Why Comfort Animals Are a Good Thing -
A Pawsitive Approach
Valerie Oman
Comfort animals are becoming a part of our public consciousness. Google “comfort animal” and view more than accompanying their disabled owners on flights because of the support they provide. A few of these animals have caused problems, which contributes to the widely held perception that many comfort animals are “faked” by their owners. However, disabled individuals and their larger communities can benefit from the presence of comfort animals.
Individuals with mental health challenges can often function “normally” with the assistance of a comfort animal when debilitating fear of flying may be agitated when they must fly but may be able to handle flights calmly when accompanied by a comfort animal. Calmer passengers facilitate a safer flight for all travelers.
animals is remembering that over 300 animals worked at Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Among them, therapy dogs provided comfort to rescue workers who toiled for weeks after the attacks. My cousin spent five weeks after 9/11 providing massage therapy services to recovery workers at Ground Zero
and has shared stories of how comfort dogs brought moments of levity into an otherwise somber, traumatic space.
Comfort animals work in hospitals and nursing homes, where they provide companionship to patients in great need. Comfort animals even work in some prosecutor’s offices, where they help calm victims of violence who are assisting prosecutors with their cases. Calmer survivors make for more accurate witnesses, resulting in a higher conviction rate.
In a community association, a comfort animal could mean that a resident with a hoarding disability is able to manage that disability, which is clearly better for the entire community.
by comfort animals while protecting your communities from unreasonable disruption is understanding the terminology, laws, and regulations surrounding comfort animals.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal work or perform tasks related to the disability for the benefit of a
18 Community Associations Journal | November/December 2018
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