
Every ESA is a pet but not every pet is an ESA, sounds complicated right? Well, worry not because we are here to help you with just that! It’s normal to get confused about the difference between ESA and pet. The main focus of this post will be to learn why not every pet is considered to be an ESA. And why not get the ESA letter?
Why does this question matter?
To simplify the answer here is an imaginary situation that follows you and a stranger side by side. Both of you have pets of the same breed, size, and color but you observe that you had to leave your pet outside a “no pets allowed” zone but the stranger easily glided through the system with their pet in their arms.
Why the discrimination?
Well, the answer is short “ESA letter.” In short, their pet was not just an ordinary pet it was an ESA, Emotional support animal. Being an ESA gives them access to some of the areas that fall under the “no pets allowed” restrictions.
If both the pets were the same then what makes the other one special?

Yes, both pets are the same but the difference lies in how you behave around them. You might like your pet because you can hug it or cuddle it when you get back home. You don’t need your pet to be with you just to step into the outside world. Which is the case with an ESA owner.
Some ESA owners depend on their ESA to face the outside world and there is a legit term for it. Agoraphobia is the irrational fear of entering crowded places or leaving one’s house.
A pet can comfort you when you hug them but an ESA senses the sign of its owner’s distress and voluntarily approaches them to provide comfort.
But just like how every pet is not an ESA, not every ESA can work as a service dog. A service dog specialized training to help their master with certain disabilities or illnesses. But ESA does not have to have any training to get their ESA letter.
What is the difference between a pet and an ESA?
Emotional support animals have therapeutic benefits to them, unlike ordinary pets; just the mere presence of the ESA can help their owner feel at ease. ESA supports its owner and contributes to the healing process of the owner.
But are they that different from an ordinary household pet?

Apart from the fact that ESA, if proven eligible by an ESA doctor, gets access to certain areas, here are some of the facts that blur that fine line between a full-fledged ESA and an ordinary household pet.
- All pets are great listeners:
No matter how much you trust a person you just cannot trust them enough to tell them your deepest darkest secrets. But that is not the case with pets; they will listen to you without judging you and keep it a secret forever.
- They help with physical fitness:
Simple activities like walking and running with your pet can help to enlighten your mood and make the best conversation starters.
- Pets calm us down with physical touch:
It is a known fact that petting animals help to lower stress levels and has a soothing effect on you.
Want to learn more interesting facts about ESAs?
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