You can get a service dog or nonservice animal depending on your disability and if you meet certain criteria. A service dog for depression is also called a psychiatric service dog, a type of nonservice animal.
A service dog is one that has been trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Examples include guiding a person who is blind or taking protective action when a person is having a seizure.
Service dogs were once exclusively used by people with physical disabilities. They’re now also used by people with mental illnesses. Service dogs can help people with:
- depression
- anxiety
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
To be recognized as a service dog under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the tasks a dog has been trained for must be tied to a person’s disability. Dogs whose only function is to provide emotional support or comfort don’t qualify as service animals under the ADA.
According to the ADA, an individual with a disability must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- has a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits the ability to perform one or more major life functions
- has a history of an impairment that meets this description
- is seen by others as having an impairment that meets this description
Unlike a physical disability that may be obvious due to the use of an assistive device, such as a wheelchair or cane, an invisible disability is an impairment that’s not immediately apparent.
The term “invisible disability” encompasses many medical conditions (including mental and neurological) that are invisible to an onlooker. Depression is one of these conditions.
According to a 2023 survey by Gallup, 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their life. And 18% reported to currently have depression.
If your depression meets the criteria set out in the ADA’s definition of a disability, you qualify to have a service dog for depression.
A service dog for depression may also be referred to as a psychiatric service dog. This is not to be confused with an emotional support animal or therapy dog, which are not recognized as service animals by the ADA.
All three types of service animals
Here are the key differences:
Psychiatric service dog
A psychiatric service dog is trained to recognize and respond to their handler’s disability by performing work or tasks. The handler must have a mental or psychiatric disability that limits one or more major life activities.
Psychiatric service dogs are working animals and are not considered pets. They’re extensively trained to perform specific tasks, such as reminding you to take your medication or leading you to someone if you’re in crisis.
The ADA protects service animals and allows public access so that the dog can go anywhere its handler goes.
Emotional support animal
An emotional support animal is a pet that provides comfort or emotional support to a person.
Unlike a service animal, an emotional support animal doesn’t need to be trained to perform specific tasks, but it can provide you with a therapeutic presence that can be comforting and uplifting.
The ADA doesn’t cover emotional support animals, so they don’t have legal public access. They’re only covered under the Fair Housing Act and Air Carrier Act. This means the only places that are legally required to permit an emotional support animal are housing units and aircraft.
State and local government laws may also vary for emotional support animals, so check with your local government to find out what they say about this.
Therapy dogs
Therapy dogs are trained to engage with many people other than a primary handler. These dogs are used to provide comfort and affection as a form of psychological or physiological therapy to people in:
- hospitals
- nursing homes
- hospices
Therapy dogs do not have the same legal public access as service dogs.
To qualify for a service dog for depression, you must have a letter from a licensed mental health professional stating that your depression prevents you from performing at least one major life task without assistance on a daily basis. A licensed mental health professional can be a:
- psychiatrist
- psychologist
- therapist
- social worker
You must also be able to:
- participate in the dog’s training
- finance maintenance and veterinary care for the life of the dog
- be able to independently command the dog
The cost of a service dog is not covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or any private insurance company.
Some nonprofit organizations offer service animals for free or at a reduced cost. Many of these programs have long waiting lists. You can also pay to train a dog as a psychiatric service dog.
A psychiatric service dog can be trained to perform a wide range of tasks to help someone with depression. These include tasks related to:
- assistance during a crisis
- helping you cope with emotional overload
- providing treatment-related assistance
The following are specific tasks that a service dog for depression can perform:
- remind you to take medication
- bring you a phone during a crisis so you can contact support
- call 911 or any other preprogrammed emergency number for help
- identify and help with medication side effects
- provide tactile support when you’re overwhelmed
- prevent emotional overload at home
- provide an excuse to leave a room if you feel upset with a discrete signal
If you don’t qualify for a service dog for depression, you can still consider an emotional support animal. These animals provide comfort and companionship, but they’re not eligible for the same protection as service dogs in public places.
Emotional support animals are allowed in all housing units and can fly for free. They are usually dogs or cats, but they can also include other animals.
There are a number of other treatment options for depression available as well. A combination of medication and therapy is often successful in managing depression.
There are also lifestyle changes and alternative treatments that can help you cope with depression. Treatment options for depression include:
Speak with your therapist about other treatment options for depression. If you don’t have one, you can find a mental health professional online through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or by calling 800-950-NAMI.
If you would like to adopt a service dog for depression, speak with a mental health professional. They can determine if you would benefit from having one.
Contact one of the many organizations that train and place psychiatric service dogs to learn more about service dogs, such as training and costs. Some of these organizations include Doggie Does Good and Paws4People Foundation
Depending on your disability and your needs, you may qualify for a service animal. If you don’t, you may still qualify for a nonservice animal, such as a psychiatric service dog, emotional support animal, or therapy dog.
A psychiatric service dog could be trained to help you manage your depression. You could also use a service dog on top of other treatment options, such as medication or therapies.
If you’re considering getting a service animal, there are a few organizations that can help you, including Doggie Does Good and Paws4People Foundation.
