Common Questions About Emotional Support Pets: Myths vs. Facts

Emotional support animals, or ESAs, provide emotional support to people with mental or emotional disabilities. Studies have proven the therapeutic benefits of having an ESA for bettering their owner's mental health. This comprehensive review found that pets provide many benefits to their owner's mental health conditions, including their ability to help manage symptoms when they arise.

ESAs are often confused with service animals, leading to misconceptions. Many other ESA myths surround these wonderful working animals. For example, some people think that buying an emotional support dog vest is enough to qualify your animal as an ESA. This article will discuss why that is false and tackle other common myths about emotional support animals. Hopefully, this article can clear up some of the confusion and help you better understand the role of ESAs in the lives of their owners.

Frequently Asked Questions About Emotional Support Pets

Let's take a closer look at some of the most asked questions about emotional support animals.

What Is an Emotional Support Animal?

An ESA is not the same thing as a service animal. ESAs are animals that provide comfort to their owners who have mental health conditions. People who have anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder could have an ESA as part of their treatment.

Unlike service animals, ESAs don't have to have any special training to become ESAs. On the other hand, service animals must undergo training specific to their owner's disability. A service dog must be able to perform its unique job to help its owner. Service animals can do things like open doors, recognize a seizure, and lead a blind person through town. An ESA's only job is to be a source of comfort to its owner.

Do Emotional Support Animals Need to Wear a Vest?

Emotional support dog vests are not required by law, but there are some benefits to getting one for your dog. One of the most obvious benefits of having your dog wear an emotional support dog vest is that it helps to identify your pet as an ESA. An ESA vest will add to your dog's legitimacy so that your neighbors are less likely to complain about your animal. However, putting a vest on your emotional support animal does not alllow you to bring them into pubic places that only admit service animals. Doing so may even get you into legal trouble for mis-representing your ESA as a service animal.

Another perk of having an emotional support dog vest on your animal is that if something happens and they break free from you, you can easily identify them. If your pet is lost and has a vest on, then it will be much easier to recognize, and hopefully, you can get them safely back home.

Can Any Animal Be an ESA?

Unlike service animals or therapy animals, ESAs do not have to be trained or certified. So, any domesticated animal, even young animals, can qualify as an ESA! They don't require any special training. Their presence with you is all that they need to be an ESA. Typical ESAs can include animals such as:

• Dogs
• Cats
• Rabbits
• Ferrets
• Ducks
• Hedgehogs
• Lizards
• Small pigs
• Monkeys
• Birds
• Guinea pigs
• Snakes
• Miniature horses

So, while most people think of dogs as the only type of ESA, emotional support cats and other animals are just as helpful.

What Rights Do ESA Owners Have?

When it comes to emotional support animal laws, there aren't many laws to remember, but you should know about the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

ESA owners have legal protections under the FHA. According to the FHA, no one can be discriminated against due to their disabilities in rental housing situations and other real estate dealings. This means that ESA owners are allowed to live with their ESA in their rental housing, even when a no-pet policy is in place. This law reassures ESA owners of their rights and helps them understand the legal framework that supports them.

Common Myths and Facts About Emotional Support Animals

Unfortunately, there are so many myths about ESAs online that it can be confusing to know what is true and what isn't. Remember that an ESA letter is the only legal requirement that you need to prove that you need your ESA. Check this article out to learn how to get an ESA letter. Let's look at some emotional support animal facts to clarify common misunderstandings.

Myth: Emotional Support Animals Are the Same as Service Dogs

One of the most common myths about ESAs is that they are the same as service dogs. However, this is simply untrue. ESAs are emotional support animals for people who have a mental health condition. 

ESAs do not have to have any specific training or certification to be emotional support animals. To qualify your pet as an ESA, you need a legal ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) that states that you will benefit from your ESA as part of your mental health treatment plan. This letter is an important step and will help you with housing, specifically for places that typically do not allow pets or have a pet deposit.

On the other hand, a service dog or service animal is specifically trained to perform tasks that help their owners with a specific disability. Service dogs have formal training to perform these tasks and to behave properly in public places.

Myth: ESAs Are Allowed Everywhere Service Dogs Are

Another major misconception about ESAs is that they have the same access rights as service dogs. This is just not the case. In public, ESAs are not given any access rights, so they will not be able to go with you into restaurants or stores. 

ESAs are protected only under ESA housing laws (Fair Housing Act) but not under public access laws (ADA).  Only service dogs are allowed to accompany their owners in public places.

Under the FHA, an ESA can live with you even if there is a no-pet policy. However, they aren't allowed to go everywhere with you as they aren't service animals.

Fact: Emotional Support Animals Are Protected Under the Fair Housing Act

ESA owners have legal rights to keep their animals with them in most housing situations. According to the FHA, "reasonable accommodations" must be made for persons with disabilities, including those with an ESA. Basically, this means that if you have an ESA and have the proper legal documentation to prove it, then your landlord must make changes that ensure you and your pet can live there comfortably together. So this can include things like waiving a pet fee or changing the zero-pet policy to allow your ESA to live with you.

Myth: You Need to Register Your Emotional Support Animal

Another common myth about ESAs is that you must have them registered or certified. Registering your animal as an ESA is not one of the actual ESA legal requirements.

While this is true for service dogs, there is no federal requirement to register an ESA. You will need one document to have your ESA qualify as an ESA: a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional. If you have your mental health practitioner write a letter stating that you need an ESA as part of your treatment plan, then all you need is that ESA letter.

Emotional Support Dog Vest: What You Need to Know

While emotional support dogs are not legally required to wear a vest, many owners choose to do so for various reasons.

The Role of an ESA Vest

Emotional support dog vests are a great way to inform everyone that your animal is an ESA. Vests come in many colors and styles, and some even have specific writing, such as "do not touch." The point is that these ESA vests can make your dog stand out to the public, especially if you need them for medical reasons.

It's important to note that ESA laws protect your ESA in housing situations, but wearing an ESA vest does not grant any extra legal protection. Let's look at some of the reasons why an ESA vest might be a good idea.

When (and Why) an ESA Vest Might Be Useful

One of the main benefits of using an ESA vest with your dog is that it helps to identify your animal as an ESA. This can be helpful when traveling, in public places, or around your neighborhood, as it lets others know that your dog is not just a pet.

ESA vests are also helpful in reducing confrontations with people who may not understand ESAs. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about ESAs, and using an ESA vest for your dog may help deter people from approaching you and asking questions.

The ESA vest can minimize any confusion about your pet and hopefully signal that your dog is not just a pet but a companion animal. The vest may also help prevent people from complaining about you having a pet when they aren't allowed to have one.

Although it may be helpful in certain situations, remember that your ESA vest does not serve the same purpose as a service animal vest and might not make a big difference in some environments.

Where to Get a Legitimate Emotional Support Dog Vest

Since ESAs are becoming more popular, unfortunately, so are scams surrounding them. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not state that you need an “official” ESA harness. You must remember that the only true way to certify that your dog is an ESA is to get a legitimate ESA letter from the LMHP. Websites or retailers claiming that getting their ESA vests will make your animal an ESA is simply not true. It's imperative that you order from a reputable retailer to avoid these types of scams.

Let's take a look at some of the reputable retailers where you can get a legitimate emotional support dog vest.

US Service Animals: US Service Animals (USSA) sells ESA vests in various sizes and colors. They also offer additional accessories, such as ESA leashes or collars.  

NSAR: The National Service Animal Registry (NSAR) sells legitimate ESA vests. The NSAR offers products and services for service animals, ESAs, and therapy dogs across the United States. Note: you must register through the NSAR to purchase an ESA vest through them.

Chewy: Chewy offers ESA dog vests with removable "Emotional Support Animal" patches that can be swapped out with "Do Not Pet" patches. They come in various sizes and colors to suit your preferences. Some even include ESA leashes.

Working Service Dog: Working Service Dog sells ESA dog vests for large and small dogs. They offer more choices as far as materials and styles than some places. You can find ESA dog vests in many colors and sizes to fit your dog or cat. They also sell various other ESA accessories.

My Service Animal: My Service Animal sells ESA vests in multiple sizes and many other accessories, such as tags, leashes, and even bandanas with ESA identification.

FAQs About ESA Laws and Legal Protections

There’s typically some confusion over what is legally required for your ESA and what rights your ESA and you have. Let's review some frequently asked questions about ESA laws and legal protections.

Can My ESA Fly with Me?

While some airlines will allow your ESA to fly with you, they are not guaranteed access to the cabin. In most cases, only service animals are allowed in the cabin. Airlines’ regulations changed after 2021, and they no longer guarantee free cabin access for ESAs. So, if the airline allows your ESA to fly, you may have to pay a fee, and they will need to be in a carrier.

Do ESA Vests Provide Any Legal Protections?

While ESA vests do help with public identification, only a legitimate ESA letter offers any legal standing for housing rights.

How Can I Prove My ESA's Legitimacy to a Landlord?

To prove that your animal is an ESA, you'll need to obtain an ESA letter from a LMHP. This letter states that you have a mental or emotional issue and that your pet is a prescribed part of your treatment. You should inform your landlord about your ESA as soon as you get started with the rental process and then present them with your ESA letter. Landlords do have the right to verify the ESA letter.

Can Emotional Support Animals Be Denied Access to Restaurants or Stores?

Yes, because ESAs do not have the same public access rights as service dogs. Some restaurants or stores may choose to accommodate ESAs, but they are not legally required to do so.

Are Emotional Support Dog Vests a Legal Requirement?

No, ESA dog vests are not a legal requirement. Some owners choose to have their animals wear one to make identification easier.

Can I Travel With My ESA in the Cabin for Free?

Before 2021, ESAs were legally protected on flights free of charge, but this has changed. A few airline companies may allow your ESA in the cabin for a fee.

How Do I Know if a Website Selling ESA Vests Is Legitimate?

Legitimate online stores will have contact information and an SSL certificate or something similar. If the website offers an ESA letter with the vest or some other certification or claims that this ESA vest will be all you need to qualify your animal as an ESA, then it is probably not legitimate.

Conclusion: Separating Myths from Facts to Protect Your Rights

With that, you should be able to confidently discern between the facts and fiction about ESAs and ESA dog vests. Now that you know more about some of the common myths about emotional support animals, it's always best to rely on facts and professional advice as an ESA owner. There will always be myths and misconceptions online, but you know you can trust professional advice.

Remember that emotional support animals do not need any specific training or certification to be ESAs. They only have access rights in housing situations. Service dogs are specifically trained animals that have public access rights. Wearing an ESA vest does not guarantee legal rights for your ESA. For that, you will need an official ESA letter. However, ESA dog vests can be a great way to clearly identify your animal as an ESA to the public.

If you have an animal and are interested in qualifying them as an ESA, take our survey today and begin the first steps to obtaining your legitimate ESA letter with Pettable.