All About Emotional Support Animals

So, if you have an emotional or psychological impairment (disability) and you have chosen your pet to be your emotional support animal and it has been prescribed by a licensed mental health professional), the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 requires a landlord or property manager to make a reasonable accommodation to their policies and allow you to have an emotional support animal. There are no specified limitations with respect to species, breed, or weight policies. And they can’t legally charge you a fee or deposit for your ESA.

That means if the landlord has a “cats only” policy, they must accept your emotional support animal, even if if it is a dog. If they have a policy that allows dogs weighing no more than 30 lbs. and your emotional support animal (ESA) weighs 100 lbs., they must make a change in the rules to accommodate you. If they accept all dogs, except pit bulls, and you have a pit bull, they must allow your pit bull to live with you.

Will my pet qualify to be an ESA?

Yes, it will! All domesticated animals qualify as an ESA (cats, dog, mice, rabbits, birds, snakes, hedgehogs, rats, mini pigs, ferrets, etc.) and they can be any age (young puppies and kittens, too!). These animals do not need any specific task-training because their very presence mitigates the symptoms associated with a person’s psychological/emotional disability, unlike a working service dog.

The only requirement is that the animal is manageable in public and does not create a nuisance in or around the home setting.

How can I qualify for an ESA?

For you to legally qualify for an emotional support animal, you must be considered emotionally disabled by a licensed mental health professional (therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.), as evidenced by a properly formatted prescription letter.

Order an emotional support animal letter now!

The letter should state that:

• You are currently his/her patient
• Are under his/her care for the treatment of mental disability found in the DSM IV or V (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 4 or 5).
• Your disability substantially limits at least one major life activity
• He/she prescribes for you an emotional support animal as a necessary treatment for your mental health.
• In addition, the letter must be dated, written on his/her letterhead, include his/her license type, number, date of license, and state in which the license was issued.

What if I do not have a Therapist?

If you have no therapist or your therapist is unwilling to write such a letter, click here to get your emotional support animal letter.

Click to find out if you qualify!

Benefits of having an emotional support animal

Why would you choose to use an emotional support animal? Research has long supported the idea that animals can provide significant mental health benefits. One research review found that owning a pet has positive effects on mental health by fostering emotional connectivity and helping people manage in times of crisis.

A few benefits that emotional support animals provide:

• Less anxiety. Simply petting an animal can create a relaxation response and elevate mood.
• Trauma support. Pets can provide comfort to people who are dealing with difficult situations, including those who have experienced some type of trauma.
• Improved physical health. Studies have found that emotional support animals help to lower blood pressure, decrease respiration rates, and improve the ability to cope with pain.
• Fewer feelings of loneliness. Animals can provide companionship, which is especially important for people who live alone and experience symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Reciprocal care and love. Caring for an emotional support animal can also help give people a sense of purpose. Not only do animals provide unconditional love and companionship, but they also require care and love in return, which can be emotionally rewarding.