An ESA stands for Emotional Support Animal, and is recognized as Assistance Animals by Federal law. An Assistance Animal is any domesticated animal that works, performs or provides assistance. The animal carries out tasks for the benefit of a person with an emotional disability. He or she also provides emotional support to help alleviate one or more symptoms of a person’s emotional disability.
It’s not a way to avoid pet deposits and pet rent. ESAs are usually prescribed for people with panic disorders, different types of anxiety, depression, phobias, and PTSD. They have also been shown to help those with Bipolar Disorder and other mental or emotional health issues.
How does an Emotional Support Animal help?
For starters, an ESA creates stability, as animals need to be cared for. Animals require a structured schedule for things like feeding, exercise, playtime, naps, and training. This type of routine is quite helpful for people who have Bipolar Disorder, are depressed, stressed, lonely, and the like. It encourages them to care for another being on a regular schedule.
Activities like play and walking get people outdoors, which lowers stress and anxiety, naturally. Playtime can also bring joy, laughter, and release stresses of the day. Animals are naturally fun, loving, cuddly, entertaining, and they like to live in the moment. They can teach how to live happily. They’re a great source of joy. You can cuddle with them on the couch, or watch them play ball with themselves. Their behavior and pure joy can be infectious. They make us smile and laugh, and encourage us to get out of bed to walk them. Dogs also give us the unconditional love we are missing in our life.
Dogs are comforting, which helps when you feel depressed, hopeless, and withdrawn from life. Some people need to feel more grounded, and ESAs can also help with this too. Just petting your Emotional Support Animal can bring you back to the moment.
Many people with mental or emotional problems struggle with feeling judged by others. Animals never judge. People can feel safe around animals. An ESA will never judge you, hold grudges, or decide not to love you anymore. It’s a strong relationship that one can rely on.
How to get a Valid ESA Letter
It’s important to see your therapist to see if an Emotional Support Animal is a good fit for you. If it is, your therapist may automatically recommend an ESA for you. Alternatively, you can bring it up if you think an ESA could help you. Having a discussion about it will help you better understand how one might be able to help you. You can only acquire an ESA prescription from a mental health professional who knows you, and works with you.
There are tons of “ESA letters” available online. Even if they’re legitimate, and you’ve filled out long questionnaires, they will likely not be accepted. You may have worked with them through text or over the phone. However, they will likely not be accepted by landlords, schools, etc. I don’t agree with this, but it’s how the system works.
Finding the Right ESA
There is no perfect way to find the ideal Emotional Support Animal. It’s ideal to have an animal that bonds with you, which will likely be a dog or cat. If you’re looking for a dog, some breeds bond more than others. I know from experience that Australian Cattle dogs, Labrador Retrievers, and Border Collies are very loyal, bonding with their owners. You can look up others online that are also prone to bonding.
Please don’t rule out mixed breeds and rescue dogs. My ESA is a Cattle dog and Bully mix from a shelter. I already had her. I realized she was naturally becoming my ESA. That is when I decided to talk to my therapist about getting an ESA letter for my dog.
Do I need to register my ESA?
No, you don’t. Emotional Support Animals do not require any kind of registration. There is no current requirement to register your ESA. You don’t need to put a banner on their harness. You also aren’t obligated to identify them in any way to the public.
There are dozens of websites out there, selling ESA letters. They will tell you that you need to register them. They will also advise you to purchase ESA cards, collars, and harnesses. However, there’s really no point. ESAs are not recognized as Service Animals (dogs). You would be wasting your money. The only proof you need is your ESA letter, which should be received directly through your mental health professional.
The only time you’ll really need to show proof that your ESA is legitimate is when looking for permanent housing. You must present the ESA letter from your therapist. This will prove that you need our Emotional Support Animal for mental health reasons.
ESAs are NOT service animals, but they do qualify as Assistance Animals, and do have some allowances under Federal Law.
What allowances to ESAs have under Federal Laws?
Under the Fair Housing Act, those who have ESAs cannot be discriminated against due to a disability that requires an ESA when it comes to housing. ESA pets cannot be banned, and breed restrictions do not apply to Emotional Support Animals under these laws. People with an ESA cannot be charged pet deposits or pet rent for having an ESA living with them.
Individuals who use ESAs are provided certain accommodations under federal law, in the instance of permanent housing. The Fair Housing Act includes ESAs in its definition of assistance animals. Under the act, people cannot be discriminated against due to a disability when obtaining housing. Rules such as breed restrictions are waived for those who have a prescription for an ESA. They cannot be charged a pet deposit or pet rent for having their ESA live with them.
Emotional Support Animals used to have rights in air travel, but that is no longer the case. The U.S. Department of Transportation no longer recognizes ESAs as a service animal, so there are no allowances for them in regard to air travel. They are treated as no more than pets by the DOT.
How does an ESA Differ from a Service Animal?
The most obvious and important difference between an Emotional Support Animal and a Service Dog is clear. Service dogs are specifically trained to do work. They perform different tasks for the welfare of a qualified person with a disability. This includes a physical, sensory, psychiatric, or other mental disability.
On the other hand, Emotional Support Animals, Therapy dogs, Comfort and Companion animals have not been individually trained. Therefore, they are not considered Service Dogs by the ADA. It is noted, however, that some state and local governments will allow ESAs in public places.
