There’s been a call for a nationwide campaign to formally recognise Emotional Support Animals as vital aids for individuals and provide them with a special badge to reflect their status.
Aontú Cllr Sarah Beasley is bringing a motion to Limerick City Council, calling for a number of measures to ensure recognition and access rights for Emotional Support Animals.
Cllr Beasley, a long-time animal welfare activist says,
“For so many people in our communities, their companion animals are vital for their emotional support and mental well-being. Their importance simply cannot be overstated. These Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s) are absolute angels for so, so many people who are absolutely lost without them”.
“I deal with so many people across different communities in Limerick and I literally see people blossom and grow about ten feet tall when they have their ESAs with them. They give them huge confidence, love, affection; I can’t stress that enough”.
“I am calling for a formal Certification and Special Badge system that will clearly indicate to businesses and public transport operators that an ESA is not merely a cherished pet, but an integral support for their owner.
“It is simply heartbreaking to think of people being turned away from public transport because they have their ESAs in tow; this means they are missing out on medical appointments, work , job interviews and social engagements. It is exclusionary as opposed to inclusionary and has a devastating effect on people who genuinely rely so much on their ESA’s”.
We need a shift in policy around this issue. I am totally committed to advocating for policy changes that will allow ESA’s access to public transport and buildings, ensuring their status is respected and understood, similar to their counterparts in some other countries.
We need a comprehensive public education and awareness campaign around this to highlight the inestimable positive impact of ESAs on mental health, fostering a more inclusive and empathetic society.
Local authorities in Limerick have a golden opportunity to be changemakers on this issue and encourage Government to fully protect and enhance the rights of ESA’s owners, thus supporting mental health and emotional well well-being across our communities.
For so many disabled people not being allowed to bring their beloved ESA’s on public transport for example further embeds their disenfranchisement and is a huge barrier to social inclusion.
We need to move beyond lip service and get moving on real change that will make tangible differences to the lives of people who need their ESA’s.
Formally recognising ESA’s would be a real step in the right direction”
