Answer a few questions about your ESA needs
Answer a few questions about your ESA needs
We'll match you to a professional in your state
Receive it within 24-48 hours of getting approved*
We'll help with any extra forms you need signed and our therapists are available to talk to your landlord anytime, for an additional fee.
*For California residents, effective January 1, 2022, new law AB 468 requires those seeking an ESA letter for dogs to establish a client-provider relationship with the individual for at least 30 days prior to providing documentation, which will result in having two consultations before qualifying.
An emotional support animal helps individuals who are suffering from mental and/or emotional disabilities by providing support. Mental health conditions, once commonly overlooked in the medical field, are more easily diagnosed as medical professionals learn more about mental health. In many cases, an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) can be a critical part of the coping process when dealing with these disorders.
While ESAs are not the same as service animals because they are not trained to perform a specific task, an ESA can be just as important to a person's well-being as a service animal. ESAs are responsible for providing their owners with a comforting presence to allow for easier facilitation and performance of daily life's tasks.
Like service animals, ESAs have rights under state and federal laws.
An ESA letter is a document provided by a licensed mental health practitioner (LMHP) that asserts one’s need for an emotional support animal as a form of treatment for a qualifying mental health condition. ESA letters are written and assigned on an individual basis and serve as proof of one’s right to keep an emotional support animal in their home under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) – regardless of landlord rules/housing policies.
A legitimate ESA letter also serves as an exemption from any pet rent or pet deposits. In order for an ESA letter to be considered legitimate, it must be provided by a licensed mental health practitioner and include the patient's name and diagnosed mental health disorder.
While an ESA letter asserts one’s right to have their emotional support animal within their home, it does not protect traveling with a pet or assistance animal, which may be at the discretion of an airline or other form of transportation provider.
To travel with your animal worry-free, they must be a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD.)
Anyone with a mental or emotional disability may qualify for an emotional support animal. Disability, in this instance, refers to anything that makes your life harder on average. This could include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Stress
- Personality Disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Phobias
And a host of other mental or emotional challenges you might encounter on a day to day basis. Pets have an incredible impact on mental health and well-being. As a result, there are a host of mental or emotional issues that can benefit from having a support animal.
Bolutife "Bolu", LCSW-S, MPA
Licensed Therapist
Equipped with over 13 years, Bolu has worked with various populations (adolescents, couples, families, and adults), but finds passion in working with the BIPOC community suffering from trauma.
Shaunae, M.S., LPC
Licensed Therapist
I have worked in the mental health field for 10 years with experience across diverse populations and communities. I’m dedicated to ensuring the best care possible.
Michael, LPC, LCDC
Licensed Therapist
I graduated from UT Dallas with my BA in Psychology, University of the Southwest with my MS in counseling, and California Southern University with my PsyD in Psychology, but have been an LPC and LCDC since 2011.
Jasmine, LCMHC
Licensed Therapist
I graduated with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Psychology. I completed my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Since graduating, I have been working in private practice.
Rhiana, MA, LPC, LAC
Licensed Professional Counselor
I primarily work with people experiencing homelessness. I began doing emotional support evaluations to increase housing access to all.
Melissa, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor. I graduated from the Catholic University's National Catholic School of Social Service with a Master of Social Work.
Contrary to popular belief, there is NO OFFICIAL, U.S., F.H.A. OR GOVERNMENTAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL REGISTRY.
Any company purporting to offer “official” ESA registration is operating in bad faith or may be attempting to scam users. Emotional support animals do not need to be registered. One must only be issued an ESA letter to have their pet become an official emotional support animal.
Some companies may choose to host a proprietary ESA registry but these should not be confused as to having any officiality or legal standing.
With Pettable, your ESA letter and emotional support animal information can always be privately accessed from within our app for use when providing documentation to landlords and other parties.
An emotional support animal is very similar to a psychiatric service animal in that they both help relieve symptoms of a mental or emotional disability. The process for qualifying for an ESA or PSA is exactly the same.
Where they differ is in the standard of training. A Psychiatric Service Animal has training standards that they are required to meet (no formal evaluation is necessary, but the ADA puts out general guidelines) whereas an emotional support animal does not need to meet any behavioral or training standards. A PSA needs to meet the following criteria:
1. Well Mannered In Public
This means they generally need to not bark, chase other dogs, jump on other people, and basically need to behave well when outside of your home.
2. Trained To Perform A Task That Alleviates A Symptom of Your Mental Health Disability
This can be any task as long as it helps impact your mental or emotional disability in some way.
For more information on Psychiatric Service Animals please read our blog article "What Is A Psychiatric Service Animal".
1. We guarantee our letters will work for you
We offer a money-back guarantee because we believe keeping your pet should be stress-free. On rare occasions, an ESA letter may not be accepted or will be illegally denied – in which case we will refund your money 100%. If your landlord illegally denies your legitimate ESA letter for whatever reason, we will refund 100% of your purchase price.
2. We're compliant with federal and state laws
At Pettable, we've taken every step to ensure our ESA & PSD operations are legally compliant for housing, travel and HIPAA.
3. World Class Mental Health Professionals
Our deep network of experienced, licensed mental health professionals ensures you will receive your legitimate ESA letter on a timeline that matches your needs.
4. We work in your state
Pettable works with licensed mental health professionals in every state to ensure your ESA letter will be valid regardless of where you live or are planning to move.
5. Best-In-Class Support
Our services are fully compliant with emotional support animal laws in all 50 states. If you are provided with an ESA Letter from your licensed mental health professional, it is illegal for your landlord to deny your accommodation, outside of extenuating circumstances.
However, some landlords will choose to illegally deny your legitimate ESA letter. In these situations, your mental health professional can provide additional support and verification to your landlord.
If you are faced with questions or concerns from a landlord or travel organization that may require additional documentation, we have you covered. Our customer service team is available to speak with you 7 days a week 9 AM-5 PM ET. Call us: 855-920-0323.
Pettable is focused on bringing legitimacy, transparency and world-class service to the ESA letter process. By partnering with top-tier mental health professionals who have significant experience in approving emotional support animals as treatment, you can feel assured that your ESA letter will protect you and your pet's right to live together – something we guarantee.
If your ESA letter is not accepted for any reason, we offer a 100% refund. In addition, our best-in-class customer support team is here to make sure you have an incredible experience.
We broke down the different services offered by every ESA service.
And we looked for unbiased reviews from 3rd party sites.
Money Back Guarantee*
Live Consultations
Transparent Team
Legal Support
Reviews
*your purchase will be refunded 100% if your landlord denies your letter
We’ve designed a simple, smooth process for you to obtain a valid ESA letter for your emotional support animal and housing needs
First, you’ll complete our short assessment to help us determine your emotional support animal needs.
Upon completing our assessment, you will choose the best time for your 15-minute consultation and be matched with a licensed mental health professional once you reserve your slot. At the time of your consultation, your tele-therapist will perform a mental health evaluation to determine if you qualify for an ESA.
Once our licensed mental health professional determines that an emotional support animal is essential to your care and well-being, they will provide you with a legally recognized emotional support animal letter, which will be provided within 24-48 hours. You’ll even have the option to expedite your ESA letter to be received within 24 hours from the time of your consultation!
(For Arkansas, California & Montana residents, a 30-day minimum relationship between a patient and mental health practitioner is required to provide an ESA letter. Two consultation sessions are required for residents in these states.)
Your satisfaction is important to us. In the unlikely event that your ESA letter does not work for you, we will provide a 100% refund.
Get peace of mind with a service you can trust.
The Mental Health Importance Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship open to any student who believes mental health is important. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2023, and winners will be announced on December 1, 2023.
Mental health dictates every aspect of our lives, and everyone needs support from time to time. College is an exciting and challenging time for new students; many feel overwhelmed, confused, or anxious while away from home.To raise awareness for the mental health of college students, we're awarding the Pettable Mental Health Importance Scholarship. Before students can do well in school, they must take care of their mental well-being. The new surroundings and challenges can affect some college students, and getting the needed support may not be easy. We encourage those who recognize the importance of mental health to apply.
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