To certify your pet as your Emotional Support Animal (ESA), you do not need an Emotional Support Animal certification from an ESA registry. You need an Emotional Support Animal letter written by a licensed healthcare provider (LHCP). This letter must state that you have a qualifying disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities and that your pet helps relieve your symptoms. Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), this letter confirms a mental health condition and grants legal housing protections for you. Without this valid clinical documentation, your pet will not be legally recognized as an emotional support animal. Learn how to properly certify your pet below. Make Your Pet an ESA To designate your pet as your emotional support animal, you need to qualify for an ESA Letter for housing from a licensed healthcare provider. Renters with a medical need for their pet are often blocked by no-pet rules, pet fees, and breed/size restrictions. Properly certifying your pet as an ESA removes these housing barriers. ESA Certification Do Not Provide Legal Protections An ESA Certification or Registration is not a document you can purchase off the internet. ESA Registration sites will offer you an “ESA Certification” but that document does not confer any rights to you or your pet. The ONLY way to properly designate your animal as an ESA is by working with a licensed healthcare provider to see if you are eligible. If a company promises you an instant ESA Letter or one within 24 hours, it likely will not provide you with the appropriate legal protections if your ESA designation is challenged. Can You Really Get an ESA Certificate Online? You can get an […]