The Senate approved today (24) a bill (PL) that guarantees people with mental, intellectual or sensory disabilities the right to enter public or private places with an emotional support dog. The project goes to the Chamber.
According to the text, an emotional support dog is considered to be a small domestic animal, weighing no more than 10 kilos, that is not notoriously dangerous, ferocious, poisonous or venomous, and that is transported in an appropriate box. In addition, the bill prohibits the use of these animals for self-defense, attack or intimidation purposes.
According to the author of the project, Senator Mecias de Jesus (Republicans-RR), there is no legislation aimed at the emotional support dog, “which causes enormous inconvenience to people with disabilities, who need to go to court to obtain the right to enter public and private places in the company of their animals”.
Unlike the guide dog, which acts as an assistant for the visually impaired, the emotional support dog works more like a companion animal, but goes further. “The emotional support these animals provide to their owners is notorious. When it comes to people with mental, intellectual or sensory disabilities, the psychological and emotional benefit is even greater”, said the project’s rapporteur, Romário (PL-RJ).
“There are even therapeutic approaches with animals that have shown promise, with good results on communication, social interaction, reduction of anxiety attacks and several other improvements in the clinical picture of people with disabilities”, added the rapporteur.
