Yes, you can make your dog an emotional support dog as long as a mental health professional licensed for your state writes you an ESA letter. This guide walks you through the process step by step if you want to make your dog an emotional support dog. No matter where you live, we can help turn your dog into an emotional support dog that can live in no-pet buildings free of charge.
Turning your dog into an emotional support animal involves the following steps:
- Evaluate whether your dog is suitable as an ESA
- Talk to a licensed professional about whether an ESA is right for you
- Request an ESA letter
- Make sure your dog is a good tenant
- Submit your ESA letter to your landlord
1. Evaluate whether your dog is suitable as an ESA
There’s a great chance your current dog can become an emotional support animal. ESAs don’t have any specific breed, size, or age requirements. What matters most is that your dog is well-behaved and helps support your mental health needs. While service dogs need extensive specialized training, ESAs simply need to have good manners — things like basic obedience, being calm around others, and not being aggressive.
If your dog is generally well-behaved and you have a mental health condition that an ESA would help with your current furry friend could be a perfect candidate. Your dog’s main job will be providing emotional comfort and support, so their temperament and your bond with them are what really count.
2. Talk to a licensed professional about whether an ESA is right for you
ESA laws require ESA letters to come from licensed mental health professionals like the following:
- counselors
- social workers
- psychologists
- psychiatrists
- registered nurses
- family and marriage therapists
- physicians
If you already have a relationship with a licensed provider, that’s the best place to start. If not, online therapists who provide ESA services remotely are a great option for people who face challenges finding help and cannot easily leave their homes or schedule in-person visitations.Regardless of where you turn to for help, it is important to discuss your mental health issues with a licensed professional as openly as possible. You should be candid about how an emotional support dog could help you. Not sure about what to say? Check out our guide for how to ask for an ESA letter.
Click here to get started on qualifying for your ESA letter
3. Request an ESA Letter
If your licensed mental health professional agrees that an emotional support dog would help you, ask them to write you an ESA letter. This is the key document you’ll need — it’s what makes your dog officially an ESA and lets you keep them in housing, even where pets aren’t normally allowed.
The letter needs a few important things to be valid:
- Your provider’s contact details and license info (so it can be verified if needed)
- The date the letter was issued
- A statement that you have a condition that qualifies for an ESA
- Their professional recommendation that an ESA would help you
- Their signature
Your landlord can check that the letter is legitimate, but they can’t ask for your private medical details or records.
Need a mental health professional who has experience writing ESA letters? We can help with that — just click on the link below.
4. Make sure your dog is a good tenant
Even though your dog doesn’t need the intensive training that service dogs get, you’ll still want them to be a good neighbor — it’s super important for keeping their ESA status protected! Start with the basics: make sure they’ve got those everyday commands down like “sit” and “come,” and definitely make sure they’re house-trained. The big thing is how they act in shared spaces — you want your pup to stay pretty chill in elevators, not go crazy barking at all hours, and be friendly (but not too pushy!) with the neighbors and their pets.
Here’s the thing people sometimes don’t realize: while ESAs have special housing rights, there are times when a landlord can legally reject your emotional support animal. Things like non-stop barking, getting aggressive, or tearing up the property could put your housing situation in jeopardy. If you notice any behaviors that worry you, it’s worth working with a trainer to nip them in the bud. And honestly, a tired dog is usually a well-behaved dog – so regular walks and plenty of playtime can prevent a lot of issues before they even start!
5. Submit your ESA letter to your landlord
Before moving into a no-pets home with your emotional support dog, you’ll need to inform your landlord. Housing providers are allowed to request proof that a dog is actually an emotional support animal, which comes in the form of an ESA letter.
A landlord can only reject an ESA request in a few circumstances. For example, if the landlord has proof that your emotional support dog poses a safety and health risk to others, they might be able to deny your request. Your landlord has 10 days to respond to your request to live with an ESA and has to work with you in good faith on solutions if they raise any issues.
Your landlord can’t ask for additional forms or other documents like an ID card or a certificate. An ESA letter from your mental health provider is all they can ask for.
Need an ESA letter for your dog? We’ve helped thousands of people just like you get the documentation they need, hassle-free. We work with licensed mental health professionals in every state that specialize in ESA evaluations. No confusing paperwork, no in-person appointments — just a simple online process that gets you qualified for an ESA letter that landlords will accept.
Can I take an ESA into national parks with me.
Unfortunately ESAs do not have public access rights, and that includes national parks. Only service dogs would be able to visit areas of national parks that are off limits to dogs.
Would a chiropractor qualify to write a letter?
Chiropractors are not an appropriate source for ESA letters. While chiropractors are licensed to provide health services, they are not similar to the other types of health professionals listed by HUD. Chiropractors specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders. You will want to seek out a licensed mental health professional instead. You can read more about why chiropractors are not a good choice for ESA letters at this link: https://esadoctors.com/can-a-chiropractor-write-an-esa-letter/
I want to get my dog a esa licence. I use my dogs as my emotional support and they help with my mental and emotional needs. My neighbours daughter keeps trying to get rid of my dogs and I would die without their companionship. I need help.
You do NOT need a special license for an emotional support animal. The only way to qualify for an ESA is by obtaining an ESA letter. Please see this link for more information: https://esadoctors.com/emotional-support-animal-letter/
Do esa pets need to be neutered cats or dogs
We’re not aware of any rules that mandate ESAs be neutered.
We have a letter from the doctor what is the next step who do we contact to get the pet registered for a esa
You do not need to register an ESA. You should submit your ESA letter to your housing provider and request accommodation for your emotional support animal.
Can I take my esa dog to the shopping centre with me
ESAs do not have an automatic legal right to be in places like shopping centers.
I just received my ESA letter today for our 2 dogs. They are great support for the grief and stress my fiancé and I have gone through the most over the last few years… they are also on dog breed restriction lists. Although I feel a ton of relief just having the letter now. I am curious if people experience any difficulty if only 1 person went through the evaluation. Would my fiance need to get an evaluation as well? Or would we be okay since we have both dogs covered in the letter?
If you live in the same home there’s probably no need for another letter. If you plan to travel separately, it may be useful. Keep in mind that your finace would have to separately qualify for an ESA through a licensed healthcare professional.
I need to register my dog as an emotional support dog.
To clarify, you do NOT need to register an emotional support animal. The only way to qualify for an emotional support animal is to have a letter from a licensed healthcare professional. If you don’t have access to a professional, we can help connect you to one: https://esadoctors.com/esa-questionnaire/
If I get a letter from my medical provider do I need anything else to be able to take my dog on the plane as a ESA
You should check with your airline at least 48 hours before your departure to see what else they may require. Many airlines will require additional forms to be submitted in addition to the ESA letter.
Does this mean that I could take my dog to a hotel that has a no pets allowed policy?
Fair Housing rules for ESAs do not cover hotels. Hotels are not obligated to accommodate ESAs, but some will do so anyway as a courtesy. It is best to check with your hotel to see what their specific policies are.