Emotional support animals: has America's 'epidemic' gone too far?

Emotional support animals, or ESAs, have exploded across the US in recent years, with rising numbers of pet owners getting their animals certified online. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► http://is.gd/subscribeguardian Unlike in the UK, ESAs have legal status in the US on a tier below traditional service animals, but the backlash has begun - with critics complaining the system is being abused by regular pet owners who want to take their animals into unsuitable public spaces. The Guardian's Richard Sprenger - animal lover but pet sceptic - meets ESA owners and their animals across North America. Support the Guardian ► https://support.theguardian.com/contr... Today in Focus podcast ► https://www.theguardian.com/news/seri... Sign up for the Guardian documentaries newsletter ► https://www.theguardian.com/info/2016... The Guardian ► https://www.theguardian.com The Guardian YouTube network: Guardian News ► http://is.gd/guardianwires Guardian Football ► http://is.gd/guardianfootball Guardian Sport ► http://bit.ly/GDNsport Guardian Culture ► http://is.gd/guardianculture #EmotionalSupportAnimals #EmotionalSupportAlligator #ESA #USA #Pets #ServiceAnimals