Did you know that any household pet can be an Emotional Support Animal?
Any type of animal can be used as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). An Emotional Support Animal can also be called an assistance animal.
I have had an experience with an ESA. After a major surgery I had, there was an ESA that came to visit me in the hospital. The animal that came to visit me was a dog named Wilson. Wilson was able to jump up on my bed and cuddle with me. Having Wilson come and visit me made me feel a whole lot better.
Some animals that can be used in this program are all domesticated animals. Some examples of the types of animals that are used are mice, rats, birds, snakes, dogs, cats, rabbits, mini pigs, hedgehogs, and ferrets. These are just a few of the animals that can be used.
Animals that are used as Emotional Support Animals don’t need any special training like other service animals. Most Emotional Support Animals are dogs or cats, but the most common animal that is used is dogs. A few emotional disorders that assistance animals are used for are anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Loreen Houdek started doing therapeutic riding in February of 2013. The thing that caused her to start Horse and Soul Ranch was that she felt there was a need for more help to be available for abuse survivors of any sort of abuse whether mentally, emotionally, physically, etc. from age 6 and up. The individuals that are able to ride at the Horse and Soul Ranch are anyone that has the willingness and desire and is physically able. Some of them choose not to ride and just spend time with the horses.
The way that Loreen chooses which horses to use is by a criteria on horses manners, attitude, and temperament. She also matches up introverts to introvert horses and extroverts to extrovert horses, and she also discusses with the guests what their goals and desires are to learn with the horses. The thing that gave her the idea to work with therapeutic animals was her personal experience with my horses, which has helped her tremendously. She stated, “As I am an abuse survivor myself, I want to help people in need that my horses would be able to help.” She also has had a variety of horses that have been abused themselves and came to the ranch and have thrived on the love. They continue to help the guests that come to the ranch.
Another reason that she started the ranch is that she believes that everyone is equal and deserves to be treated that way. Here at the ranch, they do not judge anyone by what they are going through, OR where they are in their journey. They are here to let people know that they are loved and no different. The horses help people live in the moment, not in the past or the future. Horses don’t lie, judge, or care about what we wear. Horses have the biggest heart, and they forgive.
References
•https://www.nsarco.com/emotional-support-info.html#b2
•https://www.animallaw.info/article/faqs-emotional-support-animals#s17
•http://www.pettravel.com/passports_comfort_animals.cfm
•http://ct.counseling.org/2015/04/confirming-the-benefits-of-emotional-support-animals/
•https://www.anxiety.org/emotional-support-animals-help-anxiety
Dominique Dobson is a student at Mabel-Canton High School. She is one of eight area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its eighteenth year.
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