Many Emotional Support Animal (ESA) owners register their pets to receive a registration number and ID card. While registration is optional, and a registration number and ID card are no substitute for an ESA letter, it can provide added peace of mind and convenience. A legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional is required to officially qualify for an ESA. Only those with a valid ESA letter should register their Emotional Support Animal in a database and receive an ID card.
ESA registration is popular because it offers an easy way to demonstrate to third parties that their animal is more than just a pet. Anyone you share your ESA registration number with can look up your animal’s information in an online database for support animals.
Possessing an ID card for your Emotional Support Animal can be helpful in preventing misunderstandings and confusion. They are popular with ESA owners who want to visually represent that they have a support animal and avoid verbal confrontations. For example, if your building prohibits pets, an ID card can be shown to a doorman or fellow tenant so they can readily understand that your animal has been granted special accommodation in your building as an ESA.
To qualify for an Emotional Support Animal, you need a recommendation letter (referred to as an “ESA letter”) from a licensed healthcare professional in your state. The healthcare professional must determine that you have a mental health condition that would be improved by the presence of an Emotional Support Animal. You can apply for an ESA letter via an in-person consultation or through an online provider.
ESA stands for Emotional Support Animal, providing support and comfort to individuals with mental and emotional health issues. ESAs can be a variety of domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, fish, turtles, rodents and lizards.
Emotional support animals play a vital role in the mental health of their owners. For example, ESAs are often utilized by those with chronic depression, severe anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, learning disorders and panic disorders. An ESA can help a person maintain emotional stability and also provide a calming influence during times of crisis or when their condition is triggered.
Emotional Support Animals and service dogs differ in a number of ways. One key distinction is that ESAs do not require any specialized training. The job of an emotional support animal is not to perform trained tasks, but to be a comforting and dependable presence in the life of their owner, especially during times of distress. ESAs can also be a wide variety of animals, while service dogs can only be dogs.
If you own an Emotional Support Animal, you are protected under federal law from housing discrimination. The Fair Housing Act and guidelines from the U.S. Department of Housing require landlords to make reasonable accommodations for ESA owners. This means your housing provider must allow your ESA even if the building has a blanket ban on all pets. ESA law is very clear, landlords are also never allowed to charge any pet fees, deposits, or registration fees to accept your ESA.
ESAs are considered a type of assistance animal under federal guidelines and are therefore exempt from building rules that restrict pets. For example, ESAs are not subject to breed, size, and weight restrictions that might apply to tenants’ pets.
