Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s)
An Emotional Support Animal is a dog, cat, bird, rabbit, or any other domestic animal that a licensed mental health professional (A therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist) has determined provides comfort and or emotional stability to an individual with a mental or emotional disability. ESA owners commonly have conditions like severe anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, phobias, and learning disorders.
They do not require specific training and provide emotional or mental stability to their owner through their love and companionship. They serve by being present in your life and being there for you during difficult times. This is different from psychiatric service dogs, which require extensive training to perform tasks relating to a person’s mental health disability.
Nonetheless, Emotional Support Dogs are still entitled to certain rights where it concerns housing. Under the Fair Housing Act ESA animals are allowed in apartments, townhomes, or other places of housing that normally do not allow animals. They are not allowed to charge any service fees associated with the animal that would normally not be charged.
Emotional Support Animals however are not allowed anywhere else that a normal pet would be allowed. They are not allowed in stores that do not allow dogs, hotels, and Air BnB’s do not have to accept them, they are no longer allowed on airplanes, and your employer has no legal obligation to let you bring them to work.
Key Points
- Emotional support dogs (ESAs) are pets and not service dogs.
- Mental health professionals prescribe emotional support animals under the law.
- Airlines are no longer required to accommodate emotional support animals.
If you feel that you believe your dog might be considered an Emotional Support Animal for a mental illness you will need a letter from a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist.
An Emotional Support Animal Letter must include:
- The ESA letter typically cannot be dated later than one-year of submission
- The ESA letter should be on your therapist’s official letterhead
- The ESA letter should include the therapist’s license number, date, and direct contact information
- The named individual is under the counselor’s care
- The individual has an emotional or psychiatric disability
- The counselor recommends the individual have an emotional support animal to assist with the disability
