Home Page › Blog › Do I Need a Doctor’s Note for a Service Dog? – Service Dog Requirements
Do I Need a Doctor’s Note for a Service Dog? – Service Dog Requirements
![service dog doctor](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/service-dog-doctor.jpg)
With the chaotic times we live in, many people are having difficulties both emotionally and mentally. When a person finds themselves in this situation, they may feel overwhelmed and even hopeless. When this happens, some doctors and mental health professionals are recommending the use of service dogs. However, the term “service dog” is becoming a “catch-all” term. Real service dogs are trained to perform a specific task for the physically or mentally challenged individual. This also includes psychiatric service dogs for folks that suffer from PTSD or bipolar disorder (to name a couple).
Why do professionals feel a service dog can be beneficial? It is simply the “nature of the beast.” Any pet parent knows the canine species has an innate ability to know when their owner is troubled. Sometimes just the presence of an animal in one’s life can bring a certain amount of comfort. However, when the dog is trained to perform a specific task that directly relates to alleviating the effects of the emotional or mental condition, it now becomes a partner in that person’s treatment plan.
Although doctors and mental health professionals can recommend a service dog, you do not need a doctor’s note in order to have a service dog.
Benefits of the Service Dog
The tasks performed by a service dog for the physically disabled and one for those with a mental illness are different.
For a physically challenged individual, a service dog will do what that person cannot do for themselves. This could include;
- Retrieving dropped items
- Opening doors
- Leading the person
- Being the person’s ears to hear alarms, doorbells, ringing phones, etc.
- Contacting a person if the individual is in an emergency situation
- Physically aiding the patient if having a seizure or other health issue
- Alerting the individual to drops in blood sugars or of an oncoming seizure.
The psychiatric service dog (PSD) is also trained but in a different capacity. The PSD can be trained to perform the following tasks;
- Help guide a person home after a dissociative episode
- Find a person or a place (like an exit) if the handler is having a panic attack and cannot call out for help.
- Do a room-to-room search for a person who suffers from PTSD and hypervigilance syndrome.
- Signal for certain sounds like smoke alarms (this is for the person that may be heavily medicated)
- Bring help in case the person is in hiding due to fright
- Fetch medication in an emergency
Can I Train my Service Dog?
Yes, by law you can train your dog to be a service animal; however, it is highly recommended to enlist the aid of a professional, especially for those tasks that you may not be able to physically teach the dog due to a disability.
Service Dog Proof for Landlords, Airlines, Restaurants, etc.
The American’s With Disabilities Act does protect the privacy rights of individuals with mental or physical disabilities. In fact, there are only two questions a landlord or an airline employee can ask you.
- Is the dog a service dog?
- What task(s) does the dog perform for you?
This is step one in dealing with folks that may give you a hard time in regards to your service animal.
The second step is to react to the situation in a calm manner. Remember, these individuals may not know your rights and are only trying to do their jobs. Explain your above reasons and if you do have a doctor’s note, this would be the time to present it.
The third step in this process is one you will hopefully not have to deal with; the flat-out refusal. Under the Fair Housing Act, you can ask a “no pets’ policy housing development to provide you with reasonable accommodation for your service dog.
If you are refused, even after you have presented a doctor’s note (only required for Emotional Support Animals), you can contact the Housing and Urban Development office in your area. These people are trained to fight for your rights.
If an airline refuses to allow your service dog into the cabin of the plane, you can contact a manager on the spot or call the individual airlines customer service number to file a complaint.
Recently a 13-year-old girl with cerebral palsy won her case in the supreme court to bring her service dog, Wonder, to her classes. After her parents exhausted all their options in dealing with the school directly, they decided to go to court. This win will hopefully begin to break down those barriers to help other students with their service dogs.
Service Dog Vest & Registration
It is not legally necessary to register your service dog, but it does offer some benefits. These include;
- Dog and handler are entered into a database
- Service dog vest is issued, making it easier for people to identify your canine as a “working dog”
- ID badges and a certificate are also issued for further proof
Service Dog or ESA?
If you do not need your dog to provide a specific task, but need to have it around for emotional purposes, then you may qualify for an Emotional Support Animal.
The ESA is there to provide comfort and support for the individual that suffers from an emotional or mental issue. To qualify for an emotional support animal, you must have a medical professional write you a note stating your need.
Once you have your ESA, you will not have the same rights as you would with a service dog. However, you are still eligible to live in “no pets” policy rentals with your ESA at no additional cost.
![Three Types of Assistance Animals - Comparison Infographic - ServiceDogCertifications](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/sdc-3_types_of_assistance_animals.webp)
Share this image on your site
Know Your Rights
Know your rights when it comes to having a service dog. As long as your canine helper is aiding your life with a specific task that you cannot do for yourself, it can be considered a service dog. Whether you train it yourself or register it when it’s completed training, businesses, schools, airlines, and your landlord must recognize your canine as a working dog. If you do run into any ignorant persons, calmly explain yourself, then take your complaints to the appropriate entities.
About the Author: The writing team at Service Dog Certifications is made up of folks who really know their stuff when it comes to disability laws and assistance animals. Many of our writers and editors have service dogs themselves and share insights from their own experiences. All of us have a passion for disability rights and animals.
86 comments
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Latest Posts
![When to Tell Your Landlord About Your Emotional Support Animal](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/tell-landlord-emotional-support-animal-800x418-2-300x157.webp)
When to Tell Your Landlord About Your Emotional Support Animal
If you have your ESA letter, the next step is to tell your landlord about your emotional support animal and share your letter with them. We recommend telling your landlord about your ESA as soon as possible after getting your ESA letter. That may mean before or after you have signed the lease or moved […]
![](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/themes/maya-child/images/link-shadow.png)
Read More
![How a Dog’s Internal Clock Works](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/dog-internal-clock-800x418-1-300x157.webp)
How a Dog’s Internal Clock Works
Service dogs can be trained to remind you when to take medication, perform a scheduled task to keep you moving forward, or other time-sensitive functions. Since they cannot read time like humans, how does their “internal clock” know when you need to do something? That’s where their “superpowers” come into play. In short, the answer […]
![](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/themes/maya-child/images/link-shadow.png)
Read More
![How to Bring a Service Dog on the New York Subway](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/dog-new-york-subway-800x418-1.webp)
How to Bring a Service Dog on the New York Subway
Taking the New York City subway system with a service dog or psychiatric service dog is not only possible but fully protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Service dogs are allowed on all NYC subway trains and in all stations without needing a carrier, special permit, or extra fee. This guide will cover everything […]
![](https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/wp-content/themes/maya-child/images/link-shadow.png)
Read More
When I was sitting at a scheduler’s desk to make my next appointment at a cancer center, the scheduler asked me, “Would you like information about our service animal policy?” I did not have my service animal with me, but I said I would like the information and was provided with their Service Animal Policy. Is that allowed?
I would like to get a PSD and am wondering how to go about getting one. If you could supply every step and detail to get one, it would be greatly appreciated.
Depending on the tasks your Service Dog would perform, you can narrow down what breed of dog you need. You may then want to adopt a dog from a reputable breeder or visit your local animal shelter to find a match. And you can find a trainer to teach your dog to perform the tasks needed, or you can train your dog yourself. You may find this article on how to get a Service Dog interesting – https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-get-a-service-dog/
I have PTSD and I have last stage COPD and my right hip gives out and I fall down a lot I’m on SSI I need a dog to help me I have ptsd because I lost my whole family do to a house fire lost my loving wife and my 16 yr old son my 15 yr old daughter and my 10 yr old daughter. It is still hard on me I cant have a camp fire it mess me up can you help I dont have much money to pay for one
I’m so sorry to hear about your losses. Obtaining a service dog can be a costly and time-consuming effort. If you don’t already have a dog, you could reach out to local animal shelters and see what options they have for you. This article https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-get-a-service-dog/ has some more information about getting a service dog.
If you cannot afford training and you just need a dog to live with you and possibly to travel by airplane, you could consider getting an emotional support animal letter. You may find this article on how to qualify for an ESA https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-qualify-for-an-emotional-support-animal/“
How do I apply for emotional support animal, my psychiatrist handed me a letter which states I need a service dog emotional
Did your therapist recommend a service dog or an emotional support dog? You may find this article on the difference between emotional support dog and service dog interesting https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/is-an-emotional-support-animal-same-as-a-service-dog/ It contains information on how to get a legitimate ESA letter. Hope that helps.
I had a problem with that too..
Talk to the owner and take it from there..That solved my problems but I got a lot of hate from the pool.cleaner…Know your rights..
Once a Dr. signs a form for an “ESA”, how
long is it good for? My Psychiatrist signed
a form for my old appartment complex,
on May 11, 2020 but never got the dog yet.
Is the form transferable to my new appartment complex?
An ESA letter, which qualifies you to own an Emotional Support Animal, is valid for 1 year from the issue date. After one year, you would need to revisit your doctor or therapist and reassess your need for the ESA. Within the duration of validity, you can use the letter for as many requests as you need. The ESA letter is issued to you as a person, not to a specific animal and not a specific housing complex. You may find this article on the legitimate emotional support letter interesting: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/legitimate-emotional-support-animal-doctors-note/
Real service dogs are trained to perform a specific task for the physically or mentally challenged individual.