When you certify your pet as an emotional support animal (ESA), you can open more options for affordable housing. Many pet owners feel unfairly burdened by no-pet rules, pet fees, and breed/size restrictions.  Fortunately, if you qualify for an emotional support animal you’re freed from all these limitations! And most importantly, your furry friend can continue to support your mental health and provide you with love, without housing anxiety.  It’s easy to certify your pet as an emotional support animal (ESA), and all you need is an ESA letter from a health professional licensed in your state. The guide below is broken out into 3 sections to address any concerns and questions you have about the certification process. What are Emotional Support Animal Certificates? An ESA certificate is a document that some organizations sell to pet owners that states their pet is an emotional support animal. These documents often feature an official-looking seal or stamp and represent that the animal is an ESA. However, there is no formally recognized certification program for emotional support animals. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) actually addressed this issue in their latest set of ESA rules. This is what HUD had to say about ESA certificates: “Some websites sell certificates, registrations, and licensing documents for assistance animals…In HUD’s experience, such documentation from the internet is not, by itself, sufficient to reliably establish that an individual has a non-observable disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal.” That means ESA certificates can be used as an accessory by an ESA owner, but you can’t just buy a certificate and legally call your pet an emotional support animal.  The Right Process to Certify […]