I am 27 years old and I have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and anxiety - I can’t leave my home without my dog. Unlike the USA, the U.K. does not legally recognise emotional support animals. This means I get turned away from shops and countless other public places as my dog is not granted the same access as guide dogs, despite being essential to my life. 

I can have panic attacks outside and my dog helps me to recover from them. My doctor wrote me a letter to show wherever I have to go, so people can see it is a need to have my dog next to me. My shock was to find that I can be refused in shops and other private places because she is not a guide dog. I am thinking about everybody in the UK that faces this same issue - being unable to go out as their emotional support animals are not recognised. They might be in worse conditions than me and I cannot find words to describe it.

ADHD, OCD, ANXIETY, EPILEPSY, PANIC ATTACKS, and the list goes on. All these people that need their dog with them outside their home so they can live their lives as normal as possible, they can not bring their dog because they are not guide dogs (or service dogs). So my question is, are we forgotten? 

Your support gives me hope for me and all these people with mental health issues and disabilities that face this huge barrier to participating in society. Thank you.