Emotional Support Animal Registration
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a loyal companion for those who need moral support due to various mental issues. The issues include depression, anxiety, different phobias and fears, relationship problems, etc. This type of animal is not the same as service dogs and does not have to complete special training to become an ESA. The only requirement which should be done is ESA registration, which is very quick and not at all complicated.
The other thing that differs emotional support animals from service animals is that any type of pets can be the moral support for the owner. The most common are dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, miniature pigs, goats, bearded dragons, etc. They don’t have to be trained for a person’s disability; however, such skills as calming down a person’s anxiety attacks, cheering up during depressive episodes, and protecting them during bad mental health moments are necessary. Some pets may also warn about the symptoms of upcoming panic attacks. The handler can train the pet by themselves.
Every emotional support animal has to be registered to make its status official, as well as get all benefits followed by that. To do that, an ESA letter is required.
What is an ESA letter and what it should contain?
An ESA letter is a recommendation written by a licensed professional therapist or other mental health professionals. It proves that you are licensed for an emotional support dog or animal due to mental health issues. It is required when you are traveling with your ESA, living in the rented housing (due to the Fair Housing Act), etc. It is also needed for registration or getting the ID card, certificate, or other helpful ESA accessories.
How an emotional support animal letter should look like, and what information should it include?
- It should be written on your doctor’s letterhead;
- It should confirm you have a disability and require emotional support;
- A recommendation to get an ESA to deal with the symptoms of your mental illness/problems;
- It should include the license number of the mental health professional;
- Contain the signature of the doctor and the date.
If you are not sure you are qualified for an ESA, you should consult with the professional. They may recommend you to qualify your pet into the ESA or adopt if you do not have one.
What benefits will you get after registering your per as an emotional support animal?
The ESA status brings various benefits both for the handler and the pet itself. What are those benefits?
- It is legal to live with your animal in “no pets” policy housing. According to the federal Fair Housing Act, people with emotional support animals may live in any type of housing. It includes rentals, hotels, condos, hostels, etc. Landlords are not allowed to charge extra because you live with a pet; they also can’t refuse to place you in the housing. The landlord can’t ask the ESA handler uncomfortable questions about their health issues; all they can do is to ask you to show a submitted ESA letter or a certificate of registration;
- Participating in airlines will make it possible to travel without an additional fee for your emotional support animal. It is required to submit the ESA letter and fill in forms the airline may need 48 hours before flying. Your support animal must be well-behaved and sit near you during the whole flight;
- People’s recognition. By registration your pet, you give it a status of a legitimate ESA animal. That means people should have fewer questions when they see you with it, they understand your condition and won’t bother you on the street. The law is also on your side, so, as you can see, the list of positive sides is pretty long.That’s it. Your pet is now an official ESA! By the way, free pet and dog registration are possible on our website. After it, your ESA will be included in our database, and you’ll be able to prove its status quickly and without any problems. You may also buy various accessories for your pet, such as a harness, dog ID, a tag, or get a certificate of official registration. You may also register your service animal or therapy dog here. Contact us or scroll through the website to get more details.
If you would like to register your emotional support animal, get the accessories for it, or register other types of pets (a service dog or a therapy dog), leave the request on the website now. Do not hesitate to call in case you have questions. We are always there for you!
Dog lover –
My dog Brandy so cute on this ID.
Lily –
Great service, I am very happy with it. And delivery was very fast, as they promised.
Andy –
When I was diagnosed with chronic anxiety, my mom decided that it will be a good idea to register my family cat as an ESA. That was an amazing idea, she got used to this role very fast. And, thanks to My Service Animal, we managed to complete this process pretty quickly!