Guide Dog: This type of dog is considered a “working service dog.” Select this type if you have vision problems and your dog is trained to guide you in public places.
Hearing Dog: This is also a type of “working service dog.” Choose this type if your dog is trained to alert you to sounds you can’t hear or identify, such as alarm clocks, doorbells, ringing phones, car sounds, and other important sounds you have difficulty recognizing.
Dog in Training: If your dog is currently being trained to become a service dog but doesn’t yet qualify for registration, select the “In Training” type. Although service dogs in training don’t have federally protected rights, many public places still allow you to enter with a service dog in training.
Medical Alert/Response Dog: This type is considered a “working service dog.” Choose this type if your dog is trained to assist you when you experience a physical situation where you’re unable to perform essential life tasks yourself (retrieving items, opening doors, turning on lights, etc.).
Mobility Assistance Dog: This is a type of “working service dog.” Select this type if your dog is trained or has the ability to provide stability and support for balance or mobility issues caused by a physical disability.
Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD): This type is considered a “working service dog.” Choose this type if you have a mental or emotional disorder that substantially limits your ability to perform a major life task and your dog is trained to perform or assist you in performing that task. You will need a letter from a licensed therapist or psychiatrist clearly stating this.
Seizure Alert Dog: This is a type of “working service dog.” Select this type if your dog is trained or has the ability to predict a seizure or seek assistance from others at the onset of a seizure.
Emotional support animals (ESAs) are animals that help alleviate emotional or psychological symptoms associated with a handler’s condition or disorder simply by their presence. ESAs are not required to be trained to perform any specific task related to a disability. All domesticated animals (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, hedgehogs, rodents, mini pigs, etc.) can be ESAs. The only legal rights of an ESA are to fly with their emotionally or psychologically disabled handler in the passenger cabin of an aircraft and to qualify for housing in pet-restricted housing. No other public or private entity (hotels, restaurants, stores, etc.) is required to allow ESAs to accompany you and in all other cases, your ESA has no more rights than a pet.
You will also need to be prepared to present a letter from a licensed mental health professional to airlines and property managers, stating that you have an emotional disability and that professional prescribes an emotional support animal for you.
Some animals innately possess the ability to predict the onset of a physical or mental event or crisis, helping the handler prevent or mitigate the event. This is an ability that is often not trainable – some animals are simply born with the ability to sense the onset of the event. These types of animals, although not task-trained, are considered “working” service animals.
