Emotional support animals can be a lifeline for individuals facing mental health challenges. From providing companionship and stabilizing daily routines to acting as a trusted guide in anxiety-inducing social situations, ESAs offer invaluable support alongside the unconditional love inherent in animals.
However, emotional support animals—often abbreviated as “ESAs”—aren’t pets by the standard definition. Nor are they service dogs or therapy dogs. Instead, ESAs have separate legal stipulations specific to this type of animal. To enjoy not only the benefits of an emotional support dog but also the legal entitlements, individuals must register their ESA. And that’s a process not everyone understands.
The Difference Between ESAs and Service or Therapy Dogs
When considering emotional support animal registration, it’s important to understand what makes ESAs different from other types of “special” animals, most notably service dogs and therapy dogs.
At their most basic definition, ESAs are animals that provide therapeutic benefits to their handlers. Unlike a psychiatric service dog, for example, which might turn on lights before its handler enters a room to help them cope with phobias or symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, an ESA supports their human through love and companionship.
As anyone who’s ever shared their life with a pet knows, animals have the capacity to connect with humans on a profound level. A beloved animal companion can be the first person an individual turns to when they need someone to cry to or someone who can listen without judgment. This comes without the training that a service or therapy dog must undergo.
While they provide incredibly important services, emotional support animals are considered to fall somewhere in between service or therapy dogs and standard pets. So, while they may not receive as many legal benefits, they do still receive some. And that’s where registration comes in.
Emotional Support Animal Rights
Emotional support animal rights are covered in two primary areas: travel and housing. Emotional support animals are permitted to fly without the use of a carrier or paying extra fees and can be used as grounds to break no-pet policies in rental units.
Due to these allowances, you may notice some debate over the validity of ESAs, especially when it comes to air travel. But to this day, emotional support animals and their handlers do have certain legal rights that extend beyond those of a typical pet and their caretaker. And for the individuals who rely on their ESAs for support, these rights are invaluable.
How to Register Your ESA
There is no official registration database for emotional support animals. Instead, any allowances requested for ESAs must be backed by a letter from a licensed mental health professional. This letter should:
- Be legitimate—i.e., on professional letterhead and written by a qualified doctor and/or mental health provider.
- Include the provider’s license number, as well as their signature and the date the letter was signed.
- Clearly explain your need for an emotional support animal.
If you don’t already have a mental health provider, you have two options: You can schedule an appointment with one and obtain a letter that way or you can use an online ESA letter service. Note that these services do come at a cost, and you’ll be required to complete a mental health assessment before receiving your letter.
Once you have your ESA certification, be sure to keep your letter in an easy-to-access place, as it may be required when you’re flying with your animal or when you’re seeking housing. Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), landlords cannot discriminate against tenants who use animals for assistance, including emotional support, but they can do so if you don’t have a letter. While not required, you may also want to purchase a vest for your animal to designate them as an ESA.
