The most effective way to figure out if you are eligible for an emotional support animal is to have a consultation with a qualified mental health professional who is licensed in your state. At Pettable we facilitate these consultations by connecting you with someone for a telehealth consultation via phone, which is easy and extremely convenient. This eliminates the challenge of having to see a clinician in person physically and avoids long lines. Connect with experienced mental health professionals from the comfort of your own home to find out if you qualify for an ESA in Florida.
After undergoing a clinical evaluation and meeting your licensed mental health professional, if they determine you can benefit from an ESA, they will write an ESA letter for housing, travel, or a combination of both. In certain circumstances, you can request to receive your letter within 24 hours of your consultation.
Answer a few questions about your ESA needs
We'll match you to a professional in your state
Receive it within 24 hours of getting approved *
We'll help with any extra forms you need signed and our therapists are available to talk to your landlord anytime.
* 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.
Anyone with a mental or emotional disability is eligible to get an ESA in Florida.
Florida recognizes the difficulties of having a mental or emotional disability. Due to this recognition, Florida supports and endorses the use of emotional support animals as a part of someone's mental health treatment.
There is no official ESA registration process in any state, including Florida. The only way to legally recognize an emotional support animal is to obtain an ESA letter from a mental health professional licensed in Florida or whichever state you seek accommodations in. Emotional support animals are welcomed into most housing situations, some airlines, and public areas where pets are allowed.
Florida recently enacted a new law in 2020, SB 1084, to crack down on the misuse of emotional support animals. Not to worry, as we'll walk you through everything you need to know to ensure your letter is legitimate in Florida.
That said, for people that need and depend on ESAs, Florida has friendly policies, laws, and approaches toward emotional support animals. The best way to find out if you qualify for an emotional support animal in Florida is to connect with a mental health professional licensed in Florida.
Florida's laws regarding emotional support animals and service animals primarily follows the guidance set at the Federal level. Those laws set at the Federal level extend to the state and grant protections to individuals with an ESA or PSD.
We cover everything you need to know about Florida law and how it affects emotional support animals to help you navigate your rights as well as the accompanying benefits associated with having an emotional support animal in Florida.
Florida has its own laws and regulations that correspond to the Fair Housing Act (FHA, which is a federal law).
This housing law, in particular, is designed to grant people with an emotional support animal (ESA0 the ability to keep their animal regardless of policies or restrictions enacted by landlord. This law was created to protect people who deal with mental or emotional disabilities and give them the ability to live with their pet as they can often be a critical part of their mental health treatment.
Under the Federal FHA, only a few exceptional circumstances may prevent your ESA from staying in residences. These exceptions include housing operated by private clubs or religious organizations, owner-occupied buildings with four units or less, and single-family homes sold or rented without the use of an agent.
Florida's regulation on this can be a bit confusing, but ultimately it appears that employers can determine whether or not to allow emotional support animals into the workplace.
Florida has no specific ESA housing or employment laws, but the state follows federal regulations outlined under the FHA and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the 2022 Florida Statutes, discrimination is prohibited in housing provided to persons with a disability or disability-related need for an emotional support animal. According to the ADA, employers are only required to allow service animals, and emotional support animals lack the same protection.
That said, employers are also not allowed to discriminate based on a disability. If having your emotional support animal with you is critical to your ability to function within your workplace, we recommend chatting with your HR team about it to see if they can make a reasonable accommodation. An ESA letter can help show why having your support animal is necessary for your mental or emotional help.
To see if you are eligible for an emotional support animal in Florida, you need to speak with a licensed mental health professional who can practice in Florida.
Qualifying mental and emotional disabilities include anxiety, PTSD, depression, stress, phobias, and more. If your licensed mental health professional determines an ESA can benefit your condition, they may decide to write an ESA letter that certifies your ESA's necessity to your health.
The easiest way to do that is by working with a telehealth marketplace like Pettable. What's great about the process is we can connect you to professionals in your state that have extensive experience conducting mental health evaluations for support animals.
They will closely work with you and determine your needs, and in particular circumstances, you may qualify for and receive your ESA letter within 24 hours of the consultation.
Emotional support animals can help relieve several mental or emotional disabilities merely by their presence and constant support. They can make it easier to go about the day and give their owners a sense of purpose. ESAs may benefit specific mental health treatment plans and help owners feel their best.
Life gets lonely without others, and having an emotional support animal can provide much-needed companionship and interaction while at home. They can make the home feel more welcoming and act as a close companion. Sometimes it's impossible to get in touch with a loved one, and ESAs are always there for their owners, day or night.
Emotional support animals deserve the best treatment, which means committing to long-term care as an owner. They require walks and exercise, feeding, trips to the pet store, and routine health and veterinary care. All of these commitments help owners engage with them and mobilize their day.
Psychiatric service dogs (PSD) and ESAs share many similarities. Still, the former must have the training to complete a specific task for their handler, like retrieving medication or performing some act during anxiety attacks.
Despite the assistance animals' differences from each other, the qualifying conditions to obtain a letter are remarkably similar. These conditions include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, ADHD, bipolar disorder, phobias, and PTSD.
To get a PSD letter, you must meet with a mental health professional licensed in Florida. They must be familiar with PSDs' federal and state laws and must certify the dog is trained and necessary for your mental or emotional health. If you meet these criteria, they will write a PSD letter for housing, travel, or public accommodation.
To get started, Pettable offers a simple qualification assessment to help understand your needs and circumstances. After completing this, we'll connect you with a qualified specialist and arrange a consultation with a licensed mental health professional. If they determine you require a PSD, they will write a letter.
1. We Guarantee Our Letters Will Work For You
We believe you should not have to worry about your letter working or not. That's why at Pettable we offer a satisfaction guarantee - meaning your letter works or you get your money back.
2. World Class Mental Health Professionals
We have built a team of world class mental health professionals who can write you a PSD Letter prescription guaranteed to work anywhere you go.
3. Unparalleled Customer Support
We know getting your animal approved to travel or live with you can be stressful, which is why we invest so much in our team of dedicated support specialists to make sure you are always taken care of and have the support you need!
4. Licensed in all 50 states
Our network of mental health professionals is deep and spans across the entire country. Additionally, we have a deep team of mental health professionals to make sure we can meet any timeline.
5. Best In Class Legal Support
We are here to make sure your housing and travel needs are taken care of so you don't worry. Our legal team is dedicated to having your back should you need it!
6. Human Connection & Legitimate Evaluations
In order for your letter to work you need to have a live consultation with a mental health professional. At Pettable we make sure our clinicians adhered to HUD standards and conduct consultations over the phone to get to know you and your mental health situation well.
Pettable is the best provider because we're committed to making sure the process works for you. That means working with the best and most experience mental health professionals in the psychiatric service dog letter space, as well as providing a guarantee that your letter will work for you. We back all of this up with outstanding customer support, a renowned legal team, and a commitment to making sure you have an increidble experience.
We broke down the different services offered by every ESA service. And we looked for unbiased reviews from 3rd party sites.
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*your purchase will be refunded 100% if your landlord denies your letter
Bolutife "Bolu", LCSW-S, MPA
Licensed Therapist
Equipped with over 13 years, Bolu has worked with various populations (adolescents, couples, families, and adults), but finds passion in working with the BIPOC community suffering from trauma.
Shaunae, M.S., LPC
Licensed Therapist
I have worked in the mental health field for 10 years with experience across diverse populations and communities. I’m dedicated to ensuring the best care possible.
Michael, LPC, LCDC
Licensed Therapist
I graduated from UT Dallas with my BA in Psychology, University of the Southwest with my MS in counseling, and California Southern University with my PsyD in Psychology, but have been an LPC and LCDC since 2011.
Jasmine, LCMHC
Licensed Therapist
I graduated with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Psychology. I completed my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Since graduating, I have been working in private practice.
Rhiana, MA, LPC, LAC
Licensed Professional Counselor
I primarily work with people experiencing homelessness. I began doing emotional support evaluations to increase housing access to all.
Melissa, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor. I graduated from the Catholic University's National Catholic School of Social Service with a Master of Social Work.
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