If you’ve been out and about anytime in the last few years, chances are that you’ve probably seen the occasional dog or cat accompanying someone in a public place, whether it be the grocery store, a train or even a plane.
These animals aren’t just pets, and may instead be emotional support animals (ESAs), which play a crucial role in helping individuals with various mental health conditions better manage their health.
If you or someone you know suffers from a mental health condition, an ESA can help to provide comfort during challenging times.
Getting an ESA is far more straightforward than most people think. In this post, we take a closer look at the documentation you’ll need and the steps that you should take to get an ESA for you or your loved ones.
What is an Emotional Support Animal?
As their name suggests, ESAs are animal companions that provide emotional support to their owners in the form of companionship, comfort and a sense of stability.
Unlike service animals, which are often trained to perform specific tasks such as detecting allergens for their owners, ESAs do not perform such functions. Instead, the therapeutic benefits that they offer come solely from their presence.
Because of this, ESAs do not require special training in order to be designated as such. For those who experience mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and severe stress, having an ESA by your side throughout the day can help to make daily life much more manageable.
How to Get an Emotional Support Animal
ESAs are growing in popularity and an increasing number of people are starting to wonder how they can get one for themselves.
Here are some of the steps that you can follow if you’re keen on getting an ESA:
1. Determining Your Eligibility for an Emotional Support Animal
Because of the unique rights that are granted to ESA owners by law, such as the right to live with their ESA in pet-restricted housing, proper documentation is required in order to get an emotional support animal.
To be eligible for an ESA, you must obtain a letter from a licensed mental health professional. This letter will certify that an ESA is necessary for your emotional and mental well being, serving as a form of proof for you to assert any legal rights that may be granted to ESA owners.
2. Getting an Emotional Support Animal Letter from a Licensed Mental Health Professional
To obtain an ESA letter, you will generally need to undergo an evaluation by a licensed mental health professional.
During this evaluation, the professional will assess your mental health history and the challenges that you face to determine whether an ESA would provide you with meaningful emotional support. This evaluation may involve discussing the symptoms of your mental health conditions and how these symptoms can affect your daily life.
After the consultation, if the mental health professional determines that an ESA would indeed help you in your daily life by alleviating your emotional distress, they will then issue you with a formal ESA letter. A legitimate ESA letter will often come with an official letterhead and will include details of the qualifications of the mental health professional as well as any licensing details and credentials.
It is important to ensure that you get your ESA letter from a properly qualified and licensed mental health professional (like our counseling team at Fortified Souls!) to avoid potential legal troubles that could arise from a fraudulent ESA letter.
3. Choosing the Right ESA
After you’ve gotten your ESA letter, the next thing to do is to choose your ESA.
ESAs can also come in all shapes and sizes. While dogs and cats tend to be the most popular options, many owners also opt for smaller animals including rabbits, birds and guinea pigs. Ultimately, the choice is yours when it comes to the animal you want.
Nonetheless, it’s important to take your needs and preferences into consideration to ensure that the animal you have chosen is a good fit for your lifestyle and living situation. Taking time to carefully consider your options and choose an emotional support animal that is a right fit for you is the first step to creating a strong, lasting bond, improving its ability to aid your emotional well-being.
4. Understanding Your Rights and Responsibilities
As an ESA owner, it is also crucial for you to understand your rights and responsibilities. ESAs have various legal privileges, such as under the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Under the FHA, ESAs are allowed to live with their owners in pet-restricted housing as long as they have the necessary documentation. This means that a landlord cannot deny housing to a tenant solely on the basis that they have an ESA – nor charge additional pet fees or deposits because of the animal – as long as the ESA is not aggressive and does not cause significant property damage.
However, it’s important to note that ESAs do not have the same rights as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While service animals are allowed in public spaces such as public transportation, in stores and in restaurants under the ADA, ESAs are generally subject to the same rules as regular pets in these situations. This means that unless the establishment has a pet-friendly policy, you will typically be unable to bring your ESA along with you.
Where Can I Bring my Emotional Support Animal?
See this guide from Kinship.com: kinship.com/pet-lifestyle/where-can-i-bring-my-esa
Airlines: while airlines in the U.S. used to have to consider emotional support animals as service animals for animal travel under the Air Carrier Access Act, this is no longer the case. As of December 2020, ESAs are now treated as pets, requiring compliance with airline policies and potential fees.
Get an Emotional Support Animal Evaluation Today
If you have a mental health condition and feel that an ESA would help you in your daily life, get your ESA evaluation today with Fortified Souls. Our team of licensed mental health professionals has extensive experience in advising our patients and assessing their suitability for ESAs.
Our comprehensive consultation process will also provide you with insights and recommendations based on your needs and preferences, helping you choose an ESA that is best suited to your lifestyle. Schedule an appointment with us today and let us help you improve your mental health and overall well being!
