Barbara Steinberg says she would not be alive today without her parrot, Harry. Ms. Steinberg, who has bipolar disorder, wrote to tell us how much she depends on her feathered friend of over 29 years for laughs, companionship, and general well-being.

More people claim that their pets — whether dogs, ducks, peacocks, pigs or alligators — are emotional support animals who help them deal with anxiety and depression and must stay with them in places where they would ordinarily be barred: on airplanes, in retail stores and restaurants, at hotels and in no-pets apartments . But landlords and airlines say the system is rife with fraud, and pet owners are facing pushback.

We asked readers about their views on the issue and their challenges with emotional support animals. Some readers said the use of support animals had gone too far, while many others told us how their animals have changed their lives.

Here’s a selection of reader photos and responses, which have been lightly edited for clarity.