessary for the disabled person's mental health and written a prescription stating the pet is necessary in the person's home, despite any "no pets" regulation of the landlord, for the person's health. Little or no training is required. The owner of an emotional support animal has no more right than any other pet owner to take their emotional support animal with them other to keep one in a home where pets are not permitted or to fly with one in a cabin when pets are not permitted.In short: service dog works to help the owner perform tasks he cannot perform on his own because of his disability, an emotional support animal works to improve the health of his owner who is disabled, and the therapy animal works with his owner to improve the health of others. - I don't know how much people in this forum are going to be able to help you, you might want to try posting in the mental illness forum, they might know more about it, Personally I did not know that these dogs existed but I am very interested now, thanks :)
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