5-year old Maple has been trained to calm depression, anxiety, and full-bodied spasms. But, her owner says, she doesn’t share the same legal rights as other service animals.

Maple is registered with the American-based private registry service Emotional Support Animal or ESA UK. The ESA registration costs £50 annually and include registration on the ESA list, a certificate, and an identification badge.

Her owner, Joanne Foster, of Blackpool, says registering her cat with ESA UK gave her confidence to bring Maple out in public wearing a harness and special vest.

Still, the two have become a subject of discrimination, insults, and getting kicked out. This, despite the ESA registration, Joanne’s disabled badge, and a prescriptive letter from her doctor.

She is now campaigning for ESAs to gain the same recognition and legal rights as working guide dogs. She also hopes to encourage others to train and register their pets through proper channels.

Article source: blackpoolgazette.co.uk

Do you own an assistance animal? Register your pet. 

The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.

Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals.

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