What Puppy Owners Should Know About Emotional Support Animals

Should I classify my puppy as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?

If you are like many Americans and experience difficulty with anxiety, stress, fatigue, or other mental health challenges (anxiety, ADHD, etc.), then you might qualify to have your pet certified as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA).

One in two Americans will experience a mental health illness in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and mental health challenges are unfortunately becoming more commonplace. Recent research has shown that dogs can have a positive effect on human health and longevity, and some studies suggest dogs can have a promising impact on mental health and well-being as well.

Seventy-four percent of pet owners report mental health improvements from interacting with their animals, according to a 2016 survey conducted by The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and the Cohen Research Group. Other research has shown that emotional support animal companionship can be an effective treatment for mental disorders like PTSD.

Keep Your Pet Around When You Need Them With An ESA Letter

Certifying your dog as an ESA could be beneficial to making sure you have the mental health support you need, when you need it, and ensure you can keep your dog with you at all times. 

Taking your dog with you outside your home is surprisingly tricky in the United States. From housing restrictions, to expensive pet fees, and even traveling — there are many instances where going places with your pet can be difficult, which can be distressing when you need your companion for therapeutic reasons.

As a result of these restrictions, dog owners could be left with only a few options:

• Paying expensive dog sitter and boarding fees
• Leaving dogs home alone (and hopefully finding a friend or neighbor to check on them)
• Giving up their dogs during a more permanent life transition

Thankfully, ESAs are protected in the United States under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which grants ESA owners the following rights:

• Access To Any Housing: Move into any housing unit, including university dorms, whether or not that housing unit has pet, breed, or dog size restrictions
  There are a few circumstances where a landlord may deny a request for an ESA under the FSA. For example, if the tenant’s occupancy would be a threat to the health or safety of other tenants, or if the tenancy might result in substantial physical damage to others’ property. In these cases, the landlord and the potential tenant would need to discuss all options together.
  
• Waive Housing Pet Fees: Waive any housing fees associated with owning a pet
  
• Travel With Your Dog Anywhere: As of March 2021 the Department of Transportation (DOT) ruled that airlines can now determine whether or not they accept Emotional Support Animals.
  Most domestic carriers have chosen to no longer accept ESAs. ESAs are still accepted on select international airlines (such as LATAM, Volaris, WestJet, Aeromexico, etc), but we recommend you call your airline before traveling to confirm your pet is eligible to fly.
  Read more information on Pettable to see which airlines accept ESAs. 
  
• Take Your Dog Out In Public: While ESAs are not federally protected, they are generally more welcome in public places lately, given the important role they play in supporting owners’ mental health

As a result, it can be beneficial to get your dog certified as an ESA in order to keep them with you when you need them, make sure both you and your pet get any care needed, and avoid spending a ton of money on dog care or leaving them without adequate supervision.

What Qualifies You For An Emotional Support Animal

To qualify for an emotional support animal, you must meet the following criteria: 

• Mental Or Emotional Disability: A licensed mental health provider will need to determine that you have an emotional or mental disability. This can include any of the following challenges: Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Phobias, Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia
• Your Animal Alleviates Symptoms Of Your Disability: You will also need to show that your pet alleviates one or more symptoms of your mental or emotional disability in such a way that managing your disability would be more challenging or not possible without them, which your provider can also help determine

A reputable Telehealth service that can help you get an emotional support animal will gauge whether or not you meet these criteria in order to determine if you qualify for an ESA certification.

Choosing The Right ESA Service

There are a few key criteria that are considered necessary when choosing the right ESA service for you.

• Licensed Mental Health Professionals: You need to speak with a mental health professional licensed in your state. There are a couple of things you need to look for in a provider: 1) A valid and active license with no disciplinary action (you can search this online using the provider’s license number, which they can provide to you), and 2) Experience with emotional support animals, particularly the specific forms landlords require. The provider may also need to chat with your landlord to validate your ESA letter
• Live Consultations Over The Phone: Your mental health professional needs to evaluate you, typically over a phone call, video call, or in person, and determine you have a mental health disability (mild, moderate, or severe) as laid out above
• Excellent Service + Legal Support: Since you will need to renew your ESA letter annually, it pays to work with a service with an exceptional customer service team, as well as a legitimate legal team that can support you with any landlord or travel questions
• Meet United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) criteria: If you get approved, you’ll get an ESA letter from your licensed mental health professional and it must contain the following criteria: License information from your mental health professional, business & contact info, and official letterhead. You'll want any documentation to specifically note that you have been diagnosed with a mental health disability and that any symptoms benefit having an emotional support animal.

For more information about ESAs and qualifications, visit our friends at Pettable, a company connecting individuals with qualified mental health professionals.