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The top reasons to get an emotional support animal include the ability to live anywhere with your pet, exemption from pet rent, and positive mental health benefits from animal companionship. To make your emotional support animal (ESA) official, get an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional.
If you are a California resident and have a dog you must establish a relationship of no less than 30 days with the therapist writing the ESA letter.
The law that requires this is the AB 468 law which was passed on January 1, 2022.
This law doesn’t apply to any other type of ESA.
Emotional support animals, also known as ESAs, are companion animals whose physical presence brings their owners comfort and support. There are many reasons why people have ESAs. If you've been thinking about the reasons for having an emotional support animal, this guide is for you.
We'll explore a range of benefits of ESAs, from mental health support and unconditional love, to housing allowances and pet tariff waivers.
In a nutshell, an ESA is any animal that brings about emotional comfort and support. ESAs can be any legal species of animal, including dogs, birds, cats, rabbits, pigs, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters, or even snakes. ESAs enjoy certain legal benefits stipulated by the Fair Housing Act and can even enjoy specific allowances on some airlines. While all pet animals offer companionship, ESAs need a special letter from a licensed mental health therapist called an ESA letter to prove they bring their owner therapeutic benefits.
ESAs offer companionship to their owners. Unlike service dogs and psychiatric service dogs (PSDs), who perform a specific task related to their owner's disability, ESAs provide relief and support. While they might not perform disability-related tasks, they still offer substantial therapeutic support.
Here we explore ten reasons to get an ESA.
One of the most fantastic perks of an ESA is the companionship factor. ESAs offer their owners unconditional love, and this boosts mental wellbeing. Since they are always around, they significantly reduce loneliness and foster a sense of connection.
The housing perks are a huge benefit of having an ESA with an official letter. As per the Fair Housing Act, landlords cannot discriminate against those with ESAs. The act strives to "protect the right of people with disabilities to keep emotional support animals." ESAs are recognized as "assistive aids" rather than conventional pets.
Another bonus of an ESA letter is that specific tariffs and pet fees are waived. This might include breed or pet size levies in apartment complexes or extra fees for additional pets.
While not all airlines allow ESAs (since they do not have the same rights as service dogs), certain airlines might enable ESAs to travel at their discretion. Always call ahead to check the specific airline's policy.
Pets offer owners a healthy routine. Whether you're enjoying morning walks with your emotional support dog, cuddling your emotional support cat, or feeding your emotional support rabbit healthy snacks, ESAs give their owners a clear routine. Routine gives people purpose and can help them to cope with stressful emotions.
ESAs are hugely beneficial to those struggling with mental health disorders like anxiety. Studies have even highlighted that dogs can help humans produce unique neurotransmitters that boost happiness. Spending time with a beloved ESA releases happy chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. As such, ESAs support a myriad of mental health conditions.
Spending time with an animal and especially petting them has been shown to lower blood pressure and subsequently diminish stress. ESAs are great for those who deal with chronic stress.
ESAs are often highly intuitive and can pick up when their owners are becoming overwhelmed. ESAs or trained psychiatric service dogs are helpful for those struggling with PTSD. Trained PSDs can perform tasks such as waking owners from nightmares or offering tactile comfort during a panic attack.
ESAs can significantly support owners with bipolar disorder by offering unconditional love, comfort, and grounding. They can also help people to regain lost focus.
ESA letters give you certain legal protections, especially regarding housing stipulations and unfair discrimination.
If you want to get your pet officially recognized as an ESA, there are a few simple steps to follow. The team at Pettable can help you. Just fill in our short assessment, and we will guide you on the steps ahead.
Submit your payment and sign the necessary documents.
Book a consultation with a licensed therapist in your state.
Get approval and your official ESA letter.
We take the hassle out of obtaining an official ESA letter. We will connect you to a local mental health therapist in your state. If you qualify for an ESA, you'll get your letter within 24-48 hours. If, for some reason, you don't, you'll get 100% money back.
Kristi Carignan is a seasoned freelance writer with over 20 years of experience crafting copy for global agencies and brands. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her furry companions, Sugar the PomChi and Rudy the Shiba Inu, and indulging in hobbies like crafting and home renovation.
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