Emotional Support Animal Job Description [Updated for 2025]

In the modern era, the need for Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) has never been more pronounced.
As societal awareness of mental health continues to evolve, the demand for compassionate animals that can provide comfort and companionship grows.
But let’s delve deeper: What’s truly expected from an Emotional Support Animal?
Whether you are:
- A pet owner seeking to understand the responsibilities of an ESA,
- An agency or individual seeking to identify the ideal qualities in an ESA,
- Or simply intrigued by the concept of Emotional Support Animals,
You’re in the right place.
Today, we present a comprehensive Emotional Support Animal job description template, designed for easy understanding and application.
Let’s dive right into it.
Emotional Support Animal Duties and Responsibilities
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) provide comfort, companionship, and relief in times of stress, anxiety, and emotional distress for their owners.
ESAs are not required to perform specific tasks like service animals, but they must have a calming presence and improve the mental health of their owners.
Emotional Support Animals have the following duties and responsibilities:
- Provide comfort and emotional support to their owner
- Help reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress in their owner
- Promote a sense of security and routine for their owner
- Encourage social interaction and help their owner avoid isolation
- Help their owner cope with panic attacks and other emotional distress
- Assist in calming their owner during periods of emotional distress
- Be well-behaved and non-disruptive in public and private settings
- Encourage their owner to maintain a regular schedule for feeding, walking, and grooming, promoting good mental health habits
Emotional Support Animal Job Description Template
Job Brief
We are seeking a friendly and compassionate Emotional Support Animal (ESA) to provide companionship and comfort to individuals dealing with emotional or mental health conditions.
Emotional Support Animals duties include helping to alleviate symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and more.
Our ideal candidate is a well-trained and sociable animal that can provide comfort and support to individuals in need.
Responsibilities
- Provide companionship and emotional support to assigned individuals
- Comfort and soothe individuals during times of emotional distress
- Help individuals carry out daily activities and routines
- Follow all given instructions regarding care, behavior, and routine
- Maintain a calm and comforting presence at all times
- Interact with assigned individuals in a gentle and supportive manner
- Help to build confidence and reduce feelings of isolation in individuals
Qualifications
- Must be a domestic animal such as a dog, cat, or bird
- Should be well-trained and sociable
- Must possess a calm and gentle demeanor
- Ability to understand and follow commands
- Must be in good health, vaccinated, and free from diseases
- Previous experience as an Emotional Support Animal or Therapy Animal is a plus
Benefits
- Regular health check-ups
- Proper grooming and care
- Comfortable living environment
- Regular exercise and playtime
- Healthy and nutritious meals
Additional Information
- Job Title: Emotional Support Animal
- Work Environment: Will be living with assigned individuals, often at their homes. Some animals may need to accompany individuals to certain locations or events.
- Reporting Structure: Reports to the assigned individual or their caregiver.
- Salary: N/A – Emotional Support Animals are not typically salaried positions but will have all their needs met by the individual or caregiver.
- Location: [City, State] (specify the location or indicate if remote)
- Employment Type: Full-time
- Equal Opportunity Statement: All types and breeds of domestic animals that meet the necessary qualifications are welcomed.
- Application Instructions: Please submit an application on behalf of the animal, outlining the animal’s breed, training, experience, and temperament to [email address or application portal].
What Does an Emotional Support Animal Do?
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are pets that provide comfort and companionship to individuals suffering from emotional or mental health conditions.
They are not specifically trained to perform tasks like service animals, but their presence and companionship are therapeutic for their owners.
ESAs are often used as part of a medical treatment plan for conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and phobias.
They help reduce negative symptoms by providing a calming and soothing presence.
Their duties primarily involve staying close to their owners and providing affection.
They can sense when their owners are distressed and respond by nuzzling, purring, wagging their tails, or simply sitting by their side.
ESAs can be any type of animal, but most commonly, they are dogs or cats.
They can accompany their owners in housing and travel situations where pets are usually not allowed, subject to certain regulations.
The primary goal of an ESA is to provide emotional support and unconditional love to their owner, helping to alleviate symptoms of their mental or emotional disorder.
Emotional Support Animal Qualifications and Skills
An emotional support animal needs to possess a set of unique skills and attributes to effectively help individuals dealing with emotional and psychological issues, such as:
- Ability to remain calm and composed under pressure or in chaotic situations, providing a soothing presence to their owner.
- Displaying a friendly and approachable demeanor to comfort and alleviate the owner’s anxiety or emotional stress.
- Being obedient and easy to control, with training in basic commands and behaviours, ensuring the safety of both the owner and the public.
- Proven ability to form a strong bond with the owner, essential for providing the emotional support needed.
- Displaying consistent behavior, as any change can be distressing for the owner.
- Ability to adapt to different environments and situations, to accompany the owner in various settings.
- Physically healthy and able to be active when needed, to engage the owner in physical activities which can help alleviate certain emotional issues.
- Longevity and lifespan, as the loss of an emotional support animal can be deeply traumatic for the owner.
Emotional Support Animal Experience Requirements
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) don’t have formal training requirements like service animals.
However, the animals should be well-behaved, friendly, and comfortable in various environments and scenarios.
An ESA’s training typically comes from its owner, who trains the animal to provide comfort and support.
As such, a significant amount of experience in handling pets and understanding their behavior is essential for the emotional support animal to meet its role requirements effectively.
The ESA’s owner should have experience in recognizing and managing the animal’s stress levels and should be trained in basic animal care and handling techniques.
They should also have knowledge of the specific animal’s needs and behavior, which often comes from years of living with and caring for that specific type of animal.
An Emotional Support Animal should be mature and have lived with its owner for a significant amount of time to understand and respond to the owner’s emotional cues and needs.
The owner should also have experience in maintaining the ESA’s health and wellness, including routine vet visits, vaccinations, and dietary requirements, to ensure the animal is fit for its role.
For an owner to qualify for an ESA, they usually need a diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional confirming that they have a psychological disorder, and the ESA helps mitigate some of their symptoms.
As such, experience with mental health issues and how animals can help alleviate these problems is crucial.
Emotional Support Animal Education and Training Requirements
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) do not require specific formal training or certifications like Service Animals.
However, they should be well-behaved and must not cause any harm or inconvenience to other people.
The primary requirement of an ESA is to provide emotional support to their owner who has a verifiable emotional or psychological disability recognized by a mental health professional.
Therefore, the animal should be able to provide comfort and companionship in stressful situations.
It is beneficial for ESAs to undergo basic obedience training to ensure they behave properly in different social scenarios.
This may include training to sit, stay, come, not to bark unnecessarily, and more.
The animal’s owner, on the other hand, must have a prescription letter from a licensed mental health professional (such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker) stating the need for an emotional support animal.
Moreover, while it’s not a requirement, it is beneficial if the owner understands animal care and has knowledge about the specific needs of the animal breed they own.
Additionally, while not necessary, some owners may choose to get their ESAs registered with various organizations to receive an identification card or vest for their animal, making it easier to identify the animal as an ESA.
Emotional Support Animal Salary Expectations
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not salaried, as they are not considered working animals in the traditional sense.
Rather, they are pets that provide emotional stability and comfort to their owners, typically people with certain mental health conditions.
The costs associated with an ESA are primarily related to their care, including food, vet bills, and any necessary training.
It’s important to note that unlike service animals, ESAs are not required to undergo specific training.
However, they should be well-behaved and manageable in public spaces.
Any financial considerations regarding an Emotional Support Animal would be incurred by the owner, not provided as a salary to the animal.
Emotional Support Animal Job Description FAQs
What qualifications does an Emotional Support Animal need?
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) do not require any specific training, unlike service animals.
However, they should be well-behaved, non-aggressive and comfortable in public places.
ESAs should be able to provide comfort and companionship to their owner, especially during periods of stress and emotional discomfort.
What types of animals can be Emotional Support Animals?
Although dogs are the most common, any domesticated animal could potentially be an Emotional Support Animal.
This includes cats, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, mini pigs, and even miniature horses.
The animal should be manageable in a home environment and not pose any threat to public safety.
How can an animal become an Emotional Support Animal?
To become an Emotional Support Animal, a licensed mental health professional must determine that the animal’s presence is necessary for the mental health or well-being of the patient.
The patient should have a verifiable disability, and the animal should be able to alleviate some aspect of that disability.
What are the housing rights of Emotional Support Animals?
Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), landlords must make reasonable accommodations to allow individuals with disabilities to live with their Emotional Support Animals, even in no pets housing.
However, the animal should not cause undue financial burden or fundamentally alter the nature of the landlord’s operations.
Do Emotional Support Animals need to wear a vest or special ID?
While some owners choose to have their Emotional Support Animals wear a vest or ID to indicate their status, it is not required by law.
However, having such an indicator can help avoid confusion or confrontations in public places.
Can Emotional Support Animals go anywhere?
Unlike service animals, Emotional Support Animals do not have the same level of access to public places.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) only covers service animals, not ESAs. However, ESAs are allowed in all housing and on commercial airlines.
Conclusion
So there you have it.
Today, we unravelled the truly special role of an emotional support animal.
And guess what?
It’s not just about being a pet.
It’s about offering comfort, companionship, and unwavering support to those who need it most.
With our go-to emotional support animal job description template and real-life examples, you’re all set to make a move.
But why stop there?
Dig deeper with our job description generator. It’s your next step to creating detailed descriptions or perfecting your application.
Remember:
Every emotional support animal plays a vital role in someone’s life.
Let’s make a difference. Together.
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