For Comfort & Therapy Animals:

Although these two types of pet animals are now recognized as providing a valuable service to the elderly and to others with a medical disability they have not yet reached the status of service animals.

Therefore, they are not normally* allowed in the cabin of aircraft, on trains or into restaurants or accommodations which normally do not allow pet animals.

DEFINITION

A THERAPY animal is normally a dog that has been obedience trained and screened for its ability to interact favorably with humans and other animals. The primary purpose of a therapy dog is to visit people in hospitals, care homes and retirement centers who enjoy being visited by a friendly dog. They are generally handled by volunteers who both train the animals and then take them on visitations.

A COMFORT animal, sometimes referred to as an Emotional Support Animal, is usually a dog or a cat. Comfort animals are allowed to live in the premises of their owners in places where animals are not normally allowed, such as some condominiums with pet restrictions. It is generally required that the owner provide some evidence that they have a disability, usually mental, in which essential. Severe depression is just one of those disabilities that qualify. The owner must also provide a letter from a medical professional stating that the animal is necessary for the well being of the owner.

*Comfort Animals and their access to transportation and accommodations.

The rules for service animals are clearly set forth and their admittance to transportation and accommodations is guaranteed in the United States. Comfort Animals do not yet have this same guarantee although a growing number of transportation companies and some hotels that do not normally accept pets are accepting comfort animals.

The reason for the acceptance is usually confusion on the part of the airline or hotel as to exactly what the rules are.

The key to acceptance is a strongly worded letter from a medical professional stating that the well being of the pet's owner is at risk if they are separated from their pet. The most common reason is mental anxiety or depression and a letter from a psychiatrist will generally suffice. However, individuals with a heart condition may get a letter from their physician stating that the pet calms the pet owner and therefore reduces the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

Recent research suggests that people with psychiatric disabilities can benefit significantly from assistive animals, too. Emotional support animals have been proven extremely effective at ameliorating the symptoms of these disabilities, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, by providing therapeutic nurture and support.