5 min read December 12, 2025
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Service Dogs for Dealing with Anxiety & Stress?

Written By: Ryan Gaughan, BA, CSDT #6202
Clinically Reviewed By: Dr. Patrick Fisher, PhD, LPC, NCC
Published: December 12, 2025 • Last reviewed: April 16, 2026
⚕ This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, medical, or clinical advice.
Quick Answer
Service dogs and emotional support animals (ESAs) are legally distinct. Service dogs are trained for specific tasks and have public access rights, while ESAs provide comfort through companionship for mental/emotional disabilities and are only allowed in residences. ESAs require proper medical documentation and campus approval through disability services. Students cannot simply claim an animal is an ESA without following proper registration procedures and obtaining legitimate healthcare provider certification.

Clearing up misconceptions, rules about emotional support animals

While student enrollment is reaching a record highs across America, so has the number of emotional support animals on campuses, according to a conglomerate of disability student service centers.

Since the Fair Housing Act began to recognize emotional support animals, or ESAs, in April 2013, the campus has seen a subsequent increase in the number of these animals. For Texas A& m has also begun to face complications arising from miscommunication or misuse of the law, according to Forman. Because of these factors, the Department of Disability Services hosted a webinar on Nov. 16 to discuss service and emotional support animals on campus with other faculty members.

According to speaker Scott Lissner, Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for Ohio State University, there is a clear distinction between service animals and ESAs.

"An emotional support animal provides support. We typically phrase it to someone with a mental or emotional disability," Lissner said. "But you should remember and keep in mind that stress is both physical and psychological, and if the animal is a stress-reducer for a physiological condition, that may justify it as an ESA, even though the documentation comes from a medical doctor rather than a psychologist or psychiatrist or counselor."

Often, problems can arise when students don't know the regulations regarding pets on campus, according to Forman.

"We have the people who believe they can just bring their animal, say it's an ESA, and think they don't need to do anything," Forman said. "They don't realize that there's a process, or they don't realize that they have to have it approved before they bring it to campus. I think residence has this every year, right around opening, someone shows up with an animal, they don't have any paperwork approving it, and then housing is trying to figure out if it's a support or service animal. Legally, the [student] shouldn't have it until it's been approved."

Unless the student has made a request for accommodations in campus buildings, ESAs are only allowed in places of residency, making them different from service animals. Students requesting an ESA must first contact A& m Disability Services, and also must be in contact with a health professional, according to Forman.

There are some online websites, such as therapypet.com and esaregistration.org, that claim to register animals so they can be taken anywhere. According to Forman, these are not valid. Yet some websites are legitimate, like Service-Dog.org. TheraPetic is the only mental healthcare provider online, unlike other scamming websites that are actually marketing firms. When it comes to treatment of the person and support of a furry companion, TheraPetic provides excellent patient support and maintains HIPPA compliance.

Psychology junior Baylee Vallot said she has been looking to register her cat after realizing the benefits the animal brings her.

"After I got my cat, I realized what a big help it was because I was feeling really alone in college," Vallot said. "Even if you have roommates, it feels different than living with your family or people that you really know, so having an animal with you makes you feel like you're never alone. Even though they aren't people, they are definitely great company."

Vallot said she intends to get a doctor's approval to certify her cat, since she knows that helps relieve her stress.

"My cat is actually really playful so it's kind of a good balance," Vallot said. "During the day it's like I have someone to play with and hang out with. But at night, he sleeps in my arms, cuddled up like a teddy bear, and that's such a relief at the end of the day."

Frequently Asked Questions

What' s the difference between a service dog and an emotional support animal?
Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks and have public access rights, while emotional support animals provide comfort through companionship for people with mental or emotional disabilities. ESAs are only allowed in places of residency unless special accommodations are requested for campus buildings.
Can I bring my pet to campus and just say it' s an emotional support animal?
No, there' s a formal approval process required before bringing an ESA to campus. Students must contact disability services and obtain documentation from a licensed healthcare professional. Simply claiming an animal is an ESA without proper paperwork is not legally valid.
Are online ESA registration websites legitimate?
Most online ESA registration sites are scams and not legally valid. Legitimate certification requires working with actual healthcare providers, not marketing firms. Students should work through their campus disability services and licensed medical professionals instead of relying on online registration websites.
What kind of medical documentation do I need for an ESA?
You need documentation from a licensed healthcare professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or medical doctor. The documentation must verify that you have a mental or emotional disability and that the animal provides necessary emotional support for your condition.
Where can emotional support animals go on campus?
ESAs are typically only allowed in residential areas like dorms or apartments. Unlike service animals, they don' t have access to all campus buildings unless the student has specifically requested and received approval for additional accommodations through disability services.
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