Life Is Better With An Animal

You could say that’s just a dog being a dog, but the difference is the owner. I need him just as much as he once needed me. His presence has turned the tide of my battle with anxiety and depression in my favour, but I still fight for happiness every day.

I used to take Maui everywhere, but I tried to be courteous: I went to the supermarket late at night, I would ask people if he was welcome in their home, and if someone was nervous around dogs, he’d stay on the lead. Mostly it was simple, but there were times I’d have to leave him in the car – weather permitting – or he’d have to stay home, and I’d worry without him.

Maui has been a necessary part of my daily routine, just like a service animal. His support may be mental, but it’s treating an illness regardless. In addition to my mental illnesses, I also have hearing loss. While I’ve had problems getting support for both, I’ve had far more trouble pushing for ESA-related accommodations.

One of the most difficult situations people with ESAs face today is getting onto a flight. Even people with service animals can have a difficult time despite laws protecting their presence in public places so, as you might expect, ESAs have it even harder. ESAs are part of a passenger’s well-being, and the law needs to do better to protect their rights. Likewise, it would be great to see UK law recognise ESAs as service animals too.

Some people have ESAs that aren’t dogs or cats, such as guinea pigs or birds. In these cases, the animals are typically confined to carriers when travelling for the safety of the animal, so they will have no interaction with the outside world. My guinea pigs stayed in my home or dorm as opposed to a dog like Maui who has travelled most places with me. As the law in the US stands, a person cannot be denied housing for having an ESA, but because landlords reserve the right to deny housing for other reasons, it becomes difficult to prove denial due to the ESA. In cases like these, better legislation needs to be implemented to accommodate for exotic animal ESAs.

Despite a recent increase in mental health awareness, suicide has been on the rise in the US. If more countries had legislation to defend ESAs’ rights, more people would have the opportunity to benefit from having a companion which could both improve mental health and reduce suicide rates. An increase in the number of ESAs could also increase adoption rates of rescue animals like Maui.

Fountain, Treecart and Maui have helped me overcome so much just being by my side. ESAs can be alternatives or used in combination with medication or therapy to help people deal with their mental illnesses, but more governments need to support this by making these necessary changes. If we can help more people just by letting them love animals, we should let that love heal.