Why Do I Need an ESA Letter?Your pet may already be providing you with the affection, love, and support you need to relieve symptoms of stress, anxiety, and other common challenges – so why should you ask your doctor for an official Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letter? It’s not unusual for patients to assume that an ESA letter is not necessary if they already have a pet that can facilitate the compassionate care they need. However, it’s important to understand that an official Emotional Support Animal Letter from a licensed mental health professional or doctor is critical in protecting your rights and enabling you to continue managing your symptoms with the help of your ESA. Show There are two primary situations in which an Emotional Support Animal Letter is not only useful but highly necessary: Fair Housing Act Emotional Support AnimalsWhen you’re searching for housing, an ESA letter will ensure that you and your emotional support animal are not unfairly discriminated against by landlords, property managers, and other housing staff. According to the Fair Housing Act, it is illegal to discriminate due to a disability, race, religion, national origin, color, sex, or familial status in situations of housing. Anyone attempting to buy or rent a home, get a mortgage, or receive housing assistance is protected against discrimination resulting from any of these factors. Public and private housing are both subject to the FHA regulations, with only a few exceptions made for small, owner-occupied buildings, members-only club properties, religious housing, and single-family homes sold or rented without a licensed agent. With a registered emotional support animal, there are opportunities to avoid security deposits and save money. If you have a mental or emotional disability that qualifies you for an emotional support animal, you are also protected by the FHA. However, you must have an official ESA Letter to effectively communicate and defend your right to an emotional support animal, even at properties with a “no pets” policy. With an ESA Letter, a property owner or manager cannot prevent you from buying or renting a property due to your disability and ESA – they must make every attempt to make reasonable accommodation. Further, you cannot be required to pay additional fees or lose privileges because of your ESA. In these situations, an official ESA Letter is highly valuable and necessary to protect your rights. How Long Does an ESA Letter Last?An Emotional Support Animal Letter is valid for one year from the date of issue. After that, a licensed health professional can re-issue the letter for another year (and continue to renew it every year thereafter). FAQs About Emotional Support AnimalsIf you’re planning on asking your doctor for an emotional support animal, you may have one or more of the following questions on your mind: Do I Qualify for an Emotional Support Animal?For many people, determining whether or not they qualify for an emotional support animal can seem confusing. However, you may be surprised to discover that your emotional or mental challenges are included in the wide range of conditions that commonly receive doctors’ recommendations for ESA. While it will ultimately be up to a licensed professional to provide you with the official ESA “prescription,” here are just a few of the diagnosable conditions that can allow you to obtain an ESA: Download Article Download Article If you suffer from depression, anxiety, or another mental disorder, an emotional support animal (ESA) may help keep you calm and tethered to reality. However, ESAs are not service animals. Rather, they are pets that a therapist or psychiatrist has determined will help alleviate the symptoms of a recognized mental disorder. The only legitimate way to have your pet classified as an ESA is with a letter from the mental health professional who is treating you for a diagnosed mental disorder. With this letter, you may be able to keep your ESA with you in places where animals ordinarily aren't allowed, such as in no-pets housing or in the cabin of an aircraft.[1]
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