Chapter 8: Emotional Support Animals in the Classroom
Discussion Points
Use of emotional support animals (ESA) for students exposed to trauma and many other students is becoming more common, and this simple strategy can sometimes make a profound difference for students. While therapists and parents or caregivers are often the instigators of this strategy for students with emotional needs, teachers may find that students “show up” with emotional support animals in the classroom, along with documentation from a licensed mental health care provider or doctor showing that the animal is, in reality an ESA. The Americans with Disabilities Act provides that ESAs will be allowed in schools if the ESA is essential to allow for the student's education. Within that final clause, there is some variance allowed for schools, so parents and caregivers should check with local schools on local school policy on ESAs in the classroom, once they have ESA documentation in hand. The facilitator should have a small teacher committee review the videos and resources below on ESAs in the classroom and explore local school district policy, prior to selecting this intervention option.
Recommended Videos
Therapy dog calms kids at Independence elementary school (youtube.com) (2 minutes):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK7srQ2Nfd0
This video presents the use of an ESA dog at an elementary school, and both teachers and students discuss how the ESA assists with stress in the classroom.
School Therapy Dog Helps Students (3 minutes):www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcbs9R8sGao
This is another example of how a school therapy dog can assist students in schools.
Emotional Support Dog Zoey Helps Hot Springs Students Cope with School During the Pandemic (2 minutes): www.youtube.com/watch?v=nza4A5mGLzE
This brief video focuses on the use of an ESA during the recent Covid Pandemic to assist students as they return to school.
This video presents the use of an ESA dog at an elementary school, and both teachers and students discuss how the ESA assists with stress in the classroom.
School Therapy Dog Helps Students (3 minutes):www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcbs9R8sGao
This is another example of how a school therapy dog can assist students in schools.
Emotional Support Dog Zoey Helps Hot Springs Students Cope with School During the Pandemic (2 minutes): www.youtube.com/watch?v=nza4A5mGLzE
This brief video focuses on the use of an ESA during the recent Covid Pandemic to assist students as they return to school.
Additional Resources
This information on Emotional Support Animals was Retrieved 9/13/23 from:
Emotional Support Animals: Are They Allowed in Schools? (studypreplounge.com)
_____Can I Bring an Emotional Support Animal to School?As an emotional support animal owner, it can be confusing to wade through the numerous rules and regulations about where emotional support animals (ESAs) are permitted and where they are not allowed. This article will discuss the policies about bringing emotional support animals onto school sites and college campuses.
_____What Is an Emotional Support Animal?An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides mental or emotional relief to individuals with an emotional disability or mental illness. ESAs typically assist with disorders such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. Anyone can own an emotional support animal, but to have official status, you must have a legitimate ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional who has verified your need for an assistance animal. Dogs are the most common emotional support animal, but cats are also quite common. Other animals, such as miniature horses, can also serve as emotional support animals. There are no rules about what species can qualify as an emotional support animal. However, you should not expect to be permitted to bring a large, unusual, or exotic animal to public places, including schools.
_____Do Emotional Support Animals Count as Service Animals?It’s essential to keep in mind that a service animal is different from an emotional support animal. Unlike ESAs, service animals are individually trained to help a physically or mentally disabled owner accomplish at least one specific task. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires schools to allow service dogs on campus because they are working animals that help their owner with practical daily activities. Emotional support animals have not completed the same extensive training as service animals. They may not have completed any training but simply provide comfort and emotional support through their positive relationship with their owner. Schools aren’t obligated to allow emotional support animals or therapy animals on campus because they are not service animals. However, some schools may permit students to bring an emotional support animal under certain circumstances.
_____Are Emotional Support Animals Allowed in Schools?Emotional support animals are sometimes allowed on college campuses, but it ultimately depends on the school’s regulations. Having the proper documentation from a licensed mental health professional can help prove to the school authorities that the animal helps alleviate mental or emotional disability symptoms. An ESA letter is essential to ensure that your assistance animal has official status. If you aren’t sure about a particular school’s policies on emotional support animals, consider researching state and local laws or contacting the school’s office. This should clarify whether your companion animal will be welcome on campus.
_____Emotional Support Animals in Public Schools (K-12)According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), students attending K-12 public schools are permitted to have an individually trained and fully certified service animal in school if the animal facilitates the student’s ability to access education. Beyond this legal requirement, it’s up to each school district to determine whether they will allow any other assistance animals in their schools. Since emotional support animals are not service animals, most school districts do not allow them on campus. For example, the Chicago Public Schools website states, “Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are NOT service animals under the ADA and are not allowed in any CPS school, on Board property or at Board events. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are also not considered service animals.” Therefore, it’s essential to check with your local school district about their regulations on emotional support animals and therapy animals. Most public schools don’t permit companion animals on campus. However, it’s still worth inquiring as some may allow exceptions to their policies in extraordinary circumstances and on a case-by-case basis. Private schools and schools with a significant proportion of special needs students may have different rules. Either way, having an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional will underline how important your emotional support animal is to your mental health.
_____Can I Bring an Emotional Support Animal to School?As an emotional support animal owner, it can be confusing to wade through the numerous rules and regulations about where emotional support animals (ESAs) are permitted and where they are not allowed. This article will discuss the policies about bringing emotional support animals onto school sites and college campuses.
_____What Is an Emotional Support Animal?An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides mental or emotional relief to individuals with an emotional disability or mental illness. ESAs typically assist with disorders such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. Anyone can own an emotional support animal, but to have official status, you must have a legitimate ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional who has verified your need for an assistance animal. Dogs are the most common emotional support animal, but cats are also quite common. Other animals, such as miniature horses, can also serve as emotional support animals. There are no rules about what species can qualify as an emotional support animal. However, you should not expect to be permitted to bring a large, unusual, or exotic animal to public places, including schools.
_____Do Emotional Support Animals Count as Service Animals?It’s essential to keep in mind that a service animal is different from an emotional support animal. Unlike ESAs, service animals are individually trained to help a physically or mentally disabled owner accomplish at least one specific task. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires schools to allow service dogs on campus because they are working animals that help their owner with practical daily activities. Emotional support animals have not completed the same extensive training as service animals. They may not have completed any training but simply provide comfort and emotional support through their positive relationship with their owner. Schools aren’t obligated to allow emotional support animals or therapy animals on campus because they are not service animals. However, some schools may permit students to bring an emotional support animal under certain circumstances.
_____Are Emotional Support Animals Allowed in Schools?Emotional support animals are sometimes allowed on college campuses, but it ultimately depends on the school’s regulations. Having the proper documentation from a licensed mental health professional can help prove to the school authorities that the animal helps alleviate mental or emotional disability symptoms. An ESA letter is essential to ensure that your assistance animal has official status. If you aren’t sure about a particular school’s policies on emotional support animals, consider researching state and local laws or contacting the school’s office. This should clarify whether your companion animal will be welcome on campus.
_____Emotional Support Animals in Public Schools (K-12)According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), students attending K-12 public schools are permitted to have an individually trained and fully certified service animal in school if the animal facilitates the student’s ability to access education. Beyond this legal requirement, it’s up to each school district to determine whether they will allow any other assistance animals in their schools. Since emotional support animals are not service animals, most school districts do not allow them on campus. For example, the Chicago Public Schools website states, “Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are NOT service animals under the ADA and are not allowed in any CPS school, on Board property or at Board events. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are also not considered service animals.” Therefore, it’s essential to check with your local school district about their regulations on emotional support animals and therapy animals. Most public schools don’t permit companion animals on campus. However, it’s still worth inquiring as some may allow exceptions to their policies in extraordinary circumstances and on a case-by-case basis. Private schools and schools with a significant proportion of special needs students may have different rules. Either way, having an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional will underline how important your emotional support animal is to your mental health.