HR take on snakes as a service and emotional support animal

[OTorresUSMC]

This article was published like 2 days ago: http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2017/0...ictor-work-day

The writer, who have backgrounds in Human Resources, give their take on service animals and emotional support animal. It seems that she was prompted to write this article after having encountered an erratic supermarket employee with a boa on a shopping trip.

They give their take on service animals - essentially saying snakes are not service animals b/c they do not provide assistance to a person due to a their disability.

And they go on analyzing if a snake can be an emotional support animal in the workplace. i take it as boiling down to:
-- No b/c it may cause a disruption or threat to others;
-- Even if a snake is recommended as an emotional support animal by a doctor, it is still only a recommendation. the employer or HR must determine themselves if they can accommodate the snake and if it's necessary for worker to have to perform their job.

so we've seen threads pop up now and then here on the forum about snakes as emotional support animals whether in public, the workplace or home. (maybe planes?) i hope folks find this article interesting and IMO I don't think it is anti-snake. Abuse of service and emotional support animal happens. I think this article is helpful in laying out the challenges and legal threshold it would take for someone to have a snake as an legit emotional support animal.

If a runt chiuaua that does nothing but yip and back can be a support animal, I've seen it, I see no reason a snake couldn't. These are differnt than service dogs. Service dogs generally physically perform some action to assist the owner with something they cannot do for themselves ie: a seeing eye dog, or dogs that detect seizures. This whole new thing with therapy animals is more about the companionship and generally involves people suffering from anxiety or depression. Now to me in situations like that I think the type of animal is going to depend on the person. Obviously of you're scared of or hate dogs then a dog wouldn't be a good therapy animal. I have seen this done with rabbits, cats, and dogs. So if a person is a snake lover and said snake helps them cope or feel happier then why not. Disclaimer I did not read the article but I gathered from your post it was arguing against snakes in that role. Well as a "service"animal yes clearly snakes can't really do much but from the therapy or emotional side of it I say why not? Who is HR to dictate what type of animal is going to make a person feel content.