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Emotional support rats may be unconventional, but their intelligence, companionship, and ease of care make them excellent ESAs. With the ability to reduce stress, provide comfort, and fit into small living spaces, these tiny companions offer big mental health benefits. Plus, thanks to legal protections, they can qualify as ESAs under the Fair Housing Act.
Nearly 25% of Americans are affected by mental health challenges, and with a wide variety of individuals and different disorders, alternative therapies have become more popular than ever — including emotional support animals (ESAs). But just as individuals and their disorders are unique, treatments can vary from traditional support pets, like dogs and cats, to unconventional animals such as domesticated rats. Although these rodents may have a poor public reputation, rats can make both great pets and support animals, providing invaluable companionship and affection. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of adopting an emotional support rat.
Despite their reputation, domesticated rats are affectionate, social, and highly intelligent animals that can offer significant emotional support. Their playful nature and strong bonding ability make them excellent companions for those struggling with mental health challenges. With their low maintenance needs, adaptability to small spaces, and ability to reduce stress, emotional support rats can be a life-changing choice for individuals seeking an unconventional but deeply rewarding ESA.
Rats may be unconventional pets, but they can make unique and beneficial emotional support animals for many reasons. While their wild counterparts are known for living in the shadows, domesticated rats boast intelligence and sociability that make them enjoyable, if unconventional, ESAs. They are great for individuals who prefer caring for smaller pets over more common pets like dogs and cats. Not only are rats lower maintenance than larger ESAs, but they are also hypoallergenic, making them great for anyone who gets the sniffles around traditional pets.
Many eccentric individuals have enjoyed the unique experience of keeping one or more domesticated rats as household pets thanks to their gentle, curious nature and tendency to easily create loyal bonds with their humans. They are also surprisingly trainable, able to learn anything from proper behavior to adorable tricks like shaking hands with their human handlers. Plus, their intelligence helps them acclimate to their new environment easily, and their small stature makes them perfect for smaller domiciles like studio apartments and dorm rooms.
While rats are great for anyone willing to take on non traditional pets, they are also welcome as emotional support animals. The Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibits discrimination in living situations, including against individuals with mental health disorders and their assistance animals. The law permits any type of domesticated animal — including these remarkable rodents — to live with their owners as ESAs, even if they are not typically allowed by housing providers.
Unlike service animals, ESAs don’t require specialized training, so emotional support animals can benefit their owners’ mental health without needing to learn any specific skills or tricks. The only requirement is an official ESA letter issued by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP).
While you might have trouble training it as your personal chef, introducing a rat as an emotional support animal is easier than you may think. First, you need to consult a licensed mental health professional (LMHP), such as a psychiatrist, counselor, or therapist, who will consider your struggles and needs. Once they have diagnosed your specific mental health disorder, you must illustrate how an emotional support rat will be a better assistance animal than an everyday canine companion or feline friend. Finally, the LMHP will issue your ESA letter, an official document written on their professional letterhead and completed with their authorized signature.
If you’re bringing an emotional support rat into your home, you can’t just pick up a rodent from your alley; you have to find the perfect domesticated rodent to match your mental and emotional needs. Rather than choosing one from a pet store, you should research reputable breeders or rescuers who specialize in providing rats that are well-suited to be emotional support animals. However, if you already have a pet rat that fits the bill, you can make it your official assistance animal just as easily.
Because of their natural social skills, their steadfast loyalty, and ease of care, rats can provide many mental health benefits for a wide array of emotional needs, including anxiety and depression. They can provide companionship and affection like more traditional pets, ease an individual's loneliness, and help establish healthy routines. Their small size also makes them great for providing physical affection without overwhelming their owners, which can translate to enhanced emotional comfort.
Although there is not much scientific evidence of rats’ effectiveness as ESAs, some studies have shown that these remarkable rodents can provide more than just anecdotal support. Interacting with domesticated rats can reduce the stress hormone cortisol in their human handlers, improve their immune system, and even lower their blood pressure. Also, their playfulness can stimulate the bonding hormone oxytocin, which can also reduce their owner’s stress.
Thanks to the Fair Housing Act (FHA), landlords and other housing providers are required to make reasonable accommodations for renters with disabilities, both physical and mental. That means tenants living with mental health disorders are allowed to keep emotional support animals in their apartment, condo, or other rental property as long as they have an official ESA letter. The law also permits any domesticated animal to be an ESA, so while unconventional, rats are eligible to serve as assistance animals, even if the housing doesn’t typically allow pets — or rodents, in general.
However, tenants are still responsible for controlling their ESAs, preventing property damage, and keeping them from harming or intimidating other residents. If you don’t properly care for your emotional support rat, your landlord has the right to evict you, even with an ESA letter.
If you want to avoid running into issues with wary landlords, communication is essential. Let them know about your mental health needs and how your emotional support rat makes you a better tenant. Present your ESA letter when you apply for housing, and ensure your new landlord that your ESA won’t damage property or interact with uncomfortable neighbors or staff. When you leave your home, remember that your emotional support rat is not a service animal, so it doesn’t have the same accommodation rights and may be denied on public transportation and disallowed in most common spaces.
Unlike trained service dogs, emotional support rats do not have public accommodation rights and are not usually allowed in public spaces, including restaurants, shopping centers, medical facilities, and government buildings.
Unless your state or locality has restrictions on having rats as pets, the only certification you need is an official ESA letter issued by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP).
Emotional support rats are smaller, more affordable, and easier to care for. They are also adaptable to urban settings and compact housing, and more trainable than other non-traditional ESAs, like rabbits, lizards, or snakes.
For many unique individuals living with mental health challenges, an emotional support rat could make a great difference in their everyday lives. These unconventional animals can provide much-needed companionship, comfort, and affection, while helping establish routines and reducing loneliness. Rats can easily fit non-traditional lifestyles and living situations, so if dogs and cats are not your preferred pet, consider adopting a rat as an emotional service animal. Pettable makes it easy to get an ESA letter for a rat, so contact us to get started today!
Matt is a Midwestern-based writer and devoted dog dad, living with a sweet mixed-breed pup named Robin. A life-long dog lover, he had the pleasure of growing up with several German Shepherds, a Cocker Spaniel, and a Black Labrador. He is a full-time editor, as well as a musician and poet, who loves basketball, birdwatching and listening to The Cure and Nick Cave.
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