Assistance Animal Types

While often used interchangeably, service, therapy, and emotional support animals, fulfill distinctly different roles. Service animals undergo extensive training to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities, offering greater independence and safety in daily life. These animals receive the most comprehensive legal protections and public access rights. Emotional support animals provide comfort through their presence to those with diagnosed mental health conditions, receiving some housing and travel accommodations but without the extensive public access granted to service animals. Therapy pets work with handlers to offer comfort to multiple people in settings like hospitals, schools, and nursing homes, yet typically carry no special legal status. The chart below provides helpful examples for these differences.