Emotional Support Snake?

[larryd23]

Please tell me you're not serious about wanting to have Geno travel with you on a plane. Unless you are moving to a new permanent place to live (and even then I hope you're not imagining him curled up on your lap on the plane) I can't see any reason to justify bringing a snake on a who-knows-how-long flight and stressing him out with potential frequent travelling.

It's a nice idea to have Geno be an ESA but you need to think about what's best for Geno and not what you want him to do for you. Honestly everyone else already brought up some fine points and the sites/articles you've read are for sure not legit. Anything that claims you can register an ESA pet is a scam and won't hold up to anything.

As Kira pointed out you need an ESA note from a therapist that has had multiple sessions with you so they can evaluate and be familiar with your issues to see if an ESA is necessary. It's definitely not something you can drop in going "hi can I have an ESA letter for my snake? Thank you and bye!"

I think this idea is more selfish than it is practical and better not pursued. Just food for thought

Emotional Support Animals are similar to medical marijuana. A good idea, poorly written regulations, and massive abuse.

In case you missed it, there was a story in the media a few days about about a woman trying to board a plane with her emotional support Peacock. http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/0...ed-flight.html

You can't make this stuff up.

[tttaylorrr]

Don't apologize! That helps so much! I found Brian Barczyk's channels a few years back and, it honestly changed my life. Then I got Geno and It's crazy how much he's helped me. But I understand completely now that there are people that really n e e d ESA's, and I'm not one of them. Yes, seeing him out looking around or curled up in his hides in the mornings makes me smile, and if I never saw him again I'd most likely not talk to anyone or ever come out of my room.. but I'd get over it. There are people that wouldn't get over it... I don't know what I'm trying to say. Point is, thank you so much.

if you EVER need support or guidance from a random stranger on the internet, i would be happy to help you. i have dealt with depression and anxiety to the point i thought only medication could help. i am now medicated, but nothing crazy or common for abuse like most anxiety meds.

you are young, and have not learned coping mechanisms that work for you. i've dealt with anxiety/depression since my early teens, and am now 26. i'm much better for the defense mechanisms i've learned against intrusive thoughts and the coping mechanisms ive learned for when the defense falls short. you CAN win but the work NEVER ENDS.

you are young and strong. don't forget that.

[Kcl]

I don't necessarily agree that a person should need to be completely unable to function without an ESA to have one. Like anything else prescribed, I feel that significant benefit with very minimal side effects is sufficient. Of course, the tricky part with ESAs appears to be that people have decided that said "side effects" don't include other people's discomfort and inconvenience since it's not theirs. With the snake stigma, I doubt a snake on a plane, even if allowed, would ever bring the overall level of anxiety on that flight down (someone's probably going to be panicking over their fear of snakes). Untrained ESAs in public places in general can be a real problem. And I have all sympathy for a landlord who doesn't want a squirrel ESA that likely isn't well trained because that's probably going to be more damage than the security deposit. Anyone who does get an ESA has a real responsibility to minimize disruption and discomfort to anyone who could be affected by their ESA in my opinion. If anyone wants to be an exception to a rule, they need to make sure they're not part of the reason for the rule.

[djansen]

I don't think reptiles make good candidates.

Look into some natural things to help with anxiety like Ashwagandha and L-Theanine, they can really help.