Emotional Support Animals

Emotional Support Animals, also known as ESA’s, are designated pets that provide exactly what their name suggests- emotional support. ESA’s are different than service animals- animals that go through rigorous training in order to assist someone with a disability. My ESA, Piper is the first animal I adopted as an adult. Piper recently turned 8, and I adopted her at 10 months old.

When I was looking for an ESA to help with my anxiety, I was looking for an animal that would cuddle with me in bed or on the couch on bad days. I did not get what I was looking for. I got even more than that.

Piper was formerly feral, living in a colony of cats in a field in either Medford or Grant’s Pass. Before I adopted her, she had never had any sort of human contact. Needless to say, she’s a “spicy” one. For the first six months I had her, she would not allow me to touch her. She would steal food, eating until she got sick. She was only 5 pounds when I adopted her- severely underweight. When the shelter trapped her, she was pregnant. The vet on staff terminated the pregnancy out of fear that Piper would not survive. She was originally designated as a barn cat, that is, until I met her. I went into the shelter that day and started playing with her. She seemed friendly enough, and I insisted on adopting her. Begrudgingly, the shelter allowed it, and I took her home that day.

For a while, I was unsure if adopting Piper was the right choice. After all, I was looking for a cuddle bug, and instead got a convicted felon. But after Piper and I moved out of the dorms and into an apartment with friends, she came out of her shell. My roommates at the time would throw parties during the week, and I’d come home to ten people in my living room, high on who knows what, all petting Piper. Piper would be in the middle of the room, on her back, just soaking in the love.

Fast forward about a year later, and Piper was fulfilling her role as an ESA in her own special way. Is she the cuddliest cat ever? No. But when I’m upset, or in the middle of a psychotic episode, she doesn’t leave my side. Headbutting me, “wagging” her tail, rubbing against my hand, gently biting my fingers.

I didn’t get the ESA I wanted, but I got the ESA I needed. If you are on the fence about getting an ESA, I cannot recommend it enough. Piper has gotten me through many tough times, and I will always be grateful that she played with me that day in the shelter.

I am trying to monetize this website, but I don’t really know how to, being famously bad with computers. So I’m going to plug my venmo and paypal. Any gifts I get from you all will be met with the utmost gratitude. I’ve got bills to pay, and pets to feed!

Paypal: @RyanYounker

Venmo: @Ryan-Younker-26