Commitment to Care: Service Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs, and Therapy Dogs: What’s the Difference? 

Dogs are known for their loyalty and unconditional love, but some go above and beyond to serve humans in truly life-changing ways. Whether it’s guiding someone with vision loss, providing comfort during emotional distress, or lifting spirits in a hospital, certain dogs are trained or designated to help people in different capacities. However, not all assistance dogs are the same. Understanding the differences between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs is important—especially when it comes to legal rights, training requirements, and where they are allowed to go. 

🦮 Service Dogs 

Definition: Service dogs are specially trained to perform specific tasks directly related to a person’s disability. These dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Examples of Tasks They Perform: 

• Guiding someone who is blind 

• Alerting a person with diabetes to low blood sugar 

• Assisting during seizures 

• Reminding a person to take medication 

• Pulling a wheelchair or opening doors 

Access Rights: Service dogs are legally allowed to accompany their handler anywhere the public can go—including restaurants, stores, hospitals, and airplanes. 

Training: These dogs undergo rigorous, specialized training and must be well-behaved in all public settings. Training for their specific task typically takes between 18 and 24 months.  They are not considered pets when working. 

🐾 Emotional Support Dogs 

Definition: Emotional support dogs provide comfort simply by being with their owner. They help individuals with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or PTSD, but they are not trained to perform specific tasks. 

Legal Protections: While they are allowed in housing under the Fair Housing Act (with a letter from a licensed mental health professional), they are not permitted in most public places (like restaurants or stores) unless the location is pet friendly. 

Training: Emotional support animals (ESAs) do not require formal training but must always be well-behaved and under control. 

Important Note: ESAs are no longer guaranteed access on airplanes under federal law as of 2021. 

🐕‍🦺 Therapy Dogs 

Definition: Therapy dogs are trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, disaster areas, and more. They are often part of a volunteer program and work with a handler. 

Who They Help: Unlike service and ESA dogs that support one individual, therapy dogs are there to help others—offering stress relief and joy in group settings. 

Access Rights: Therapy dogs do not have special public access rights. They can only go where they are invited or allowed by a facility. 

Training: While not required by law, most therapy dogs undergo certification through therapy dog organizations and must pass behavioral evaluations to ensure they are friendly, calm, and tolerant of different people and environments. 

Understanding these distinctions helps ensure that all assistance animals are used appropriately and responsibly. Each type of dog plays an important role in the lives of those they help—and respecting the boundaries of their role helps protect the rights of those who truly depend on them.