Emotional support animals (ESA) are some of the most helpful companions around today, and these wonderful friends can help to relieve the symptoms of certain mental health conditions. There is often confusion over emotional support animals, who can have one, and which animals might be considered an ESA, which is why we’re here to help. Below, we tell you more about emotional support animals, including which animals can be emotional support animals and what your ESA rights might be.
What Is an Emotional Support Animal?
An emotional support animal is any companion animal that provides relief from certain mental health symptoms through their presence, companionship, and support; the routine that caring for an ESA provides often helps individuals, and the love and friendship of an emotional support animal can result in fewer negative emotions, reduced stress, increased positive activity, and a greater sense of comfort and peace in the owner.
You must have an ESA letter from a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state in order for your emotional support animal to be valid. You also need to avoid passing your emotional support animal off as a service animal, as these animal companions are not the same thing.
Are Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals the Same?
While emotional support animals and service animals may seem like the same thing, these animal companions are quite different in the way they help their owners and their legal protections. Emotional support animals, on one hand, can be any animal, and they do not need to be trained at all. These animal companions help relieve the symptoms of certain mental health conditions, and they do not perform tasks that are related to a person’s disability.
Service animals, on the other hand, are dogs, or sometimes miniature horses, that are trained to perform tasks directly related to someone’s disability. For example, a service animal could be trained to guide someone with visual impairments to detect hallucinations for someone with a psychiatric condition.
Because service animals are highly trained, they are granted more wide-reaching public access rights. Your service animal will be able to accompany you into most private and public spaces, while emotional support animals can only go in pet-friendly public spaces that accept certain types of ESAs (for instance, you will have an easier time taking a support dog to a restaurant patio than a support snake).
What Animals Can Be Emotional Support Animals?
Many different types of animals can be emotional support animals – there are no breed or animal requirements when it comes to ESAs. The main thing with an emotional support animal is that the animal must help relieve some symptoms of a mental health condition, and the animal must be approved by a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state.
In general, most people will choose dogs and cats as emotional support animals. These animals are easy to adopt from a shelter, easy to take care of, and typically affordable for most individuals. There are also more resources online and in person when it comes to caring for your dog or cat and learning how to be a good owner.
However, many people may choose less traditional emotional support animals, such as hamsters, birds, fish, snakes, or rabbits. These animals have their own benefits, and people may prefer smaller animals or love caring for reptiles; as long as the animal helps bring you comfort and relief, they can be an ESA.
It’s important to note that emotional support animals cannot be exotic animals, animals that are illegal to own in your state, or animals that you would generally find difficult to care for. This includes animals that cannot reasonably be accommodated in your chosen living space.
What Are My Emotional Support Animal Rights?
Your emotional support for animals’ rights, while not as wide-reaching as service animal rights, still cover one very important thing – housing. Your ESA has the right to live with you in any suitable and reasonable area of housing under the federal Fair Housing Act. Additionally, you will not be required to pay any pet fees or pet deposits, and you will not need to adhere to breed or animal restrictions.
The best thing about this right is that your ESA can live with you and provide you support, even if you are in an area of housing that doesn’t typically allow pets or a specific breed of dog. And, even though you are not required to pay pet fees, it’s important to note that you will be responsible for any damages or clean-up required if your ESA damages property.
How Do I Get an Emotional Support Animal?
The most important thing to remember when adding an emotional support animal to your treatment plan is to consult with a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state. Only your therapist or another mental healthcare professional can discuss your symptoms with you and offer you advice and guidance on whether or not an emotional support animal is right for you. It may take multiple appointments to establish your need for an ESA and get approved for one.
Once you are approved for an emotional support animal, you can decide on an animal to adopt, and you will receive an ESA letter from your provider. This document is especially important, as this letter is what allows you ESA housing rights outlined in the Fair Housing Act.
Common conditions that benefit from the addition of an emotional support animal include anxiety, depression, chronic stress, PTSD, and OCD. Make sure you are able to physically and financially support your ESA before taking steps to add one into your treatment plan.
Will My Emotional Support Animal Ever Be Denied?
It is possible for your emotional support animal to be denied if you do not have a valid ESA letter; you cannot simply tell a landlord or housing provider that your companion animal is an ESA and have this accepted. You must have an ESA letter written by a mental healthcare provider for your emotional support animal to be valid.
Additionally, a landlord may legally deny accommodations to your ESA in certain housing conditions, such as a small building with four or fewer units for rent, or when your emotional support animal cannot be cared for properly in your chosen housing space.
For example, you cannot bring several large dogs into a tiny studio, nor could you have an emotional support chicken in an apartment complex.
If your emotional support animal is destructive, dangerous, or out of control, they are also likely to be denied, so the landlord can preserve their property and the safety of other tenants.
How Do I Choose the Right Emotional Support Animal?
Choosing the right emotional support animal is a very personal decision, and the right animal for you may not be the right animal for someone else. It’s important to consider what you want out of an emotional support animal. For instance, you may need a push to get outside and a strict routine. In these cases, adopting a dog that will help you get out and meet people, plus needing a care routine, can be the right choice.
On the other hand, you may want a cuddly animal to care for at home, and you don’t wish to take a dog out multiple times a day. Cats, rabbits, and hamsters are good choices in these cases.
Always take into account the symptoms you need help with and discuss your options with a mental healthcare provider to make sure that you choose the right emotional support animal for your specific needs.
Adding an Emotional Support Animal to Your Life
Adding an emotional support animal to your life doesn’t need to be the confusing and overwhelming task you might think. ESAs are fairly straightforward once you understand that these companion animals are not service animals, and you will need a mental healthcare provider to obtain one. Once you have that down, you can start thinking about which ESA you would like to adopt – any animal can be an emotional support animal with reason, and your choice of ESA depends on your unique needs.