What to Do if Your Therapist Won’t Write an ESA Letter

Emotional support animals (ESAs) help their owners manage day to day life. Their physical presence provides many therapeutic benefits as they support owners through a wide range of mental health conditions. Official ESA letters are written by qualified mental health practitioners. These official letters are important when applying for housing, wavering pet rental and bringing pets on certain airlines. Official letters allow owners to access ESA laws, including the Fair Housing Act.

But what happens when your therapist won’t write an ESA letter? It can feel extremely disappointing, not to mention stressful as you try to navigate renting and traveling with your ESA.

Read on to explore how Pettable can help when faced with this conundrum with convenient and hassle-free online solutions.

What is an ESA Letter?

An ESA letter is an official letter written by a licensed mental health therapist in the owner’s state. It stipulates that the owner has a psychological condition that qualifies for an ESA. One can see an ESA letter much like a doctor’s prescription in that it recommends that an ESA is necessary to treat and support the condition.

ESA letters can be obtained online with Pettable. We’ll connect you to a licensed therapist in your state.

Go Deeper

How to Get an ESA Letter for Housing in 2024

For those who qualify, getting an ESA letter requires just a consultation from a licensed mental health professional. This will ensure that you will be legally protected when it comes to living with your pet in all permanent housing situations – regardless of landlord policies.

Who Can Write an ESA Letter?

ESA letters can only be written by a licensed mental health practitioner (LMHP). This includes psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and counselors. The ESA letter should contain several things, including:

• The therapist’s official letterhead 
• The therapist’s official qualifications and the state in which they obtained them.
•  A recommendation that an ESA is necessary for their health and wellbeing. 
• The therapist’s signature and date.

Many landlords also want to ensure that the need for an ESA is current, so it is best to show them a letter that is less than a year old.

Who Qualifies for an ESA?

A wide range of mental health conditions qualify for an ESA. These include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, chronic stress and obsessive compulsive disorder.

What to Do if Your Therapist Won’t Write ESA Letters

Sometimes, therapists won’t write ESA letters. This could occur for a few reasons. If they don’t know the patient well enough, they may not be familiar with their condition or their history of mental health conditions. Moreover, some therapists may not be as knowledgeable about animal therapy and feel like writing such a letter isn’t within their area of expertise. Happily, there are many therapists who do understand the value of ESAs, and Pettable can connect you with them.

An official letter ensures that landlords will accept your ESA and make the appropriate accommodations. Here are some alternative options for getting one:

Get an ESA Letter Online

Getting an ESA letter online is a quick and hassle-free solution. Answer a few questions with Pettable and we will connect you to a LMHP in your state. After a consultation with the LMHP, they will determine your need for an ESA and write you an ESA letter.

Try to Convince Your Therapist To Reconsider

If your therapist declines to write an ESA letter, you can ask them to reconsider by sharing the profound impact that your ESA has on your life and giving examples of how they help you navigate your mental health condition.

Find Another Therapist in Your State

If the therapist still won’t write you a letter, you might need to find another therapist in your state. Doing this alone might feel stressful and that’s why so many people opt for convenient online solutions with Pettable.

Get a Legitimate ESA Letter Online with Pettable

In a few simple steps, get your ESA letter through us.

Take Our Assessment

Take our quick assessment and let us determine your needs so that we connect you to a LMHP in your state.

Attend a Brief Consultation

Attend a consultation with the mental health professional so that they can determine your ESA needs before writing the official letter.

Receive Your ESA Letter

If successful, you’ll get the letter within 24-48 hours. If for some reason you aren’t, you’ll get 100% of the money back. It really is the easiest and most risk free way to get an official ESA letter.

The Bottom Line

An ESA letter is vital for those who need an emotional support animal to navigate life. These official letters ensure that landlords make reasonable accommodations for your ESA and waiver costly pet rentals and tariffs. ESAs are seen as medical aids rather than pets and owners get a range of accommodations.

Chat with our team if you need an official ESA letter or if you are interested in exploring our Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) training program. This is a great way to equip owners and dogs with the right training tools to perform disability-related functions and tasks.