By Taylor Maheia

Sometimes a person with a service animal may experience moments of uncertainty from others; they’ll ask for proof of ID that the animal is used for therapy/disability, proof of the person’s disability, and even asked to leave the establishment. It can be frustrating always having to prove or seek validation from store or restaurant staff in order to sit down and eat like everyone else.

According to Hanford Veterinary Hospital, people with invisible disabilities (PTSD, anxiety, depression, etc.) face service animal discrimination because they appear “normal” on the outside, and figure either their disability doesn’t exist, or the animal is a regular pet.

Some may also believe that service animals don’t really help in lessening the effects of a disability but that is not true. Not only are service animals emotional support, but they are also trained for physical demands such as waking a person with PTSD up from a nightmare and noticing onsight signs of seizures.

We will never understand the lives of others because we all experience life differently. It it best to be empathetic and do our best to not carry stigmas about things we aren’t educated on.