Dear ESAeurope or PSDeurope Client
ESAeurope wishes you a good start into the New Year!
Let´s start with a bit of a tradition to look back and report about the development of ESAeurope and then inform about our plans!
We proudly can tell that our community is growing rapidly! Together we are learning to reap the benefits of a good human-animal relationship! Thank you for supporting the idea of putting animals in the hearts of people and our society. Our community is the engine of our success!
This is what we did in 2021:
- Continue to develop our services website (example for more user-friendly support: fast lane, Blogpage) and expand the content on our website.
- Development and introduction of the PSD training course by means of e-learning as well as the establishment of a download center (for members) with important information and documents about PSD training)
- Cooperation with EURO-DOGS.eu, a dog school specialized in PSD training and certification
- Production of our PSDeurope image video in German and English for initial information when visiting the homepage
- Switching to Stripe as a data secure payment method. 1% of all payments processed through Stripe are donated to climate preservation projects
- Customer service: we have been able to answer and handle most inquiries within a few hours. We apologize for the few outliers. After all, we work part-time and largely on a voluntary basis
Developments in air travel:
The downgrading of ESA animals to pets except for dogs, which are recognized as PSDs under certain conditions, affects all airlines that align their pet policies with US DoT standards. Airlines in general have responded by redefining and strictly regulating the bringing of animals in the cabin. Essentially (with a few exceptions), ESA animals are no longer carried.
Response from ESA-Europe:
Emotional Support Dogs can be trained with our training program to become Psychiatric Service Dogs to US DoT standards and continue to fly in the cabin to USA/Canada or be booked on airlines that align their Pet Policy to US DoT standards in general.
We use this provision with our PSD training module according to US DoT standards that provides training for your dog to be certified as a PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog).
ESA-europe Recommendation: Prior to any air travel, clarify in writing with the airline whether the dog is allowed to fly. Our PSD training program covers all your dog’s needs, provides the knowledge necessary for air travel, stabilizes and improves you and your relationship with your dog. You will become a “Human-Animal Partner Team” that supports each other. The dog learns and takes over concrete tasks for your psychological well-being. Whether you fly or not, the benefits to you as a team are wonderful!
What we’re up to in 2022:
Thanks to dedicated members of our community, we now have a pool of expertise at our disposal that we can use in a relevant way to advance our definition of PSD and further develop our service delivery.
The most important step is to anchor PSDs in society, promote awareness among institutions and airlines, and have a definition of PSD that is also accepted in Europe.
Psychiatric service dogs should achieve the same status as other service dogs!
This would make the path of recognition of PSDs to travel in the cabin on flights worldwide much more likely. For this purpose, we have been working hard over the holidays on the new PSD-europe.eu site, which will accompany the vision and path. Have a look – here you can follow the way and also help to shape it – if you give us feedback or have ideas! Interactive development would make us very happy!
Let’s see where the open path leads in 2022. We will continue to react to all changes immediately with appropriate adaptations and inform you about it in the blog. Check back regularly and scroll through the pages of ESA-europe.eu und PSD-europe.eu. This way we all stay up to date and present together. That is already our wish to you! Only together we are strong!
Finally, we wish humans and animals a healthy, successful 2022. Don´t forget humor and have good hours together!
Beate und Burkhard
Team ESAeurope
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