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 information about ESA rights. In recent years public awareness of ESAs has grown, and unfortunately, so has the number of dodgy online ESA services looking to make a quick buck.
There are a lot of misconceptions around emotional support animals. ESA Doctors is here to break down the relevant info in a digestible, streamlined fashion.
In this article:
- What qualifies as an emotional support animal?
- How do I get an ESA letter?
- Benefits of qualifying online
- Avoid online ESA scams
- What a legit letter should have
- Your rights as an ESA owner
- How to start the process
What qualifies as an emotional support animal?
There is a lot of confusing and flat-out false information about ESAs out there. Some of the most common myths about ESAs are the following:
| Myths | Facts |
|---|---|
| “You need to register or certify an ESA and have an ID card.” | An ESA letter is the only documentation that can qualify a pet as an ESA. |
| “ESAs are out of control, they should have laws that govern them!” | ESAs are actually a creation of laws – there are already many federal and state rules that regulate ESAs and protect the rights of owners. |
| “Anyone can just pretend their pet is an ESA.” | It’s not easy to pass off a normal pet as an ESA with a savvy landlord – they are entitled under law to see proof that an animal is an ESA. |
| “You can’t qualify for an ESA online.” | While it’s true that there are many ESA scams online to be wary of, it is possible to successfully obtain a legitimate ESA letter online. |
| “No one really needs an ESA, people should just toughen up!” | ESAs play a key role in the mental and emotional well-being of their owners. There are countless real-life examples of ESAs allowing people with mental health issues to live positive and fulfilling lives that were previously unthinkable. |
ESA key facts:
- Emotional support animals are recognized under federal and state housing laws
- They help people with conditions such as depression, panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental illnesses
- Individuals who need emotional support animals are granted federal and state-specific rights
- i.e., landlords cannot refuse to accommodate ESA owners due to a “no pets” policy
Which animals can be ESAs?
- Emotional support animals are usually dogs and cats, but they can be any animal that provides comfort during times of sadness, anxiety, or emotional stress.
- Emotional support animals do not need specialized training. They provide comfort for mental and emotional distress just through their mere presence.
What separates a pet from an emotional support animal is whether the owner has an ESA letter from a licensed healthcare professional. Under federal and state laws, the only way to qualify for an emotional support animal is to obtain an ESA letter that meets specific requirements.
How do I get an ESA letter?
If you already have a mental health professional such as a therapist, counselor, social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse, physician’s assistant, or doctor, that is the best person to talk to regarding your interest in an emotional support animal.
A simple alternative: For many people, however, visiting a healthcare provider is unaffordable or impractical. Some people have a healthcare provider, but one that is unfamiliar with ESAs and unable to help them qualify for one.
- Obtain an ESA letter online at a low cost without having to leave your home.
You can obtain a legitimate and effective ESA letter online, but you have to be careful about selecting the right provider. In the next section, we’ll provide information on how to qualify for a legitimate ESA letter online and how to spot fake ESA documentation.
How to qualify for an ESA online:
- Recognize your need for an ESA
- Connect with a licensed healthcare professional
- Communicate your need for an ESA
- Request an ESA letter from your LHCP
Click here to get started on qualifying for your ESA letter.
Benefits of qualifying for an ESA letter online
As the world moves increasingly in the direction of internet-based solutions for activities that were once carried out in person, health-related services are no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps further accelerated the move towards being able to find therapist services online. More and more people are turning to web-based offerings to address their mental health needs.
Qualifying online can be a great option if one of these situations apply to you:
- You don’t have a therapist and are not sure who to turn to.
- You have a therapist, but they are unfamiliar with ESAs and don’t know how to recommend one.
- You have a schedule that makes it difficult to attend in-person meetings.
- You’re uninsured or don’t have the means to pay for expensive in-person meetings.
- You have anxieties about discussing your mental health with someone face-to-face.
- You have mobility issues that make it hard to leave home.
Federal rules specifically allow for tenants to obtain ESA letters from remote, online therapists. Various state laws have also explicitly approved of online therapists for ESA documentation. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that not all online sources are created equal. The U.S. Department of Housing confirmed the use of legitimate online professionals is acceptable, but also rightfully warns people from sites online that sell questionable ESA credentials.
In the next sections, we’ll discuss some common ESA scams to watch out for, and explain what constitutes a legitimate ESA letter.
How to avoid online ESA scams
If you are looking to obtain an emotional support animal letter online, watch out for companies that promise instant approvals, low-cost letters, registrations, certifications, or ESA letters that don’t expire. In many instances, these documents may not be legally enforceable, and they could be a scam.
Here are a few things to watch out for when evaluating ESA providers online:
- Instant ESA letter approvals are not legitimate because it takes time for real licensed healthcare professionals to evaluate whether an ESA is right for you. Instant approvals may be from ESA letter mills that don’t use actual therapists or have therapist/doctor signatures on file. This means the therapist that “signed” your letter has probably never even seen your letter.
- If the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bargain basement-priced ESA letters do not make sense because a real licensed healthcare professional must evaluate your condition and write an ESA letter for you. The cost of a qualified licensed professional’s time does not come cheap.
- Emotional support animals do not need to be registered, so be cautious of sites that promise ESA status by adding your pet to a registry.
- A vest or ID card will not transform your pet into an ESA, and you should be very skeptical of any site that claims otherwise. As we’ve discussed, the only way to properly qualify for an ESA is with a letter from a licensed professional.
- Check to see what past clients have said about the company. Make sure the reviews come from a site that verifies the reviews are authentic. You should also check the company’s BBB (Better Business Bureau) accreditation status.
What to look for in a legitimate ESA letter
Not all ESA letters are the same. An ESA letter has to conform to the specific requirements of federal and state rules regarding emotional support animals.
- Your ESA letter should be on the licensed healthcare professional’s official letterhead with their licensing and direct contact information.
- Make sure that the professional’s license is in good standing and up to date. You can check on your therapist’s licensing by searching your state’s professional licensing database.
An ESA letter has to come from a real licensed mental health professional. You should be able to contact this professional in case you need additional forms or documents that may require their input or signature. A landlord may also want to contact the author of the ESA letter to verify it was written for you. You can run into a troubling situation if you use a questionable ESA provider that is unresponsive.
The ESA letter should establish that you have a condition that meets the criteria outlined in the U.S. Department of Housing’s guidelines. The letter will recommend an emotional support animal to help deal with the symptoms of that condition. Remember, ESA registration papers are not required and are not recognized by landlords.
Your rights as the owner of an emotional support animal
An ESA letter gives you the right to live with your ESA. Once you have your ESA letter, you can present it to your housing provider and request accommodation of your emotional support animal.
“No pets” policies do not apply. Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords must reasonably accommodate tenants who have a valid emotional support animal. The Fair Housing Act protects owners of emotional support animals from discrimination. Under Fair Housing rules, ESAs are not considered pets and must be allowed even in buildings that prohibit animals.
No fees, no deposits. Landlords may not discriminate against legitimate ESA owners, and they may not charge additional fees or pet deposits for an ESA, even though such fees and deposits may apply to normal pets. Landlords also cannot apply breed or weight restrictions to emotional support animals. Even if the building has a policy restricting the size or breed of regular pets, that policy cannot be applied to emotional support animals.
ESAs no longer accepted on flights. You may have also heard that emotional support animals are allowed in the cabin of airplanes. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) changed its regulations for emotional support animals in 2021, and as a result, U.S. airlines no longer accept ESAs on flights.
Psychiatric service dogs (PSD) ≠ ESA. Psychiatric service dogs (PSDs), however, are still allowed to board flights free of charge and are also exempt from many of the airline policies that apply to pets. The DOT confirmed that service dogs can still board flights as long as owners submit a special form in advance.
An ESA can become a PSD. If you have an ESA that is trained (or in the process of being trained) to perform a task relating to your mental health disability, it may be able to eventually qualify as a psychiatric service dog. A PSD is a type of service dog for people with the same mental and emotional health issues that ESA owners have (like depression, anxiety, and PTSD). However, the major difference is that PSDs must be trained to perform tasks relating to a disability.
You can apply for a PSD letter if you need a psychiatric service dog. If you’re interested in qualifying for a psychiatric service dog, a PSD letter from a licensed healthcare professional instead of an ESA letter might be right for you. ESA Doctors can connect you to a licensed healthcare professional that specializes in PSD letters.
If you are interested in a Psychiatric Service Dog Letter, we are happy to connect you with a licensed healthcare provider.
In short…
An emotional support animal can be life-changing for people suffering from mental health issues. A pet can only qualify as an ESA if you have a recommendation letter from a licensed healthcare professional. You can obtain a letter from a professional who offers their services online, but it’s important to choose a provider that can write a legitimate ESA letter.
ESA Doctors can help connect you to a licensed professional specializing in ESAs and offers their services remotely. The licensed professional can assess whether an ESA is right for you and issue an ESA letter that you can confidently present to your landlord.
If you are ready to get started on qualifying for a legitimate ESA letter online, you can start by clicking the link below.
Get Your Legitimate ESA Letter Online
Get the love and support you deserve.
If my apartment complex has their own ESA form for me to fill out can I forward that to the ESA doctor that will reach out to me? Or should the letter from the doctor be enough for me to not have to fill out their own form?
Under the latest HUD guidelines landlords cannot insist that LMHPs use a specific form. If you submitted a valid ESA letter from your doctor or therapist, that should be sufficient. Please see this post for more details: https://esadoctors.com/hud-housing-rules-emotional-support-animals/
I have a letter from my doctor stating the reason on need my dog. Now what do I do??
You might find this article useful: https://esadoctors.com/emotional-support-dog-letter-landlord/
What if my therapist is willing to write the referral or recommendation but doesn’t know what to do with it next? Can I essentially bring my own letter for a online company to create the certificate?
You do not need a certificate for an emotional support animal. If your therapist can write and sign an ESA recommendation letter for you, that is the only documentation you need to show your landlord as proof of your animal’s ESA status.
Can a Veterinarian provide the letter for an ESA applicant. My dog visits in nursing homes.
No, an ESA letter has to come from a licensed healthcare professional such as a therapist, doctor or social worker who has evaluated the person’s mental health.
so what exactly does the letter need to contain in order for my dog to be considered as an esa
An ESA letter should come from a licensed healthcare professional and establish that you have a qualifying mental health disability that is assisted by the presence of an emotional support animal.
What do if I already have a doctors note from my sons doctor ? (ASD)
If you already have a letter for your ESA from a licensed healthcare professional, you can submit the letter to your landlord to request accommodation of your ESA.
Does the letter need to state the information about the animal? For example whether it’s a dog, name, weight etc.?
In our experience most ESA letters do not have that information because 1. it’s not something the therapist is always in a position to verify and 2. an ESA letter can be issued before the ESA is even adopted.
I filled out the questions but it’s asking for almost $250. Will someone call me before I pay? Want to make sure this is legit as I am getting another pup and want him legally ESA for my sever anxiety. I am taking meds for it.
Please reach out to our support team at support@esadoctors.com and someone will assist you right away.
Hello, I want to buy 2 ESA letters. I used to have one issued from my doctor and need a new one and another ESA letter for my other pet. I match all of the qualifications and want to get both ESA letters online from this website since my busy schedule makes this very convenient. How much is each ESA letter? And
Is there a bundle of 2 price? And how soon can it be delivered to me? I need letters for Housing & Travel.
You can find our pricing plan here: https://esadoctors.com/pricing-plan/
How much do I need to register her as service dog.
You do not need to register a service dog or ESA. You may find this link helpful to learn about how the ESA process works: https://esadoctors.com/how-it-works/
What’s I have received my letter from my licence psychiatrist what do I do with that letter at that point who do I contact to have it registered
You do not need to register an emotional support animal. If you have a valid ESA letter from a licensed psychiatrist you should be set.
It isn’t vital to use a Psychiatrist, is it? As long as I use a licensed doctor in good standing? Thank you!
(I don’t see where to ask the question directly, so forgive me for placing it here)!
A licensed healthcare professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, social worker, doctor or nurse can write an ESA letter.
Hi, is the therapist liable for the dog after the letter is written? I am working with my therapist to obtain a letter and were wondering what the therapists role is in the big picture. Thank you!
The owner, not a therapist, is generally liable for the actions of their ESA.