What is an Emotional Support Animal

[Abhean]

In a generalization an Emotional Support Animal or ESA is a pet that helps their owner "de-stress" from their mental health troubles.

For people that live in their own houses the pet owner does not need to do anything special. If you live within a HOA that does not allow pets or a condominium you will probably need a health care providers note for your ESA and follow the steps below.

For people renting/leasing that fall under the FHA guidelines you will need to talk to your mental health provider. Typically you will have to bring the ESA subject up to your provider, and possibly educate them on their uses. If agreed to the provider will have to draft a document on company letterhead saying that you need the ESA, and sign it. From there you need to file, with the apartment management, a request for ESA accommodation.

This is where some people get themselves into trouble. If the management can show a financial hardship due to the animal bring brought onto the property they can deny the ESA. We see this with a lot of "Bully Breed" dogs that will cause the property insurance to be increased or revoked all together.

As long as the property is covered by the FHA, landlords are not allowed to charge a pet fee or deposit. The pet owner can be charged for any damages incurred by the animal.

If the pet owner is renting and the home is not covered by the FHA then the homeowner can do whatever they wish.

From Wiki:

An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides relief to individuals with “psychiatric disability through companionship.” Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, an emotional support animal encompasses animals from all species.

While service animals are trained to perform specific tasks such as helping a blind person navigate, an emotional support animal doesn't require any formal training to assist with the mitigation of mental health symptoms. Any animal that provides support, comfort, or aid, to an individual through companionship, unconditional positive regard, and affection may be regarded as an emotional support animal.

In the United States, people with psychiatric disabilities, who own an emotional support animal, may be exempt from federal housing and travel rules. To receive these exemptions, the handler must meet the federal definition of disabled, and the emotional support animal must help alleviate the symptoms or effects of the disability. Often, the individual will need to present a letter from their certified healthcare provider, stating that the emotional support animal is imperative to their mental health and there aren’t any alternative treatments.

Recent research studies document a correlation between companion animals and the improvement of their owners' mental health.