A pet can sometimes be a comfort to a person who is having emotional challenges or is recovering from emotional trauma. Unfortunately, not all places are pet-friendly unless the person can show that the pet provides a service. There is a way that an individual can get something called service pet certification. Here’s some information about that and how it can help a pet owner to bring the animal with him or her place that would normally forbid it.
What Is a Service Dog?
A service pet is a pet that helps a human being to complete a task that he or she has difficulty completing without its assistance. Various types of service pets exist. One common example of a service pet is a seeing-eye dog, which helps a legally blind person to find his or her way in stores and different public outlets. Other animals such as cats can provide services to people who need them, but dogs are the most common pets that individuals use.
What Is a Therapy Dog?
A therapy dog or an emotional support dog is a dog that provides emotional assistance. These pets can help a trauma survivor with trust and affection. In other words, they can provide companionship to people who may have a mistrust for other human beings. Such animals may be necessary for a person to function at a normal capacity because of an emotional issue or a disability. Unfortunately, sometimes public establishments don’t easily see an animal’s necessity to its owner. Documentation is something that can help with that immensely.
What Is Service Dog Certification?
Service dog documentation is a form that declares an individual’s need for a service animal. It shows that the animal has been registered as a service pet and that the owner apparently needs the services to function in some capacity. The document can exercise the power of persuasion so that the pet owner does not have to separate from it.
How to Get Service Dog Credentials
One way to get service animal credentials is to register the pet with an accredited organization such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or an affiliate. The organization will put the pet in its registry and issue an official certificate that classifies the animal as a service pet. The paper usually shows that the pet’s owner has accepted a specific set of behavioral rules and has also had some additional training. This document can trump the verbal declaration that many pet owners give inside of public establishments.
How Service Dog Authentication Can Help
The paperwork can provide the pet owner with the written physical certification that he or she needs to get past “no pet” issues. Many pet owners have succeeded in taking their pets on airplanes and moving into complexes that don’t normally allow pets. This provides a calm and peaceful environment for those who need their pets for emotional support.
A small fee may be involved in getting certification, but it is well worth the investment for a person who has experienced problems trying to keep the pet with him or her. Certification may provide the pass that he or she needs.