833-372-6311
What is an Emotional Support Animal?
An Emotional Support Animal is not a pet. An ESA provides therapeutic emotional support, comfort, stability, and companionship for its owner.
What is the difference between a pet and an Emotional Support Animal?
Dictionary.com defines a pet as “Any domesticated or tamed animal that is kept as a companion and cared for affectionately.”
The Department of Housing and Urban Development refers to a support animal as an animal that provides “therapeutic emotional support for individuals with disabilities.”
Pets can be great companions and lots of fun. However, that isn’t enough for them to classify as Emotional Support Animals. If you wonder if your “pet” is acting as an Emotional Support Animal, call us. One of our professionals can help you answer that question.
I rely on my pet to get me through the day. Does this qualify as an Emotional Support Animal?
Most likely. But you will have to talk to one of our doctors to find out for sure.
Who qualifies for an Emotional Support Animal?
Anyone verified by a licensed medical professional as benefitting psychologically or emotionally from an ESA may qualify for an emotional support animal.
Our doctors can determine if you qualify following the standards specified by the Federal Government. These are listed in a Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel.
Our doctors are familiar with the full manual. However, they have chosen to specialize in those disorders that are likely to have a positive clinical response to an Emotional Support Animal.
Once you qualify for an ESA, we will provide an Emotional Support Animal Letter. Then you can practice your rights as an ESA owner.
The Federal Government recognizes that those with psychological disabilities can benefit from Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals. Regulations are established and published to protect the rights of those eligible to live with their assistance animals. (not pets). We are here to help you practice those rights.
How can I get others to recognize that my animal is an Emotional Support Animal?
You know your ESA is more than a pet to you, and so does the Federal Government. Our job is to help you get the proper documentation into your hands from our Medical staff. Then your landlord will understand that it is your right to have your ESA by your side without undue interference. Why? Because you have equal right to “use and enjoy a dwelling.” An emotional support animal helps you embrace that right by helping you overcome anxieties, fears, depressions, etc. This relationship levels the playing field for you.
Call 833-372-6311 to exercise your right as the owner of an ESA.
What if my landlord isn’t willing to recognize that I have an Emotional Support Animal and still wants a deposit or doesn’t want the animal there at all?
We will provide you with the proper documentation for your landlord. If necessary, we will advise your landlord of your rights and their responsibilities under federal guidelines. However, as an ESA owner, you also have responsibilities. We will educate you on those.
We will communicate on your behalf to your landlord about your rights as an ESA owner.
Which animals qualify as Emotional Support Animals?
The most popular ESAs are dogs and then cats. But many other animals can qualify.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, animals commonly kept in the household can qualify as Emotional Support Animals. These are dogs, cars, small birds, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, other rodents, fish, turtles, or “or other small, domesticated animals kept in the home for pleasure…”
What if my support animal does not qualify as an ESA?
If the animal is not common, as listed above, the animal may still qualify. After an interview with the doctor, we will provide you with the appropriate documentation if you are eligible. The documentation includes your unique circumstance or condition that justifies your need for the specific animal in question. It also explains how your symptoms will increase if you don’t have the animal.
You can count on our doctors to adequately communicate the reality of your need to your landlord.
We have gotten several unusual animals qualified -even a raccoon and chickens.
If I give my ESA letter to my landlord am I violating my medical privacy?
Your ESA letter will state that you have an emotional or mental diagnosis recognized by the Fair Housing Act and that an ESA will alleviate the symptoms. We will not disclose details about your diagnosis or symptoms. (See Regulation)
A doctor qualified to determine your need for an ESA will sign and date your letter. Professional licensing and contact information is included in the letter. Therefore your landlord or others can verify credentials.
In other words, everything that your landlord needs to know about your condition will be in your ESA letter and nothing more.
You are the one who provides the ESA letter to your landlord or others. If you feel that you don’t want to disclose that you have a condition after reading the letter, then that is up to you. You are ultimately the one who will be presenting the letter.
However, do not be concerned that you may be fired or not hired because of an emotional or mental disability. The American Disabilities Act protects you. You cannot be discriminated against because of a disability. The law doesn’t require you to inform your employer or potential employer about your condition. And they can’t ask you. If your condition keeps you from performing your job, then that’s another story. You’ll need an attorney for that one.
Can I take my Emotional Support Animal to places like grocery stores?
The answer is no in most cases, but not always.
An emotional support animal is not viewed as an animal that is helping you with a task – in other words, in the case of shopping an ESA, in the view of the government, is not helping you to shop or helping with other tasks. Therefore, the ADA does not allow for this provision. Animals that perform tasks, are called service animals and are described as “Dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.”
Service animals are not meant to give comfort or support. They are working animals. On the other hand, dogs or other animals that solely provide emotional support, do not qualify as service animals according to the federal government. Thus, the places you can take them, according to federal law are limited – but don’t get discouraged yet. Keep reading.
There are some ESA-friendly places and rules vary from state to state. Before you fret, check your state regulations, and look for some animal-friendly establishments in your area. For example, in our neighborhood, there is a restaurant where customers can eat outside at tables on the lawn, with their dogs by their side. We even have clients that report that if they put a vest on their dog that says emotional support animal, they can take them into their local grocery store. This is not common but do some research in your own neighborhood. And please report your experiences with us, so we can share them with others.
And please remember to be polite and keep your ESA under control. Let’s keep the field of ESAs in good repute.
Are ESAs a scam?
No, Emotional Support Animals are not a scam. The Federal Government recognizes that there are individuals who, due to certain conditions, benefit emotionally from having an Emotional Support Animal. This Act established a system to acknowledge ESA owners legally.
Unfortunately, some ESA companies take shortcuts. For example, they may promise an ESA letter immediately without a full professional interview. Please avoid establishments like this. They give a bad name to all the legitimate Emotional Support Animal owners and the professionals who advocate for them.
Can I own more than one Emotional Support Animal?
Yes, our licensed professional can determine the need for more than one Emotional Support Animal. We will provide the documentation that you need if you qualify. To find out if you qualify, call 833-372-6311.