If you’re someone who is suffering from a psychological or emotional disability, adopting an emotional support animal is an excellent way to reduce stress. While the ESAs that certified mental health professionals prescribe are known to offer therapeutic benefits, they don’t fall under the same category as service animals. Simply put, ESAs are adopted to offer companionship to folks who battle depression and anxiety. Most ESA’s are recommended to undergo Animal Assisted Therapy to improve intellectual and physiatrist disabilities of their owners though this isn’t entirely necessary.

Unlike service dogs that undergo specific treatment, ESA’s are not trained to aid their handlers in

Do Emotional Support Animals Need To Be Registered?

Registering your ESA is voluntary and not compulsory. However, this process will legitimize your ESA which means you may not have to experience problems while taking your pet out to different places. A registered ESA is more likely to be granted entry into a restaurant or a hotel. Most hotel managers and restaurant owners are empathetic and comply with their guest’s requests as long as you call in advance. Registering your pet and perhaps investing in appropriate apparel for them will make your life much easier.

What Animals Qualify as an ESA?

All domesticated pets including rabbits, birds, snakes, rats, ferrets, cats, dogs, etc. can qualify as emotional support animals. You can also opt for younger animals if you are concerned about handling. These animals do not have to undergo specific training and are only adopted to mitigate the symptoms of the affected person, unlike a working service dog that is trained to perform specific tasks. However, for the sake of being considerate of the people around you, ESA’s need to manageable in public and must not disrupt public places. It is thus advised you train your ESA to remain well-behaved.

How Can I Legally Qualify for an ESA?

To legally qualify for an ESA, the person must be examined by a certified mental health professional. If the person is suffering from a psychological or mental disorder, the therapist may prescribe the need for an ESA. Having a properly formatted letter from the doctor will help your pet gain entry to public and private spaces. However, keep in mind that a family doctor or medical doctor is not qualified to prescribe an ESA. Here are a few important details the letter must state:

• That you are currently a patient of the therapist/psychologist etc
• You have been prescribed an ESA as a necessary treatment plan that will improve your mental health
• The letter must be properly formatted and must contain all the necessary details of the mental health professional
• It must include the mental health professional’s license type, the state in which the license was issued, and date of issuance.

If you require any additional assistance, Emotional Support Animal Co. can aid you in completing all these formalities.  Our mission is to help people suffering from mental health problems and make their lives easier. If you don’t know how or where to start, simply fill out our free ESA assessment form. Our team of certified mental health professionals and therapists are here to guide you through the process.  

The official letter will serve as proof that you require the assistance and presence of an emotional support animal at all times. This may provide you some ease when entering restaurants, hotels, booking a flight or traveling somewhere.