Initially, I was hesitant to bring my emotional support animal to campus. I saw Cocoa as a walking symbol of my struggle with my mental health. I hated when people asked me how I managed to get a dog in the dorms.
After explaining that she is an emotional support animal, I got the most uncomfortable looks, and I felt as though they were judging me. I felt as though my privacy was being invaded whenever people would question me about why I was allowed to have Cocoa.
However, I soon realized this mentality was selfish.
Having Cocoa gave me a prime opportunity to advocate for mental health, so there was no reason for me to feel ashamed. I had people asking me about the process, so they could see about getting an emotional support animal as well.
I was more than willing to direct them to disability services because I was glad that I could do my part in helping people gain control of their mental illness.
Unfortunately, there are always ignorant people who want to ruin a good thing for everyone else.
I’ve had people approach me saying things like, “I just have to pretend something is wrong with me, and I’ll be allowed to have a dog, right?” or “I have a family member who’s a psychiatrist, and they are going to write me a letter so I can have a dog.” It sickens me to know that people are so willing to take advantage of a system that is actually trying to help students struggling with mental health.
People like this are undermining those who are actually trying to advocate for emotional support animals and service animals.
I would like to emphasize that I would not have my ESA here if I did not need her. She is trained to respond to commands, and she knows how to deal with my panic attacks. These are things she learned herself or had to be taught. I love Cocoa with my whole heart, but she was my last hope in gaining control of my mental illness.
I go to counseling, and I take antidepressants on top of having her there to handle my anxiety. I cannot stress enough that I would not have my dog living on this campus unless I needed her. This is why I am so disheartened by all of the people trying to abuse the help that disability services has to offer. Most of these people who ask about ESA’s just want to be approved to have puppies to keep in their dorms or apartments. This is making a mockery of those who actually are in need of these animals for their physical or mental disabilities.
Jaylon Williams is a sociology senior.
mekala Kaelin • May 26, 2021 at 10:29 PM
I totally agree with you and thank you so much for writing this.I have anxiety and depression as well. I too had a Esa dog she passed away about a year ago and I was devastated.I could not bring myself to get another dog,so I have an ESA bunny now and to see all of the harsh comments about ESA.I feel that ESA’s should be covered as a service animal because like I said they do a service for people who have anxiety and depression. they are not pets and if landlords cannot charge people for ESA’s because of their service they do for people. Then to me I feel that everyone should count them as a service animal. Mylow is my 1 year old ESA rabbit. he has a vest that says ESA and when I have a panic attack in my home or out in public he knows to sit on my chest and lick my face to keep me from going deeper into a panic attack. He bumped his little face into mine to make me refocus and put my hands on him by making me feeling his fur brings me back to reality and not go deeper into my panic attack. When I have a panic attack it feels like somebody is crushing my lungs I cannot breathe,I cannot think, I cannot do anything and with him sitting on my chest makes it feel like someone is hugging me very very tight kind of like a weighted blanket it makes me feel safe. I wish more people would educate themselves about ESAs before they judge them because they are a big help to people who need them. I too have medication I take and see a therapist but those don’t always work having my ESA around helps me get through my day.
Malorie Lang • Feb 20, 2018 at 12:54 PM
Thank you for posting this! I struggle with awful anxiety and depression and have been thinking about applying to get an emotional support dog because my own dogs help my anxiety so much! But I’ve been nervous because I don’t know how others would respond and I don’t want them to think I just somehow got a dog on campus. Mental health issues are the worst and it is comforting to know that there are others struggling too that could possible help or encourage others. So thank you!