# 5 Types of Emotional Support Animals
**Ever wondered why cats and dogs are usually the first choices of the people looking for an emotional support animal? We know that there are people who go for unusual and exotic types of animals but, usually, it is always a dog or a cat.**
**We know that to live with our ESA we all need to have a** [**emotional support animal letter sample**](https://www.realesaletter.com/sample-esa-letter)**, but besides providing the emotional support, they also do a number of other functions.**
**Below are some of the types of emotional support animals and the functions they play in our lives.**
**1. Hospital or Recovery Dogs**
**Dogs in the hospital may seem like a strange idea for many but, believe us, you have no idea how much they benefit the patients. Reportedly, a number of patients, especially the ones who are bedridden, felt better and more positive towards life after only a few visits of these therapy dogs.**
**2. For People with Mental Disorders**
**Animal Assisted Therapy has shown promising results in the case of people suffering from mental illnesses. Patients with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar personalities significantly improved after this type of treatment. It is believed that since there is less human interaction in the therapy, it shows better results.**
**3. Post Trauma Therapy Animals**
**These types of animals are brought in to comfort the people who have suffered from any trauma in the past. Usually a dog, some people may find comfort cuddling a cat or a rabbit but since a dog is more receptive and eager to get close and attached, they are used to help people suffering from post trauma stress.**
**Service providers take these dogs to places like hospitals, churches and other areas where they are needed.**
**4. Wartime Fellowship and Comfort**
**These types of therapy dogs provide support to the soldiers. During wartime, the soldiers are paired with local animals, especially a dog, that would help them in staying emotionally stable during the time of war. These animals are transported back to their soldier owners where they help them in getting back to their normal lives.**
**5. Exam Time Stress Buster**
**Many universities and colleges bring in puppies and dogs to ease the exam stress of the students. Humans have a natural tendency to get attached with a dog or a cat and this is why they do so well to ease the stress of exams and help the students relax.**
[**Free emotional support animal letter**](https://www.realesaletter.com/sample-esa-letter) **do a lot for us, both in terms of mental and physical health, and this is why they are used everywhere to lighten up the people’s lives.**
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