To qualify for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), you need to have a consultation with a licensed mental health professional (LMHP), or any other health care provider such as a physician, physiatrist who will prescribe an ESA as part of a person’s treatment plan. To qualify for an ESA a licensed professional evaluates a person’s genuine need for emotional support and how they can benefit from it. If you are wondering “do I qualify for an emotional support animal”, the first action to take is to reach out to a LMPH or another licensed professional who can practice in your state of residence.
1. Understand the Role of an Emotional Support Animal
The role of an emotional support animal is to provide comfort through companionship and affection to help ease the daily challenges of people struggling with emotional and mental conditions. An ESA is any domesticated pet such as a dog, cat, mouse, rat, guinea pig, or bird* who has been recommended by a licensed professional as part of a person’s treatment plan.
*Please note that CertaPet only prescribed dogs, cats, and rabbits as ESAs.
2. Assess your mental health needs.
Carefully examine your needs to evaluate if an emotional support animal could be beneficial for you. Determine whether having a constant animal companion, along with all the responsibilities that having a pet entails (daily care, grooming, veterinary care, etc.) is a doable commitment.
3. Consult a Licensed Mental Health Professional
Prior to receiving an ESA letter, a patient needs to go through a consultation with a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) (psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, counselors, etc.) or another licensed health care provider (physician, physician assistants, psychiatric mental health nurses). These licensed professionals are the only people qualified to assess and prescribe an emotional support animal as part of a patient’s treatment plan.
4. Meet Specific Criteria for an ESA
The main criteria to get an ESA is to be evaluated by a LMHP or other health care provider and be diagnosed with an emotional or mental health condition that could benefit from the presence and companionship of an ESA.
5. Understanding Housing and Travel Rights
An ESA letter entitles its holder to reasonable accommodation when it comes to housing (meaning an individual cannot be charged a pet fee or pet deposit for having an ESA, nor can they be denied housing in a no-pets property). This reasonable accommodation is made possible because of the Fair Housing Act.Since January 11 2021, under new regulations passed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Access Carrier Act was amended so that emotional support animals are no longer considered service animals and their allowance onboard flights vary from airline to airline. However, you can still travel with your ESA on certain international flights, and aboard private jets.
However, you can still obtain an ESA letter for international travel
6. Renew the ESA Letter if Necessary
An ESA Letter requires annual renewal to keep the information up-to-date. Keeping up with an ESA letter renewal guarantees the validity of the document and it protects the ESA holder from potential disputes especially when it comes to housing. Landlords have the right to verify ESA letters.
What Disabilities Qualify for An Emotional Support Animal?
To qualify for an emotional support animal, a licensed mental health professional, or another licensed health care provider must first determine that an individual has a mental health or emotional disability classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). People struggling with
ESAs are commonly prescribed to those living with mental disabilities or emotional conditions such as:
- Anxiety disorder
- Depression
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Panic disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Social phobias
What should an ESA Letter Contain?
An ESA Letter looks like a professional legal document with the official letterhead of the LMHP. The letter begins with the LMHP’s contact information, followed by the date of issuance, and then the patient’s name. The body of the letter contains an explanation of how the LMHP has qualified their patient for an emotional support animal due to a mental or emotional health condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The letter mentions that the patient and their ESA are granted protection under the Fair Housing Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The LMHP’s signature and name are found at the bottom of the ESA Letter, with their license information which contains the state in which they’re licensed to practice, and the date their license was issued.
Do I Qualify for an Emotional Support Animal if I Have Anxiety?
Yes, you qualify for an emotional support letter if you have anxiety. Anxiety is one of the mental health conditions included in the DSM manual. Anxiety is a condition that entails severe feelings of dread, fear, and uneasiness, which can also have physiological repercussions. Anxiety attacks cause symptoms such as increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, shaking, and nausea. People with anxiety often can struggle in everyday social contexts. A person diagnosed with anxiety by an LMHP can qualify to have an ESA as part of their treatment care plan. Emotional support pets provide comfort and affection daily to their owners, mitigating the negative effects and symptoms of anxiety.
How do I Benefit from an ESA Qualification?
The benefits of an ESA qualification are listed below.
- Emotional Support. Emotional support animals have been proven to be an effective way to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in people. Interacting with a pet can lower stress levels because playing with animals such as dogs and cats, petting them, and establishing routines could give a sense of fulfillment and happiness. Having a companion animal can alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation, thus improving the overall emotional status of their owners
- Legal Protection. Emotional Support Animal Letters provide legal protection under the Fair Housing Act, and in certain circumstances under the Air Carrier Act. Pet owners in possession of a valid ESA letter can access any housing situation at no additional cost. ESA letters waive any pet deposit and pet rent fees, even in housing institutions that do not normally allow pets.
- Improving Social Life. Emotional support animals are great ways to practice social interactions with others. People struggling with emotional or mental health challenges are often anxious in a variety of social contexts. Having an ESA, establishing healthy routines can help people feel more comfortable socializing with others thanks to their ESAs reassuring presence.
What documents are necessary for ESA Qualification?
The documents that are necessary for ESA qualification are listed below.
- Diagnosis of Emotional or Mental Condition. ESAs are only provided by licensed professionals to people suffering from emotional or mental health conditions. Conditions included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) qualify for an ESA. An official diagnosis is required before applying for an ESA.
- Legitimate ESA Letter. A valid ESA Letter is necessary to receive an ESA. The letter contains the official letterhead of the LMHP, the ESA’s purpose, the professional license information, credentials, and contact information.
How Long Does Getting an ESA Letter Take?
It takes 2-3 business days to get an ESA letter. The person applying for an ESA is required to have a consultation with a mental health professional, or other licensed health care provider first to determine their mental health or emotional status. Legitimate online providers such as CertaPet hasten the process by helping people connect to an LMHP in their state of residence. An initial free online pre-screening process takes around 5 minutes and it establishes whether you may be a good candidate for an ESA. Qualifying applicants are connected to an LMHP for consultation. After the consultation the LMHP provides an ESA Letter within a couple of days for a physical copy, or you can also download a digital format.
What are the Challenges of Getting Qualified for ESA?
The challenges of getting qualified for ESA are listed below.
- Fake ESA Letters. Numerous websites offer free ESA letters to access personal information. Some fraudulent letters are occasionally provided online for a fee and market themselves as “hassle-free” since the person does not have to consult a licensed mental health practitioner. These letters hold no legal value, and anyone caught using fake ESA letters can incur in serious legal disputes that result in eviction from establishments, housing, or civil lawsuits by the landlord.
- Lack of understanding of ESAs. Emotional support animals are a category that is still surrounded by many misconceptions and misinformation. Landlords and housing institutions can be insensitive to or ignorant about ESA owners’ legal rights. The uncomfortable process of explaining the need for an ESA results in added stress for the person. On the other hand, at times, people misuse or are not aware of their pets ESA status not understanding that they are not service animals and are not protected under the same rights. This overall confusion contributes to a general sense of mistrust when it comes to ESAs.
- Cost of getting a consultation. A credible professional is required to assess the mental health and emotional status of a patient as a prerequisite to getting an ESA. These consultations are never free, so there is a cost associated with obtaining an ESA.
What type of Animals are Approved for an ESA Qualification?
The type of animals that are approved for an ESA qualification encompass a wide range of domesticated animals. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, rodents, and even horses are allowed to become emotional support animals*. Emotional support pets need to be docile and suitable for domesticated life. Personal pets are allowed to become ESAs as long as they are recognized as a necessary part of a person’s care treatment plan as prescribed by a licensed professional. ESAs are tasked with providing genuine emotional support through constant companionship and affection towards their owners. ESA animals need to be steady and well-behaved even in public settings.
*Please note that CertaPet only prescribed dogs, cats, and rabbits as ESAs.
Can an ESA Letter Help You Get a House?
No, an ESA letter cannot get you a house. ESA Letters are not directly going to help you get a house, but they make sure that you are not denied accommodation just for having an animal. The ESA letter is a legal document that mentions that under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the landlord must provide reasonable accommodation for a tenant with an ESA, even in housing situations that normally do not allow pets. Under the FHA, landlords cannot charge pet deposits or pet rent fees, and cannot impose limitations due to breeds or sizes if a person has a valid ESA letter which needs to be renewed annually.
Do you Need Training to Qualify for ESA?
No, you do need ESA training to qualify for ESA. Emotional support animals are used to provide comfort through affection and companionship. ESAs are not specifically trained to carry out tasks like service animals are. They are only required to be of good temperament, obedient, and able to live in a domestic setting and not constitute a nuisance to others. On the other hand, service animals have to undergo intensive training to execute specific tasks such as accompanying people who are visually impaired and blind; remind people to take their medication; or being able to sense seizures.
