Curious about you and your furry friends’ legal rights when it comes to the ADA, ACAA, and FHA? Each article below is fact checked to bring you up-to-date and accurate information.
ESAs are protected under federal housing rules. Empower yourself by learning about your rights.
Many states have passed ESA laws. We’ll help you understand your state’s unique requirements.
Emotional support animals (ESA) are pets that provide comfort to owners with mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, and other disorders diagnosed by...
Are you interested in having a legitimate emotional support animal? ESA Doctors was founded in 2015 with a mission to support ESA owners and spread truthful...
In this article, we explain which laws protect owners of emotional support animals (ESAs) and how housing providers must comply. We will also review ESA...
Emotional support animals (ESA) can provide significant mental and emotional benefits to individuals with certain mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In Texas, individuals with disabilities have the right to live with their [...]
This article was last updated on October 20, 2023, to reflect the updates in ESA regulations Understanding the laws surrounding emotional support animals (ESA) can be tricky. Is an ESA a pet, or is it a service animal? The truth is that an ESA falls somewhere in between, which me [...]
What does it mean? Some landlords do not have to comply with federal emotional support animal rules. The “Mrs. Murphy” exception exempts owner-occupied buildings with 4 or less units. An owner-occupied building may also be known as a live-in landlord. Where did it come from? "Mrs [...]
No. Owners of emotional support animals do not have to pay pet deposits. ESA owners also do not have to pay any monthly pet fees. Did you pay a pet deposit when you moved in but later qualified for an emotional support animal? You may be entitled to a refund of the pet deposit. L [...]
Emotional support animals are protected by the federal Fair Housing Act which is applicable to every state. In addition, many states such as California, Florida, New York, Illinois and others have passed their own legislation protecting owners of emotional support animals.
Owners of emotional support animals have the right to live in no-pets buildings. If you own a valid emotional support animal, the landlord must also waive pet fees, pet deposits, and pet breed and weight restrictions.
To qualify for an ESA, you’ll need to get an ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. Note that many states have additional requirements when it comes to getting an ESA letter. For example, California, Arkansas and Montana have a 30 day waiting period for obtaining an ESA letter from a new healthcare provider.