They are called ESAs (emotional support animals) and they are dogs, cats, little goats and even pigs. You find them in airports, hospitals and in every situation where anxiety and apprehension may arise.
They are called emotional support animals or ESAs and they are dogs, cats, little goats, even pigs that help people overcome anxieties and fears on specific occasions: a long-haul flight, an encounter with water, a hospital procedure, and so on. Anti-stress dogs, for example, began appearing in the United States after the 2001 attack on the Twin Towers, and are now active in as many as 58 American airports. Leading the way is Denver Airport, which boasts the country's largest so-called "wagging brigade", made up of one hundred dogs from forty different breeds, recognisable by their distinctive blue vest bearing the words "pet me".
In San Francisco there is even a charming pig dedicated to "airport therapy" who, with his grunts, brightens the atmosphere of the Californian airport, entertaining and distracting those who have to board a plane and would really rather not. Lilou, as he is called, is five years old and is part of a team of animals trained to provide emotional support to travellers. The first of his kind to perform this type of service, the little pig is always accompanied by his owner, Tatyana Danilova, and can even play a toy piano, to the particular delight of younger passengers.
In Italy, the first airport to introduce emotional support dogs was Genoa: there are sixteen of them, all with prior experience in pet therapy across a range of settings, and all sharing a marked aptitude for socialisation, reliability and adaptability.
Since then, other airports — Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa, for example — have taken on these irreplaceable four-legged psychotherapists, capable of making passengers forget their fear of boarding with their boundless affection, lightheartedness and joy of life.
"For some years now, in the United States, dogs and cats have even been allowed to fly in the cabin alongside their owner, provided a specialist doctor certifies that the animal is an emotional support aid for overcoming anxiety or panic attacks, or for individuals with autism or Asperger syndrome," explains Bruno Ferrari, dog trainer and educator. "All of this goes to show how dogs, in particular, are increasingly becoming woven into the social fabric and are able to absorb and meet people's basic needs, picking up on their emotions and soothing their anxiety through the simple power of closeness and non-judgemental listening."
As far as the situation in Italy is concerned, the specific role of the emotional support animal (not to be confused with that of the pet therapy animal, which fulfils an assistive role for practical activities — such as for blind people or those with disabilities) is not currently recognised. Those who feel the need to always have their four-legged companion by their side and simply cannot manage without them are therefore forced to comply with the specific rules governing animal access to public facilities. And if those rules prohibit animals from entering, they have no choice but to comply.
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"The ability of dogs to convey calm and relaxation adds to their more classic qualities, known for millennia and useful in human working activities," concludes Ferrari. In a society like today's, where animals are increasingly becoming members of the family and of daily life, ESAs are now an established reality. And a fact that, we hope, will soon be recognised in our country too.