Did you know that in addition to cats and dogs, rodents make excellent ESAs? Indeed, you heard that! Individuals are permitted to keep squirrels and other rodents as emotional support animals.
A report indicates that 6% of the global population has fallen prey to depression. About 20% of the people in the United States suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Myesadoctors have developed various methods for dealing with and treating mental illnesses. Obtaining the support of animals is a highly effective method for overcoming such impairments. These creatures are referred to as “emotional support animals.”
What exactly is a service animal?
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a special kind of pet that helps people who are mentally or emotionally ill or disabled. ESAs, unlike service animals, are not expressly taught to perform any tasks. They need to be trained and taught where to go to the bathroom. They assist with their companionship and presence.
Depression, stress, and anxiety are becoming more common as more people have them. People are turning to nontraditional methods like getting emotional and mental support from animals more and more as an alternative to traditional treatments.
Emotional support Animals are known for assisting individuals with various mental and emotional disorders. When Myesadoctors and therapists see this, they know these animals can help control and lessen these symptoms.
List of Emotional Support Animals
Any animal can serve as an emotional support animal. However, not all animals have the same rights as emotional support animals. Dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, miniature horses, and fish, among others, are “approved” animals by Myesadoctors that can serve as emotional support animals.
But they eat insects and worms that could harm plants and flowers. Having these in your backyard will aid in pest management.
Can a squirrel serve as an emotional companion?
As with other animals, a squirrel can be an emotional support animal. Squirrels are small, furry animals that are very active and can be a great ESA because they can teach you how to stay happy no matter what.
How Effective Are Emotional Support Squirrels?
Like other ESAs, emotional support squirrels offer mental and physical health advantages.
• Loneliness:
Squirrels are incredibly social animals. Although it may not sit on your lap like a cat or a dog, it will eat out of your hand, and its cheerful disposition will brighten you up.
• Assist in Garden or Backyard Maintenance:
Squirrels are omnivores but eat insects and worms that could harm plants and flowers. Having these in your backyard will aid in pest management.
• Physical Fitness:
Squirrels enjoy running. Therefore, you must run after them if you want to catch them. This will benefit your physical health in general.
Every animal can provide emotional assistance, but not every animal can be controlled. It is crucial to have command over your ESA. Whether you are in public or even at home, your ESA should behave appropriately.
Possessing an emotional support squirrel might also have disadvantages.
- You and your neighbors are at risk from emotional support squirrels. These companions cannot be trusted completely. Unpredictable and potentially destructive when in a bad mood.
- Squirrels are rodents. They cannot behave and are not trained.
- Unlike an emotional support dog and cat, you cannot bring your emotional support squirrel anywhere.
- Squirrels are unable to survive in confined and closed environments. In contrast to cats and dogs confined to houses, squirrels cannot be kept inside.
Emotional Assistance No Squirrels Allowed on Flights
The Americans with Disabilities Act protects the rights of many animals that are used to help people feel better. No one with a mental or emotional disability can be mistreated under federal law, and they have all rights, including the right to live, travel, and work wherever they want.
Many legal protections are accorded to ESA owners. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities can lead regular lives. They have the right to an ESA for emotional and mental support and are permitted to live and travel with it at no cost.
The Air Carrier Access Act says that people with emotional support animals have the right to fly with them without having to pay extra. However, only a few pets are permitted by law to fly with you. Under certain conditions, only dogs, cats, and a few other animals are permitted.
Squirrels and other animals that could hurt others are not allowed on the plane.
On October 10, 2018, a woman from Orlando flew with her emotional support animal to Cleveland. The woman took a squirrel onto the plane, which the flight attendants could not have cared less about.
The woman tried to bring her squirrel on flight 1621 from Orlando to Cleveland on Frontier Airlines.
When asked to deplane, the woman who brought a squirrel onto a Frontier flight refused. According to the airlines, the woman mentioned bringing her emotional support animal, but she did not clarify whose animal it was.
The flight was messed up because a passenger wouldn’t get off the plane and give the authorities her emotional support animal. The woman was eventually removed from the airport after police were called due to her refusal to leave.
The incident created a buzz across all media channels, and a video on Twitter with the caption, “I just want everyone to know that my trip to Cleveland was canceled because a woman brought a squirrel on board,” went viral.
You can bring an emotional support animal to public places, but this privilege comes with obligations and restrictions. The animal must not be dangerous, like a flying squirrel, which could cause damage.
You and your ESA have several benefits and privileges if you comply with the law. Pets like cats, dogs, miniature horses, rabbits, and hamsters that are good travelers can fly with you.
However, rodents such as squirrels and “emotional support peacocks” are strictly prohibited.
Choose how you feel about animals and get an ESA letter from MyEsaDoctors so you can travel and live freely with them.
