Emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. There is no process or organization to make him an “official” emotional support animal, though there are many companies that will gladly sell you a badge, certificate, or harness.

Oh I get that, and I don’t expect Brownie is in any way smart enough to fully qualify as a proper service animal.

But I do think he brings love and joy to practically everyone, no matter what age the people are.

Hell, there have been registered emotional support horses and allogators before, no joke, so I just find myself wondering if I can help find a way for my roommate to get Brownie registered as an emotional support dog… 🤷

Then I guess I’m unclear what you hope to accomplish if you already know there will be no legal privileges or protections. You could draw up your own certification and frame it, Brownie won’t know the difference.

Emotional support horses have been allowed on airplanes. The least I could try to help my roommate with is trying to get his dog qualified to purchase dog food off his insurance card.

Like fuck, there’s gotta be a way, right? Where to start though?..

No, there is no way. That will be entirely up to the airline. They treat non-service animals as pets, with all the rules and regulations that apply. There’s nothing that obligates them to treat an emotional support animal any differently than any other pet.

I did a little digging into that horse story. It seems it may actually have been a trained service animal and not just an ESA. But in either case, the DOT has since updated its rules to exclude miniature horses from being allowed on airplanes.

Again, airplane not necessary, my roommate ain’t planning to fly anywhere.

I’m just curious to try to help him get qualified to purchase dog food from his health insurance card…