Emily, and Meet Her Emotional Support Animal, Bentley

How this emotional support animal has helped this CSUF student

Walking around campus, the stress of finals and being overworked starts to hit you. Feeling emotionally drained, you sit outside Cal State University, Fullerton’s (CSUF) Pollak Library. Taking a deep breath, your mind starts to wonder as you people-watch from where you sit. That is when you see him–– a furry friend walking alongside his best human friend.

As they walk by, you ask the woman who she is and how she’s allowed to have a dog on campus. Emily Dusenbury is her name, and her friend is Bentley, her emotional support animal (ESA).

Bentley is turning 11 years old in August. He was adopted from a foster center for dogs since he was too young to be in the pound. Dusenbury decided to go by the recuse center one day without her parents knowing, and that’s where she saw her new best friend.

Of course, as she explains, she got in trouble with her parents, but they soon warmed up to him and even love Bentley now.

“My dad calls me daily to ask how Bentley is doing,” laughed Dusenbury.

Photo Credit: Emily Dusenbury

Bentley got his name due to having one bent ear when he was adopted. As he grew, though, both of his ears stood straight up, making him a handsome-looking German Shepard mix who walks proudly around campus in his own CSUF shirt.

ESAs differ from service dogs because service dogs are trained to help their owner with some sort of disability and are even given an ID that gives them the ability to go anywhere with their owner. ESAs are given basic training to allow them to behave in public and are given this title by the owner’s therapist or doctor.

When talking with her therapist one day, it was expressed how Bentley changed her life for the better. That’s when her therapist suggested writing him up as Dusenbury’s ESA.

“When Emily’s around Bentley, he calms her nerves and anxieties,” explained Monica Macias, Dusenbury’s close friend of 10 years, “they support each other, and they have an unbreakable bond.”

Some days, it’s hard to get out of bed due to her anxiety and depression, but Bentley helps comfort Dusenbury and get her day going. “He makes me want to go outside and do other things besides stay inside watching TV on the couch or just moping around the house.”

He’s so well behaved, she can throw his leash down as she gets her backpack and school supplies situated, and Bentley will just sit there and wait for her. He knows to stay by her side as a loyal companion.

Photo Credit: Emily Dusenbury

Dusenbury’s a communications major with an emphasis in advertising. This semester she is working with Daily Titan, where she brings Bentley in and lets him be the class dog.

During the recent Titan Fest, Bentley walked around with Dusenbury and allowed people passing by to stop and pet him. If feeling a little overwhelmed or hot due to the California sun, he would lay under the table and let Dusenbury walk away, as long as she stayed in eye-view of him, and continue her duties for Daily Titan.

He makes sure to keep an eye on her. Bentley knows Dusenbury’s emotions and knows when she needs him by her side.

Karen Kim, Dusenbury’s friend whom she met in her advertising classes almost a year ago, explained how Dusenbury educated her about ESAs the moment they met. Kim noticed how Bentley calms Dusenbury.

“When I met Bentley, I noticed he’s the sweetest, most kind dog, which makes me think others should look into getting a dog like him,” expressed Kim.

In Calif., ESAs are recognized as a form of a therapy animal, so while having a document from a therapist or doctor that makes your animal an ESA, you can’t be charged dog rent, which Dusenbury excitedly expressed.

Not having to pay dog rent, plus being able to take Bentley wherever she wants, has helped her enormously.

Going to PetSmart to adopt a cat, Dusenbury recently saw a puppy that looked just like Bentley when he was younger, so she recently adopted a new dog instead of a cat–– Zoey.

“Zoey is a wild child and still needs to go through training before I can make her an emotional support dog, but once she’s trained, I can’t wait to be able to take her with me places as well,” she said.

Dusenbury is passionate about dogs and helping people learn about ESAs. She wants people to know that they can make their current, well-trained pet an ESA to help them throughout their day.

“Keep them well-trained and make them feel like a part of the family because they will reciprocate the love that you give them as well… Just make them a part of your family.”

Her biggest piece of advice to people looking to get an ESA is to make sure they’re trained and do well with other people with anxiety or depression. “People will come up and say, ‘Hey, I really need to pet your dog, I’m having a bad day,’ and Bentley will actually be open to that and will allow them to pet him,” Dusenbury explained.

Next time you’re feeling stressed or down around CSUF campus, and you see Dusenbury walking with Bentley, stop and say hi. Bentley will make you feel better with just one pet.

cover image credit: Emily Dusenbury