2024 Animal Stories

Emotional Support Animals: what are they, and could your pet qualify as one?
By Lesleigh Bennett

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[February 28, 2024]   Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s) are animals that have been recommended and or recognized by a doctor and appointed to provide assistance.

These animals are different from service animals. Federal law defines an ESA as a pet. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that an animal that provides emotional comfort is not recognized as a service animal. A service animal is defined by the ADA as a “dog that is individually trained to work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Emotional Support Animals differ from service animals in that service animals go through a rather rigorous training program to learn to provide support for a specific ailment. Some common conditions that qualify for a service animal include autism, blindness, asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy. Most service animals are limited to a particular breed, but Emotional Support Animals come from a wide range of critters. These Emotional Support Animals are used to treat issues like depression, anxiety, phobias, and other psychological or emotional difficulties. Any type of animal or breed can qualify as an Emotional Support Animal if it provides you comfort.

Types of Emotional Support Animals

The most common Emotional Support Animals are dogs and cats, but animals such as parrots, bunnies, ferrets, and hedgehogs can qualify as Emotional Support Animals too. As you are selecting the type of animal that would benefit you, take into account your personal preferences and living situation.

Housing with Emotional Support Animals

According to federal law and the Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA) it is illegal to discriminate against someone with a recognized impairment. This law relates to Emotional Support Animals because it means that housing rights must be given to those animals. A “no pets” policy must be considered void, and the landlords must make reasonable accommodations for Emotional Support Animals, however there are some exceptions. A private club does not have to accept Emotional Support Animals. A landlord occupied dwelling with four or less rental units, and a single-family dwelling that is rented also does not have to accept Emotional Support Animals. Public dwellings such as dorms and public housing facilities must abide by the FHAA as long as it does not supersede public health recommendations. For instance, some states have regulations that prohibit dogs in swimming pools, including emotional support and service animals.

Traveling with Emotional Support Animals

The “Air Carrier Act” used to ensure that Emotional Support Animals could fly in the cabin of the airplane for free. The law has since been updated and now Emotional Support Animals are treated as regular pets by the airlines. You will be charged a fee for your ESA to fly with you and if your pet is larger than what is allowed in the cabin of the airplane then they may be required to ride in cargo.

Service Animals are always allowed to fly with you for free. Hotels have the right to make their own determinations about Emotional Support Animals, so before you travel check out the hotel’s website. Airbnb sites used to allow ESAs in their properties free of charge. Now, the law has changed, and they can charge a free or not allow your ESA at all.

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Making your Emotional Support Animal Official

It is always smart to have documentation to support your claims. Registering your Emotional Support Animal with US Service Animals will allow you to provide a certificate of registration to airlines, hotels, and other essential spaces. You will also get an official Emotional Support Animal vest, ID tag, and become part of the largest support animal and Emotional Support Animal database in the United States.

There are fees involved with legally registering your pet as an Emotional Support Animal. If you are thinking of registering your animal, be aware of scams. It is crucial to realize that registering your Emotional Support Animal shouldn’t be too easy. There is more involved than paying a fee and printing a certificate, many of which are not recognized as official. It is essential to speak to a board-certified physician, receive a diagnosis that would qualify you to have an ESA, and then receive written documentation from that physician. Also be aware that you will need to update that certification with a board-certified physician every year, there is no such thing as a lifetime certification.

Emotional Support Animals can be an important part of the life of a person with mental or emotional conditions. When people who do not have the disability misuse the system by misrepresenting their pets as Emotional Support Animals to obtain special privileges, they undermine the importance of the accommodations made for individuals in legitimate need of assistance. Please, take the time to research all of the options, advantages, and disadvantages to registering your pet as an Emotional Support Animal.


Sources

https://www.usserviceanimals.org

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/everything-about-emotional-support-animals/
 

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