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How to Get an ESA Letter in Missouri Online
The process to obtain a legitimate ESA letter online is similar to what it would be otherwise – it just saves you the hassle of waiting in traffic or long lines for an in-person appointment. All you have to do is connect with a licensed mental health professional who can determine if you qualify for an emotional support animal and then write you an ESA letter if you do.
Online services like Pettable can do the heavy lifting of matching you with a licensed mental health professional in Missouri. Not only does Pettable's vast network include LMHPs in every state, but each licensed therapist is also an expert in writing a legitimate and foolproof ESA Letter.
ESA Laws in Missouri
If you’re an ESA owner in Missouri, you probably already know that public establishments are under no legal obligation to accommodate emotional support animals – only service animals. This includes stores, restaurants, theaters, museums, libraries, hospitals, hotels, and workplaces.
If you wish to bring your emotional support animal with you to a place that is not explicitly pet-friendly, your best option is to have your ESA letter on hand. Although the venue is not required to admit your emotional support animal, the owner or manager (or your boss) may be willing to make an exception if you can present a valid ESA letter to help explain your situation.
This also includes commercial aircraft (under the Air Carrier Access Act), so if you’re hoping to fly with your ESA, you should contact the airline well in advance of your travel date. If they do not accept ESAs on board, your ESA may still be able to travel with you as an ordinary pet, subject to the airline’s pet fees and policies.
Thankfully, housing legislation is more lenient to ESA owners. Specifically, you have the right to have your emotional support animal live with you, even in a rented apartment with a “no pets” policy. According to the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), housing providers must make reasonable accommodations for any tenant (or potential tenant) who provides a legitimate ESA letter. The landlord must also waive their usual pet charges, and even breed and weight restrictions.
Emotional Support Animals in Missouri
If you struggle with a mental or emotional disability, you may find a coping mechanism in obtaining an emotional support animal. Missouri and federal law are aware of the struggle of mental illness and will protect an individual's right to live anywhere with an emotional support animal.
Some states in America have particular laws about emotional support animals. Missouri is one of those states. You must be aware of this law if you are a Missouri resident and an emotional support animal owner. In 2020, Missouri's governor instated a rule prohibiting individuals from deliberately misrepresenting an emotional support animal. This law specifically prohibits people from putting harnesses or vets on their pets to make it seem like they are emotional support animals if they are a pet.
Missouri's Fair Housing & Employment Act
The Fair Housing Act protects people with disabilities from facing discrimination when obtaining housing. Under this law, a landlord must provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities to have the same opportunity to live elsewhere. To grant people with mental disabilities this equal opportunity, landlords must grant housing rights to ESAs or service animals and their handlers.
While emotional support animals are included in the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) definition of assistance animals, ESAs are not recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act. That means that employers are not obligated to allow ESAs into work environments. However, some employers may be willing to work with their employees on a case-by-case basis. For instance, if your ESA is not disruptive and no one in your office is allergic to dogs, your employer may allow your emotional support animal to inhabit your workplace. Check with your local HR department or pet policy for more information.
How Do You Qualify for an ESA in Missouri?
An LMHP who can work in Missouri must be the one to determine if you qualify for an emotional support animal. They can properly assess your symptoms and mental health condition to discover if you have a disability-related need for such an assistance animal.
Many people suffering from mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and phobias, will likely qualify for an emotional support animal. However, an LMHP will consider every individual's situation case by case. To be eligible for an ESA, not only must you have a mental illness, but your ESA must also be able to alleviate at least one of the symptoms of your mental health disorder.
Benefits of Emotional Support Animals for Missouri Residents
Many people are confused about how an emotional support animal can help treat an individual suffering from a mental or emotional illness. Here are some of the few ways that ESAs can support people with disabilities.
Provide Unconditional Love
One of the best things about animals? No matter what happens, they always provide their caretakers with unconditional love. Receiving unconditional love can be particularly beneficial for individuals with mental health issues, especially if they are not receiving that love from others.
Receiving this care and attention from an ESA can be the first step in an individual's mental health improvement, leading to them re-engaging with the world and people around them.
Stabilize Everyday Feelings
Whether you are grappling with depression or OCD, it can be difficult for people with mental disorders to regulate their emotions. While some individuals may be experiencing regular bouts of panic and stress, others may feel extreme sadness and depression. An ESA can help reduce daily anxiety, regulate physiological arousal, and improve an individual's overall mood.
Because animals demand regular attention, an ESA or assistance animal is a good distraction and can divert its owner's attention away from their thoughts and feelings.
Structure and Purpose
Having an animal to care for and attend to can give individuals who have a mental disability a higher purpose in life. Additionally, an ESA inadvertently provides its owner with a day-to-day routine. ESAs need to be walked and fed, forcing their owners to go outside and get some exercise, whether they are taking trips to the grocery store to buy dog food or taking their animals on walks around the block. Regardless of what a person goes through, an emotional support animal will always force its owner to get out of bed and start the day.
How To Get a Psychiatric Service Dog Letter in Missouri
Obtaining a letter for psychiatric service dogs in Missouri is similar to getting an emotional support animal letter. Only a licensed health professional who lives in the state of Missouri can provide a resident of the state with a PSD letter. Similar to ESA letters, there are also online services that can grant individuals with PSD letters. These online services will connect you with a therapist from your state, who you will meet for a consultation. If the therapist deems you eligible for a PSD, they will also provide you with a psychiatric service dog letter. Pettable can offer both emotional support animal letters and psychiatric service dog letters.
To receive a PSD letter, you must have a service animal with specific training to perform a task directly related to your mental disability. For instance, owners may train a psychiatric service dog to perform room checks for an individual suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Why Pettable Is the Best Online ESA Letter Provider in Missouri
Just look at how we compare to other major ESA providers online. With our satisfaction guarantee, our live consultations with therapists, and a transparent team, Pettable is a clear choice
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