ESA's Waste of Time or Helpful
ESA's Waste of Time or Helpful
Allison Jimenez
Ms. Galceran
23 September 2024
Having a pet has many advantages, one of which is that they are never critical of a
person. It doesn't matter if a dumb comment is made, if a shirt has ketchup stains on it, or if one's
breath smells. Pets frequently just smile to see us. They give us a sense of affection. The benefits
of animal compassion might extend well beyond short-term mood enhancements. Pets have been
shown by researchers like Rodriguez to lower stress, strengthen immune systems, and possibly
even facilitate learning. Gaining a better understanding of these benefits would encourage
individuals to spend more time with animals, which would benefit their physical and emotional
well-being.
The number of requests for Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) to live on campuses is
rising for colleges. But there are a lot of false beliefs out there regarding ESA-related legislation.
Faculty and students are the ones most affected, yet their opinions have not yet been officially
investigated in a published study. In the current study, 228 students (49 of whom were living
with an ESA) and 45 staff members were questioned regarding their knowledge of ESAs and
Policies pertaining to ESAs. The perceived advantages and disadvantages of having an ESA
while enrolled in college were questioned by participants. According to the results, the majority
of teachers and students support ESAs on campuses generally. On allowing ESAs in academic
contexts, however, opinions are far more divided. The rules controlling the students' attendance
on campus are not well understood by either of the two instructors. Support for stricter ESA
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accountability measures, such as training requirements and welfare concerns, was also indicated
by the study.
The presence of animals in general, and cherished pets in particular, has been shown to
offer significant psychological and health advantages in numerous studies. Pet owners report
lower blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, and feelings of isolation and loneliness, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A 2017 study found that having animals
around cancer patients reduced their anxiety and improved their academic performance. Animals
are used in hospitals, assisted living homes, schools, and even prisons to cure depression and
anxiety. Emotional support animal proponents contend that since having animals around has
been demonstrated to enhance patient outcomes, using emotional support animals is necessary
for treating patients with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. If a person with
a medical condition is considered to need a companion animal in order to live a regular life that
includes travel and appropriate housing, why can't someone with a different type of medical
requirement be refused the same accommodations? Proponents further claim that studies have
shown the benefits of a wide range of animals, such as crickets and turtles, proving that the
benefits of owning an emotional support animal are not limited by breed or species.
Emotional support animal opponents contend that the public nuisance that results from an
untrained animal in an inappropriate setting outweighs any benefits these animals may have as
pets and friends. They contend that people who have serious enough disabilities to require a
trained service animal, such a certified psychiatric service dog, should be eligible for one. An
entire industry has emerged to certify emotional support animals for a charge, in response to their
meteoric rise in popularity. Online services include everything from phone consultations that
lead to a letter of certification to badges and vests that seem like they belong to service animals
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that have received training. Additionally, there is no one type or species that is better suited for
the job because the benefit of an emotional support animal comes just from their presence. Large
birds, cats, dogs, and even rodents have all flown aboard airplanes as support animals, despite
Furthermore, detractors contend that having a companion animal may have detrimental
whether the benefits of having an animal are sufficient to warrant its use as a medical
requirement. Handling an untrained animal in a tense or improper setting can increase anxiety
and endanger the public's safety as well as the animal's. Emotional support animals are not
required to pass any tests on behavior or appropriateness, in contrast to service dogs, which go
through a rigorous process to guarantee they have a good temperament and are suited to
accompany their owners into a variety of circumstances. In the hectic and stressful world of
commercial aviation, an otherwise calm pet may become aggressive or fearful. Notable
instances included an attack on a man on a Delta Airlines flight in June 2017 that severely
disfigured him, and an incident on a Southwest Airlines flight in 2018 where another assistance
dog attacked a youngster. As of early 2018, Delta had recorded an 84 percent rise in occurrences
involving animals compared to 2016. When it comes to housing, detractors point out that
emotional support animals are frequently permitted to dwell in pet-free or size-restricted settings,
which may be wholly unsuitable for them and may negatively impact the quality of life for other
occupants. Support animals may need to be kept in areas that aren't meant for pet housing, such
Work Cited:
Press, Salem. “Point: Emotional Support Animals Serve a Vital Function.” EBSCO, Dec.
2018, www.ebsco.com/.
Stevens, Alison Pearce. “Pet Power.” Science News Explorers, Sept. 2024, EBSCO
Wilson, Amanda Goodman, and Lauren Highfil. “Faculty and Student Perceptions of the