How To Register Dog As Emotional Support Animal South Africa
By lesley de klerk.
How to register dog as emotional support animal south africa. To register an emotional support dog first you ll need to visit a mental health professional and ask for a letter stating your need for an emotional support animal. Pat volunteers share the joy and love of their animal companions with others and pat s role is to help facilitate this process. Of course if you already have a dog your choice will be clear but remember to be reasonable and train your dog if necessary. From offering companionship and the stability of a routine to serving as a trusted guide through anxiety inducing social situations emotional support animals offer invaluable support in addition to the non judgmental unconditional love that animals already provide so freely. Psychiatric service animals specially trained dogs who help humans whose mental state puts them in danger or prohibits them from leading a normal life.
It is fairly easy to register a dog as an emotional support animal but remember that only an esa letter will qualify a dog as a true emotional support animal. Our instructors are available to give telephonic advice and follow up visits as needed. Unlike an emotional support animal esa the service dog is a highly trained canine that provides assistance to those people that suffer from any number of conditions. How south african guide dogs association for the blind can assist you as a service dog owner. Emotional support animal esa these dogs are officially recognised and recommended by a medical professional.
Alternatively you can take a survey through an online mental health service to see if you qualify for a letter of need. Sabcap will serve the broad south african community and will ensure that people working as employees in the industry are protected by labour laws. You and your service dog are visited on an annual basis. Moreover it should have the date when it was written. Therapy animals help comfort patients in places like hospitals and schools.
It is a south african based non profit organisation that currently offers animal assisted therapy and animal assisted activity programs in west rand gauteng and our sister units in the east rand and vanderbijlpark paws for u and cape town paw pals. Most pet owners get much pleasure from the relationship they have with their pet. Pat provides assessment registration support and insurance for volunteers and their pets mostly dogs. From this brief background the non clinical companion animal industry needed a regulatory body to give recognition to people who want to render true professional services to the public. An emotional support animal can be a true lifesaver for someone dealing with mental health problems.
To qualify for an emotional support animal your esa letter must be written on the mental health professional s letterhead include his or her license type date of license license number and the state which issued the license. These conditions can include but are not limited to visual and hearing impairments seizure disorder diabetes mobility impairment and mental illnesses such as ptsd.