Emotional Support Animal Registration: What You Should Know

Fewer things in life give us more joy than spending time with our pets. Whether it's taking your dog out for a walk or cuddling up with them at night, pets offer an unmatched companionship you can cherish for years. 

What's more, dogs can help people struggling with mental health problems perform daily tasks otherwise made difficult by their condition. Their dog can provide comfort and support, which ultimately makes their condition more manageable. Pets that help people improve their mental health are known as emotional support animals (ESAs).

What Is an Emotional Support Animal?

Most pets can offer emotional support to their owners. However, an ESA has legal rights that allow them to live and travel (on some airlines) more freely. For an animal to be a legal ESA, a prescription letter from a licensed mental health professional is required. 

The mental health professional needs to recognize that the presence of the animal will help improve the person's disability. One example would be that a dog could help someone with anxiety improve their social skills so they can have a better quality of life. 

It's important to understand the difference between an emotional support pet and a service animal. Service animals tend to have specialized training that helps their owners with physical disabilities. Common examples of service animals are dogs that help blind people navigate around town. 

There are no age or breed limitations when it comes to emotional support animals, just as long as the psychiatrist believes they will help the patient with their condition.  

The Difference Between Emotional Support Animals and Psychiatric Service Dogs

Since both animals help those with mental disorders, they are often confused with one another. Psychiatric service animals have specialized training to aid an individual with a disability caused by mental illness. 

The dogs can detect when their owner has a psychiatric episode and know how to provide comfort to reduce the effects. Psychiatric service animals work similarly to ESAs, but the primary difference is their specialized training for disabilities. 

These service animals are also, by law, recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Psychiatric service dogs have some impressive skills. They can help remind their owners to take their medicine and are even trained to perform certain tasks to make the owner's life easier.  

When people have a psychiatric episode, it's possible that they become unaware of their surroundings. Their service animal can help keep them out of harm's way and find a safe area to wait until the episode is finished. 

Do You Qualify For an Emotional Support Animal?

Above, we mention that a person's disability will determine whether they qualify for an emotional support animal. Some of the common conditions they can help with are:

• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Chronic Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression

Various other mental health disorders qualify for an ESA. When speaking with your psychiatrists, they may ask you how your condition affects your daily life. Although mental illness can be difficult to live with, not all patients can qualify. Your therapist will need to pinpoint how your condition hinders your lifestyle. 

How To Get an Emotional Support Animal

After your licensed therapist determines that an ESA can help with your condition, they can prescribe you an emotional support animal registration letter. The letter gives you and your companion special rights when dealing with landlords and airport staff. 

While some landlords and airline officials will accept documentation from a doctor, a prescription from a mental health professional is typically what's required. Also, legal changes no longer consider ESA’s a protected class of animal by US based air carriers.

Your letter, by law, protects your animal under the Fair Housing Act. This act permits people with an ESA letter to allow their pets to live in a residence even if there's a “no pets” policy. Furthermore, landlords, by law, can't charge additional pet fees. 

Still, ESAs don't share the same rights as service animals. People with disabilities can bring their service animals with them to public places, such as shopping malls and restaurants. Service animals are protected by the Department of Justice under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Do Your Pets Qualify as Emotional Support Animals?

One of the best things about registering an ESA is that any domesticated animal may qualify based on a therapist’s approval. Dogs are the most common, but you can register a cat as well. Our therapists will not write a prescription letter for any other type of animal. 

While these animals don't need to be trained to perform specific tasks, it should be known that your companion needs to be well-behaved and not cause any public disturbances. 

What Are The Benefits of Emotional Support Animals?

Many psychologists are starting to recognize the benefits animals have on humans. For starters, people tend to feel less stressed and more tranquil when petting animals. If animals can deliver this kind of peace from a single interaction, imagine the serenity someone with depression or anxiety can have by living with one? 

The fascinating thing about animals is how we can build such a strong bond without actually communicating. A strong companionship goes a long way when you're living with a mental health issue or physical disability. 

Speaking to an animal is surprisingly beneficial since they won't judge you or your struggle. What's more, these animals can offer the physical affection that everyone needs. 

What's more, taking care of an animal provides the owner with a sense of purpose and responsibility. Having a sense of purpose in life is vital, especially if you're coping with mental illness. The time and energy spent taking care of your companion will help reduce attention to things that could trigger stress and anxiety. 

How To Choose the Right Emotional Support Animal

There are many factors to consider when choosing an ESA. Although they're there to help their owners, they also require adequate attention and love. You'll need to think about how you can interact with your ESA within your daily life. Furthermore, you'll need to consider whether you have the budget to provide reasonable accommodation and meet the animal's nutritional and veterinary needs. 

Be sure to think long-term when choosing an ESA. Your animal of choice needs to be able to match your lifestyle for the treatment to be effective. Adding more stress will only make your symptoms worse. 

Here are a few factors to consider:

Temperament

It's not only vital that you and your companion get along. They should also be friendly with strangers and house guests. This factor is one of the reasons why dogs make the best ESAs. They're relatively easy to train and can naturally adapt to new environments. If you're having a panic attack or feeling overwhelmed, your ESA should be able to remain calm and provide support.  

Allergies

Allergies are an extremely important factor you need to think about when adopting any animal. You'll need to think about whether you, a house guest, or a family member will be allergic to your furry companion. Fortunately, numerous animals are hypoallergenic. 

Budget

Animals need a lot of supplies to live a happy and healthy lifestyle. You'll need toys, food, training gear, and a space to provide them with reasonable accommodation. Vet bills can also get quite pricey over the years. Before choosing an ESA, try to tally up your estimated weekly and monthly expenses. 

Does Your Emotional Support Animal Need Any Types of Identification?

Although an ESA isn't required by the local government laws to wear any type of identification, some owners prefer to dress them in a vest. With an ESA vest, you can help reduce some of the confusion you may get when entering a private or public place.  

However, an ESA vest is different from the ones worn by service animals. The only documentation your ESA may need is your letter. Landlords or anyone working for the transportation department will likely ask to see your letter to recognize that your companion is indeed an emotional support animal. 

Register an ESA Today!

If you or a loved one is battling a mental illness or diagnosed emotional challenges, an ESA might be an excellent solution. Not only can they provide immediate release from stress and anxiety, but they can also give long-term improvement for mental health symptoms over time. Furthermore, pets are loving and loyal companions that provide an unlimited amount of compassion for their owners. 

Reach out to our friendly team here at the ESA Registration of America today to learn how to get started.