To get an emotional support animal letter in Texas you need to attend a consultation with a mental health professional licensed in Texas. The licensed mental health professional will determine whether you qualify for an emotional support animal and right you your letter (ESA letter).
We understand that finding a clinician with convenient availability and expertise in emotional support animal evaluations can sometimes be challenging. If you need to get in touch with a clinician ASAP we can help, simply click the link below to get started.
If you’re a Texan living with mental health challenges, an emotional support animal might be just what you need, and to make it official, you can get an ESA letter online with Pettable. Just take our quick assessment and meet virtually with one of our Texas-certified licensed mental health professionals. Within 24-48 hours, you’ll receive your ESA letter, which will open up significant advantages with housing and give you some well-earned peace of mind.
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 an additional fee.
* For Arkansas, California, Iowa, Louisiana and Montana residents, new laws requires those seeking an ESA letter 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 struggling with a mental or emotional disability can benefit from having an emotional support animal and is eligible to have one in Texas.
Pet lovers in Texas can make any domesticated animal an ESA, whether it’s a canine companion or a scaly sidekick. All that matters is that the animal provides you with some sort of relief from your emotional distress. Although ESAs don’t have the same federal protections as service animals do, there are still some regulations that ensure your assistance animal can live with you wherever you go.
ESA Laws in Texas mainly follow federal guidelines when it comes to emotional support animals so there are not a ton of surprises when it comes to ESAs in Texas.
The main laws you need to be aware of as an emotional support animal owner in Texas are the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Air Carrier Access Act (FHA). These two laws dictate where emotional support animals are allowed to go at a federal level, so these laws apply to any state you reside in. The two laws mainly break down housing rights and the right to travel with your ESA on an airplane.
The Lone Star State has the Texas Fair Housing Act, a state law that mirrors the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) and protects service dogs (or in some cases, service-trained miniature horses). Both regulations prevent discrimination against disabled individuals and their assistance animals — both service animals and ESAs. They prohibit landlords from denying your ESA or charging you any pet fees, despite any standard no-pet policies. As long as your ESA doesn’t pose a threat to any other residents or the property, it can live with you in any non-single-owner housing, such as apartment complexes or multi-family rental houses.
Unfortunately, some companies target individuals who want an ESA by claiming to offer “official certification” or “registration” — both of which are bogus promises. There is no such thing as ESA certification or registration in Texas. An ESA letter is the only thing you need to prove your animal’s credentials. If you find a company trying to sell you on either, it may be a scam, so make sure to only trust a reliable ESA letter provider like Pettable for ethical and honest assistance animal resources.
In order to qualify for an emotional support animal in Texas you need to connect with a mental health professional licensed in the state of Texas.
An easy way to find a clinician is to use a telehealth marketplace like Pettable. We focus an enormous amount of effort on interviewing and vetting licensed mental health professionals in Texas that have extensive experience with emotional & mental health evaluations as well as expertise and a passion for emotional support and service animals. What helps us stand out and guarantee the quality of our service is the team of clinicians we work with daily.
Pet lovers know how much responsibility a domesticated animal requires, and with all the care your ESA needs, you can establish a healthy routine that improves your emotional well-being. Whether it’s taking your dog for a walk, getting in some playtime with your rodent, or feeding your starving snake, an ESA guarantees that you have something to focus on other than mental health issues.
An ESA can support your mental health in so many ways, whether it’s through encouraging you to get out of bed, coaxing you to be more active, or promoting a healthier lifestyle. They also can give you the love and companionship that only your beloved assistance animal can provide.
Thanks to the Texas Fair Housing Act (and the federal FHA), you can save money by not paying pet fees or deposits to potential landlords. No matter what their standard policies are, they are prohibited from making it harder for you to live with your ESA.
If you need more assistance in public spaces, transit, or air travel, maybe a psychiatric service dog (PSD) is what you need. If that’s the case, Pettable can help you through the entire process. If you already have a canine companion, all you need to do is train it to perform specific tasks related to your mental health disability — and you can trust Pettable’s online PSD training program. Once you’ve completed our convenient online courses, we’ll even give you a PSD letter to give you peace of mind as you navigate life with your new assistance animal.
In Texas, ESAs and PSDs are very different beasts. A PSD is a dog of any breed that is trained to perform one or more tasks to directly aid your mental health disability. With that distinction, your PSD can accompany you in public accommodations such as grocery stores, shopping malls, medical facilities, and governmental buildings. On the other hand, an ESA is not considered a service animal since they simply provide companionship and emotional support, so they are only given protection in housing.
Pettable boasts a nationwide network of highly experienced mental health specialists, available to assist you in all 50 states. Our expert team is ready to furnish you with an ESA letter that holds weight both locally and across state borders. Whether you're addressing inquiries from a landlord requiring additional documentation, your dedicated Pettable mental health specialist stands by your side.
1. Rest Assured with Our Letters
No need to fret about the effectiveness of your letter. At Pettable, we offer a satisfaction guarantee, ensuring your letter works as intended, or your money is fully refunded.
2. World-Renowned Mental Health Professionals
Our roster includes world-class mental health professionals, capable of crafting an ESA Letter prescription that's recognized in all 50 states.
3. Unmatched Customer Care
We understand the stress of securing approval for your furry companion's residence. That's why we've invested in a dedicated team of support specialists to ensure you always have the assistance you require.
4. Licensed in Every State
Our extensive network of mental health experts covers every corner of the nation. Plus, our robust team ensures we can meet even the tightest timelines.
5. Personalized Evaluations for Genuine Connections
We prioritize the authenticity of your letter, and that begins with a live consultation with a mental health professional. At Pettable, our clinicians adhere to HUD standards and conduct in-depth phone consultations to truly understand your mental health situation.
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 experienced mental health professionals in the ESA 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, and a commitment to making sure you have an incredible experience. We broke down the different services offered by every ESA service. And we looked for unbiased reviews from 3rd party sites.
MSW, LCSW
Jennifer Bronsnick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Anxiety Treatment Specialist, & Heartmath Certified Trainer. She provides customized workshops and trainings to working professionals and teams to help build resilience and reduce stress with practical strategies.
MSW, LCSW
I graduated with a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before obtaining my Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in 2021. I have eight years of experience in the mental health field working in and with various populations, including case management, intake coordination, and residential, inpatient, and outpatient programs. I am certified in Brainspotting to help individuals deeply process negative emotions and trauma/significant life events. Additionally, I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and safety planning in sessions/groups.
LCSW
As a clinical social worker, I have been able to work within multiple types of settings, such as hospitals, community centers, and family welfare. I enjoy having the clinical and administrative experience to holistically serve those I work with.
An emotional support animal provides comfort to help relieve a symptom or effect related to a person's disability. Also, there is no animal or breed restrictions for ESA's as long as it is reasonable and justified.
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 such as obedience, public access and disability training. These additional trainings are necessary since service dogs have public access and travel rights, unlike emotional support animals who are only protected under housing rights.
ESA's do not have public access or travel rights, so it's best to check with individual business guidelines to see if they allow ESA's. Additionally, you can train your dog to become a PSD (psychiatric service dog) in order to have public access and travel rights.
The general criteria is 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. And remember, Emotional Support Animals do not require special training!
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. Pettable connects you with a licensed mental health professional for a consultation to determine if you qualify for an ESA. Unlike, some less legitimate services, we do not provide letters for fee, but instead we connect you to a professional for an honest evaluation.
Step 1: Once payment is submitted and your appointment is scheduled through our website, you will receive an email to activate your account.
Step 2: Once your account is activated, the process will prompt you to fill out the required forms to give more information to your clinician before your scheduled appointment.
Step 3: Your assigned clinician will call you at your scheduled appointment time and will let you know if you have qualified. If you've qualified, your clinician will upload your letter in your portal for you to view and print.
If for any reason you are not approved we will refund your entire purchase.
Get your official ESA Letter
When you take our quiz we collect information to match you with a therapist that has experience with your case and can meet your specific needs.
Additionally, to our knowledge, Pettable is the only provider that offers a full Money Back Guarantee - meaning if you do not qualify for a letter after your consultation or your landlord does not accept it after filing a complaint with the HUD, then we’ll refund 100% of your purchase.
We have experience with every kind of ESA situation - multiple pets, breed restrictions, weight/size restrictions, traveling across state lines, immediate turnaround, etc. We are confident we can help you with your specific ESA needs and if we can't, we will refund your money 100%. See our Money Back Guarantee FAQ for more information.
No problem, we've got your back!
Our mental health professionals should be able to call your landlord to verify the legitimacy of your letter.
Should your landlord request a validation of your letter, please have them reach out to your therapist using the contact information on your ESA letter.
In the unlikely event that your letter does not work as intended and we've tried to make it work with the landlord we will refund your purchase 100%.
We can turn around an ESA letter in as fast as 24 hours! If you need it this quickly make sure to choose our "Express Service." You can select this option at checkout.
To ensure the fastest turn around possible, it is important that you sign and submit our consent forms.
We have an extensive network of mental health professionals, licensed across states, with wide range of availability and can route you to someone that is able to meet your timeline needs.
Once a consultation is concluded, letters are turned around within 24 hours and most of the time much more quickly than that.
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.
Absolutely! There is research and data that support the theory that animals provide substantial and measurable emotional support. 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.
Our ESA letters contain the following:
The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers such as landlords or management companies to 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.
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:
Renewing your letter is easy through our seamless consultation process.
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.
To ensure our ESA letter are compliant, all of our consultations are conducted live over the phone in order to meet the legal standards set forth and assure the validity of your letter.
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.
Yes. An emotional support animal can be any breed or species as long as it supports an emotional or psychological condition.
Since emotional support animals do not require any training, your childhood pet or newly adopted animal can qualify.
Yes, you can register multiple pets on the same ESA letter. At Pettable we can accommodate up to two pets per letter for no additional charge.
According to the American Disabilities Act your request for multiple animals must be "reasonable".
An example of an unreasonable request is if you want four great danes registered as ESAs and you live in a tiny apartment.
In order to make sure we're meeting the standard of "reasonable" Pettable is able to accommodate up to two pets per letter as long as you meet the criteria to warrant an ESA letter.
At the end of the day it is a judgement call but we want to make sure that you are covered in any situation you're in, which is why we've set this policy.
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.
Sometimes landlords create barriers for individuals in attempt to refrain from accommodating legitimate ESA's. If this occurs please reach out to your assigned mental health professional to validate or assist in verifying your legitimate ESA letter.
At Pettable, we understand at a personal level the positive impact an animal can have on your life.
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