FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Emotional Support Animal Overview

What would count as an emotional support animal?

An emotional support animal provides comfort to help relieve a symptom or effect related to a person's disability.

Note that being an emotional support animal is not the same as being a service animal (like seeing-eye dogs). These types of animals have stricter criteria that must be met, including different forms of training and ongoing certifications and some breed or animal type restrictions. These animals must also wear identifying garments in some instances, so they can't be confused for an emotional support animal.

It's best to check with your local state government agencies to understand the specifics about what is and isn't allowed in your state regarding having an emotional support animal and qualifying ESA Letter. Each state has different guidelines as to what types of public places, for example, you would be able to take your animal with you, such as restaurants, shops, or movie theaters.

How do I know if I qualify for an emotional support animal?

The general criteria are to have some emotional or psychological condition that is improved by having an animal that provides support. Conditions may include depression, generalized anxiety, paranoia, insomnia, and others.

Only a licensed mental health professional is qualified to determine if you meet the criteria. Through our service, you can speak directly with a qualified mental health professional in the state where you reside.

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.

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

Are there benefits to having an emotional support animal?

Yes. There is research and data that support the theory that animals provide substantial and measurable emotional support. This is why the US Government included provisions for certifications to have an emotional support animal as part of its foundational legislation around housing, travel, and in the ADA. If you're thinking about the benefits of an emotional support animal, you can learn more by researching online or talking to qualified mental health professionals in our network.

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.

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

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.

Would an existing pet qualify as 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 obligatorily 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.

Do I need to renew my ESA letter?

Although the Fair Housing Act and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development does not specify guidance around the issue of ESA letter expiration, we recommend that you renew your ESA letter annually for a few reasons:

Clinicians may not validate an ESA letter that is expired in the event a landlord or property manager reaches out to verify. An annual consultation with a clinician to discuss your needs for an ESA letter is advised in order to keep licensed professional recommendations current.
Landlords or property managers may refuse to accept an ESA letter that is expired. Renewing your letter enables you to provide current documentation that verifies your need for an emotional support animal as still relevant.

Renewing your letter is easy through our seamless consultation process.

Renew Your ESA Letter

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.

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

How does the Money Back Guarantee work?

Pettable is the only provider that offers a Money Back Guarantee encompassing a full 100% refund for two reasons: (1) if you do not qualify for a letter after your consultation or (2) your landlord does not accept it after filing a complaint with the HUD. The details:Our refund and cancellation policy ensures that our team of licensed mental health professionals are effectively allocating their support to those in need. Once your order is placed, there is a $30 administration fee if a refund is requested before you have signed the LHCP consent form. Once signed, your order is non-refundable, unless you meet the following two reasons: (1) you do not qualify for an ESA letter after your consultation as determined by the licensed mental health professional or (2) if your landlord does not accept your ESA letter after filing a complaint with HUD.
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For California residents, effective January 1, 2022, new law AB 468, requires those seeking an ESA letter for dogs to establish a client-provider relationship with the individual for at least 30 days prior to providing documentation, which will result in having two consultations before qualifying. If you cancel and request a refund after your initial consultation at least 1 business day before your second appointment, you are charged a $50 administrative fee, otherwise your purchase is non-refundable. The 100% money back guarantee still applies should you not qualify for a letter or if your landlord does not accept it after filing a complaint with HUD.

Legality of ESA & Our Company Overview

Are there scams out there I need to be aware of?

Unfortunately, yes. We've come across a number of fraudulent sites that claim to offer ESA Letters, but whose letters are not certified, nor comply with US federal and state laws.

The most common type of fraud we've seen are in particular sites that claim to certify service animals (different from emotional support animals) without requiring any formal testing or accreditation typical for that process. The US has cracked down on these forms of fraud. Now they will enact hefty fines – or even jail time – for caught offenders.

These are the clues you should be on the lookout for to spot a scam:

1) The company lacks a physical address – A large number of the fraudulent websites are actually based in China. Make sure to check for a valid address in the United States.

2) The website domain name owner is hidden behind a proxy – Proper services should have transparent domain name ownership. The tool WHOis.com is great for verifying the identity of whoever is operating behind the scenes.

3) The service does NOT require you to speak with someone live over the phone – All legitimate ESA Letter providers are required by law to ensure that you speak with a licensed mental health professional over the phone or video. If a service asks you to answer questions using a quiz or "exam" but don't ask you to schedule a live consultation after, it is probably a scam.

4) There is no contact number for the company where you can speak to someone over the phone – Similar to not having an address, having no direct phone line at all on the website may indicate a service is fraudulent.

5) There is no support offered after you receive your letter – Most legitimate services offer at least a baseline level of support after you receive a letter from them. This could be to field questions from a landlord or to have a follow on conversation with the mental health professional you spoke with about how it's going with your emotional support animal.

What makes your ESA Letters legitimate?

Vetted, licensed therapists near you – Our network of mental health professionals are licensed to practice in your state and are current on state-mandated standards where they operate. The therapist we connect you with will be located in the state where you live and be fully qualified to prescribe you an ESA Letter should you meet the criteria.

Live consultation over the phone – The licensed mental health professional we connect you with will reach out to you for a phone consultation and establish a therapeutic relationship. This grants the mental health professional the legal and medical authority to prescribe you an ESA Letter through us.

‍Fully compliant ESA Letters – If you are prescribed an ESA Letter, it will be issued directly from the licensed mental health professional you speak with and contain their license number and direct contact information. The letter will come on their official letterhead and contain all other required elements within the letter's body.

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.

Why should I go with your service?

Your health matters to us – We're a team of pet lovers and licensed mental health professionals. Caring about your health and your pet's well-being is our number one focus and priority.

Certified & compliant ESA Letters – We've done the heavy lifting of making sure our operations are legally compliant with federal and state laws where we operate.

Ongoing support – While most landlords are familiar with the terms of the Fair Housing Act and what that means for individuals who have certified ESA Letters, we're here to answer any questions and support you, whatever the need. Any questions or concerns, simply reach out – we have you covered.