ESA Experts. Real Peace of Mind

Frequently Asked Questions

Emotional Support Animal Overview

What does the ESA process look like at Pettable?

Step 1: Once payment is submitted, a member of the Pettable team will reach out to you via email, within 24 hours, to begin the process of booking your ESA consultation. This email will include forms for you to sign (HIPPA disclosure, consent to tele-health and consent to terms of service). Signing these forms is important because this lets us connect you with one of our therapists licensed in your state.

Step 2: When you have signed and submitted your forms, you will receive a scheduling link that will allow you to book your consultation with one of our therapists at a time that is convenient for you.

Step 3: Your therapist will let you know if you have been approved to receive an ESA letter at the end of your consultation. If approved you will receive an ESA letter within 24 hours.

If for any reason you are not approved we will refund your entire purchase.

How do I know my letter will work?

When you take our quiz we collect information to match you with a therapist that has experience with your case and can meet your specific needs.

Additionally, to our knowledge, Pettable is the only provider that offers a satisfaction guarantee - meaning your letter works the way you need it to or your money back.

We have experience with every kind of ESA situation - multiple pets, breed restrictions, weight/size restrictions, traveling across state lines, immediate turnaround, international/domestic travel, etc. We are confident we can help you with your specific ESA needs and if we can't we will refund your money 100%.

Can you confirm that this is legal?

Our Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letters are fully compliant with the Air Carrier Access Act and the Fair Housing Act. These are the two primary laws the dictate the terms by which individuals like you may leverage an ESA Letter for mental health purposes and live with or travel with a designated emotional support animal in situations where you otherwise would not be able to.

We employ a vetted network of licensed and qualified mental health professionals who possess the credentials necessary to write a certified ESA Letter.

Our website is also HIPAA Compliant, ensuring that your information is protected according to nationally mandated federal law.

What makes your ESA Letters legitimate?

Licensed Professional In Your State - All of our Licensed Mental Health Professionals are fully qualified and have passed board exams. The LMHP we select will be one that is legally qualified to approve ESA Letters for your state.

‍Phone Consultation - Our professionals will reach out to you to setup a phone consultation and establish a relationship.This gives our professionals the authority and basis for prescribing you an ESA letter.

‍Compliant Letters - The ESA Letter is issued directly from a LMHP with their license number and their contact information included. The letter will come on the professional letterhead of the Licensed Mental Health Professional and contain everything legally required for an ESA prescription within the body of the letter.

Licensed Professional In Your State - All of our Licensed Mental Health Professionals are fully qualified
and have passed board exams. The LMHP we select will be one that is legally qualified to approve ESA Letters for your state.

Phone Consultation - Our professionals will reach out to you to setup a phone consultation and establish a relationship.
This gives our professionals the authority and basis for prescribing you an ESA letter.

Compliant Letters - The ESA Letter is issued directly from a LMHP with their license number and their
contact information included. The letter will come on the professional letterhead of the
Licensed Mental Health Professional and contain everything legally required for an ESA prescription within the body of the letter.

What happens if my landlord wants to validate that my letter is legitimate?

No problem, we've got your back!

Our mental health professionals and customer support team here at Pettable are available to get on a call with your landlord should they want to validate the legitimacy of your letter.

Should your landlord request a validation of your letter, please have them reach out to your therapist using the contact information on your ESA letter.

If your landlord would also like to speak to our customer support team, please have them reach out to 1(800)-851-7202 or support@pettable.com.

In the unlikely event that your letter does not work as intended and we've tried to make it work with the landlord we will refund your purchase 100%.

How long does the process take from start to finish and how quickly will I get my ESA letter?

We can turn around an ESA letter in as fast as 24 hours! If you need it this quickly make sure to choose our "Express Service." You can select this option at checkout.

To ensure the fastest turn around possible, it is important that you sign and submit our consent forms. These forms are sent via email by a member of the Pettable team once payment is submitted.

Signing these forms allows us to connect you with a therapist in your state.

We have an extensive network of mental health professionals, licensed across states, with wide range of availability and can route you to someone that is able to meet your timeline needs.

Once a consultation is concluded, letters are turned around within 24 hours and most of the time much more quickly than that.

If I qualify, how would I go about getting an emotional support animal?

After speaking with a licensed mental health professional and receiving your own ESA Letter, all you need to do is designate which animal will be your specific emotional support animal. It can be any breed or species, whether an existing pet or a new pet you adopt or rescue. You do not need to go to any specific breeder or place to acquire one.

It is important to remember an ESA Letter only covers one animal, so you can't use one letter to cover multiple pets.

What is on your ESA letter?

Our ESA letters contain the following:

The official letterhead of the mental health professional.
Their business, contact information, and signature.
Their license information which allows anyone to check the status of their license.
Their confirmation that you meet the definition of a disability and recommendation for an emotional support animal.

I'm not familiar with the Fair Housing Act – what is it?

The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers such as landlords or management companies to allow the possession of animals that work, provide assistance for, or perform tasks that benefit individuals with qualified medical disabilities – or that provide emotional support to individuals to reduce a symptom or effect of a disability.

The Fair Housing Act also requires individuals, who wish to possess a service or support animal, to follow specific criteria relevant to the type of support needed.

For an emotional support animal, the individual has to speak with a licensed mental health professional in the state they reside and receive a prescription of an ESA Letter in order to qualify.

How do your consultations work?

Federal and state laws require a live consultation over the phone, video, or in person to properly vet and qualify an individual to warrant an ESA Letter.

To ensure our ESA letter are compliant, all of our consultations are conducted live over the phone in order to meet the legal standards set forth and assure the validity of your letter.

To get an ESA Letter, do I have to talk with a mental health professional?

Yes. Federal and state laws require a live consultation over the phone, video, or in person to properly vet and qualify an individual to warrant an ESA Letter. Since the letter grants privileges about keeping a pet in a place that otherwise would not allow it, base guidelines must be met to qualify.

Can I register multiple pets on the same ESA letter?

Yes, you can register multiple pets on the same ESA letter. At Pettable we can accommodate up to two pets per letter for no additional charge.

According to the American Disabilities Act your request for multiple animals must be "reasonable".
An example of an unreasonable request is if you want four great danes registered as ESAs and you live in a tiny apartment.

In order to make sure we're meeting the standard of "reasonable" Pettable is able to accommodate up to two pets per letter as long as you meet the criteria to warrant an ESA letter.

At the end of the day it is a judgement call but we want to make sure that you are covered in any situation you're in, which is why we've set this policy.

Would an existing pet qualify as an emotional support animal?

An emotional support animal can be any breed or species as long as it supports an emotional or psychological condition.

Keep in mind that emotional support animals must still comply with local laws about keeping specific exotic animals. So you cannot designate a bat, alligator, hedgehog, or skunk as an emotional support animal, for example, as these (among other species) are illegal to own in any capacity within the United States.

My landlord says I can't keep my pet despite having a legitimate ESA letter. What do I do?

Once you have a proper ESA Letter, your landlord is required by the Fair Housing Act to allow you to keep your designated emotional support animal with you at your place of residence.

Suppose they have additional questions about a letter you received through our service – in that case, you can refer them to speak to someone from our team or the licensed mental health professional whose contact info is listed on your individual letter.

What does an ESA Letter let me do?

An ESA Letter allows you to possess an emotional support animal of your choosing within any housing you decide to live, regardless of if pets are permitted by the landlord or management company. If a landlord questions this, you can point them to the Fair Housing Act, which lays this out explicitly. If you have an ESA Letter from us, they cannot deny you having an emotional support animal.

Also, some travel organizations allow you to bring an emotional support animal with you if you have proper documentation. This includes some airlines, though please check with any organization you travel with in advance, so there are no surprises on the day of travel.

Attention: As of March 2021 Emotional Support Animals are only allowed to fly in some airlines. Psychiatric Service Animals can however still fly on any airline. Click here to learn more about Psychiatric Service Animals and find out if you qualify.

What our pet parents are saying

Beatus H.
Dog parent

Reviewed in Florida, April 15th, 2021

“I had such a great experience with Pettable from beginning to end. Rhiana was super helpful and thoroughly explained everything during my consultation. She created such a safe and comfortable environment during our conversation, making the process seamless. I highly recommend Pettable’s ESA services to my family and friends.”

Austin K.
‍Dog parent

Reviewed in New York, May 2nd, 2021

“My pup provides relief in stressful situations, particularly when I'm away on necessary travel. Pettable was an amazing resource, connecting me with a therapist who listened to my situation and provided advice above and beyond. I could hear Rhiana's compassion over our call and appreciated her patience. Grateful for this service!"

Lauren M.
Cat parent

Reviewed in Michigan, May 17th, 2021

“You were very attentive and I’m very satisfied with the provider I was assigned with, thank you again for helping relieve the stress of not being able to take my furry baby to our new home."

Meet our Selected Therapists

19 Reviews

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.

32 Reviews

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.

29 Reviews

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.

23 Reviews

Rebecca, LCSW

Clinical Social Worker
I have a BA in Psychology and completed my Masters in Social Work. I've spent my career as a clinical social worker, providing behavioral health support to patients.

Attention: As of March 2021 Emotional Support Animals are only allowed to fly in some airlines. Psychiatric Service Animals can however still fly on any airline. Click here to learn more about Psychiatric Service Animals and find out if you qualify.

Certified Emotional Support Animal Letters

Certified Emotional Support Animal Letters

As Seen On NBC, FOX, CBS & 100+ Sites:

Our Process

3-minute assessment

Consult with a therapist

Get your ESA letter

If your ESA Letter does not work for you, we will refund 100% of your payment.

Why Pettable?

What our pet parents are saying

Meet our Selected Therapists

Frequently Asked Questions

Emotional Support Animal Overview

Life feels so much better with an emotional support animal.

Schedule your ESA Letter consultation today.