Banning emotional support animals from restaurants gets closer to becoming state law [Video]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Tennessee lawmakers have created legislation to ban emotional support animals from going into restaurants and hotels.

The current bill, SB 1595, would still allow service animals to enter into both types of businesses.

The founder of Fetch K9 coaching, Vashti Walker, has been training dogs for years. She described the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal to us.

“The biggest difference is what the dog does for the person. For a service dog, they are doing a task that physically a person can not do, and with an emotional support animal, it’s more about being there for the psychological support of someone,” Walker said.

Walker also said some people must have service dogs to help with a physical disability. The American Disability Act, which protects people with disabilities from discrimination, said this would include people in a wheelchair and those with depression, …