Emotional support dogs are the most common type of emotional support animal. This comes as no surprise, as dogs are some of the most popular pets. However, for a dog to be an emotional support dog, there is documentation that the owner must obtain in order for their dog to get the legal protections these animals have.
If you’re wondering about the emotional support dog documentation, US Service Animals is here to walk you through everything you need to know. Read on below to learn what documents emotional support dog owners need.
What Is the Legal Definition of an Emotional Support Animal
An emotional support animal is any animal that has been prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to help ease the symptoms of their handler’s mental or emotional disability by their presence and companionship. While all animals can take on the duties of an emotional support animal, they need an emotional support animal letter, also known as an ESA letter. We will discuss this document in detail below, but note that it is necessary for an animal to be legally considered an emotional support animal.
Legal Protections of Emotional Support Animals
Once an animal is an emotional support animal, it automatically receives certain protections. However, these protections aren’t as comprehensive as they once were. Currently, emotional support animals are only protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which protects owners against discrimination in housing.
Because emotional support animals are intended to assist individuals with mental disabilities, the Fair Housing Act allows owners to request accommodations for their emotional support dogs. Even if the lease or rental agreement has a no-pet clause, the landlord must accommodate the emotional support animal, except in situations where they can legally deny an emotional support animal.
Outside of housing, emotional support animals don’t have added protections. The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) previously allowed them to fly in the passenger cabin just like service dogs, but after the Department of Transportation’s changes in December 2020, only service dogs can now fly in the passenger cabin without being subjected to airline pet restrictions.
Emotional Support Dog vs. Service Dog: Their Differences
Emotional support dogs and service dogs are commonly mistaken for each other. Knowing their differences is important because the documents required for these two different types of animals vary. Here are the differences you should note.
- Document Requirements: Emotional support dogs need an ESA letter, whereas service dogs don’t have any paperwork. This includes any document proving their training; they only need to be able to perform a task related to the handler’s disability.
- Legal Protections: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects service dogs, granting them public access rights, meaning they can accompany their handler in places that serve the general public, including establishments that generally have no-pet policies, like restaurants.
- Training Requirements: Emotional support dogs don’t have any training requirements. Any dog, regardless of their training, can be an emotional support animal. Service dogs, on the other hand, are highly trained dogs that perform tasks for the benefit of the handler, like reminding them to take medication, providing tactile stimulation, and deep pressure therapy.
In short, when it comes to the paperwork, emotional support dogs need an ESA letter, whereas service dogs don’t have any document requirements. Simply being able to perform a task for the handler’s disability is enough for a dog to become a service dog.
List of Documents Emotional Support Animals Need
Here’s everything you need to know about emotional support dog documentation.
ESA Letter
As mentioned above, an ESA letter is an essential document for a dog to be considered an emotional support dog. In fact, it is the only formal document owners and their dogs need. Besides an ESA letter, there’s no other emotional support dog documentation needed, though some additional documents can help owners reinforce their rights, which we cover below.
To give more details on what an ESA letter is, it is an official document written by a licensed mental health professional. It works like a drug prescription in many ways, recommending an emotional support animal as part of the patient’s treatment. In doing so, an ESA letter confirms that an individual has a qualifying mental disability and needs an emotional support animal to ease their symptoms.
For an ESA letter to be considered valid, it must be written by a mental health professional licensed in the patient’s state of residence and include the following details.
- The mental health professional’s full name, license type, licensing state, license number, contact details, and signature.
- The patient’s full name and diagnosis (doesn’t have to be the exact condition – any mention that the patient has a qualifying mental disability recognized in the DSM is enough).
- The date the ESA letter was issued.
Optionally, an ESA letter can also include details about the emotional support dog, such as breed and name. These often help owners establish their ESA rights, so it is generally good to have some information about the animal, though it isn’t necessary.
Registration Documents (Optional)
Despite the ESA letter being the only required document for an emotional support dog, many owners find themselves looking for something extra. That’s where registration becomes helpful – it adds another layer of protection that gives emotional support dog owners extra peace of mind.
However, what you get depends entirely on the registry you choose. For instance, when you register your emotional support dog with US Service Animals, you receive an Animal ID Card with your and your animal’s information that includes a registration number, which anyone can use to verify your dog’s status through our website.
In addition to these, registering your emotional support dog with US Service Animals will give you access to our in-house legal support team in case you need assistance establishing your ESA rights. Learn more about all these and register your emotional support dog by visiting our registration page.
What Emotional Support Dog Paperwork Is Required?
When getting the required legal documentation for your emotional support animal, the same paperwork is required regardless of the type of animal you are prescribed. This means that an emotional support dog requires the exact same paperwork as an emotional support cat, bird, hamster, or even snake; all you need, legally speaking, is your ESA prescription letter written by a mental health professional licensed to practice in the state you reside in. You can also register or certify your emotional support dog, but while this can provide some extra security and peace of mind, it is not a legal requirement.
How to Get an ESA Letter for Your ESA Dog or Other Animal
You can’t just go and get an ESA letter from a mental health professional just because you want one. There’s a process for it; those who think that an emotional support dog is a good treatment option for them must speak with a mental health professional licensed in their state.
As you attend your evaluation session, talk about your symptoms and discuss having an emotional support animal as part of your treatment options. If you already have an animal at home and you experience relief from their presence, make sure to bring this up.
However, it is entirely up to the mental health professional whether or not to write an ESA letter in the first evaluation session. While some are happy to write an ESA letter after hearing about your symptoms and how having your dog by your side helps you cope with your condition, others take their time and only write an ESA letter after multiple sessions.
With this to keep in mind, you might need to attend a follow-up session or even multiple sessions after that before getting an ESA letter. Once received, your emotional support animal will be protected under the Fair Housing Act.
Getting an ESA Letter Online Through US Service Animals
An alternative to the traditional way of visiting a mental health professional in person, you can get an ESA letter through us. The best part is that you will only pay if you qualify for an ESA letter. Here’s how it works:
- We connect you with a mental health professional licensed in your state.
- You attend a risk-free consultation call that can be done over the phone or via video call to discuss your symptoms.
- If the licensed mental health professional you connected with through US Service Animal decides that you would benefit from having an emotional support animal, you will receive your ESA letter in just a few days or under 24 hours if needed urgently.
Compared to seeing a therapist or another mental health professional in person, you can get your ESA letter in just 24 hours with US Service Animals if you qualify. The best part is you don’t need to pay for the consultation call if an ESA turns out not to be a good option for you. It is completely risk-free on your end – see if you qualify.
What Is an Emotional Support Animal Certification?
An ESA letter is the only mandated paperwork for an emotional support dog, but optional documents can help you reinforce your rights through ESA certification. When researching emotional support dog paperwork, you likely have heard about emotional support dog registration.
Although it isn’t mandatory, registering your emotional support dog with US Service Animals has its own benefits, like getting an Animal ID Card with your and your animal’s details, free legal support, and a unique registration number for your emotional support dog for others to verify their status as an emotional support animal online through our website. While none of this is legally necessary, it can help mitigate any conflicts with your landlord or neighbors, and it can give you extra peace of mind to know it’s easy for anyone to quickly verify your ESA’s status with a legitimate ESA provider.
For more information on registering and certifying your ESA dog or other animal, please review our ESA certification guide.
Commonly Asked Questions About Emotional Support Animal Documentation
Below are answers to commonly asked emotional support dog documentation questions.
Do I Need to Have Emotional Support Dog Paperwork on Me?
When you go out for walks with your emotional support dog, you don’t need to keep your ESA letter or any other documentation on you. However, if you’re visiting somewhere that normally doesn’t allow pets but permits emotional support dogs, it would be best to have it with you so that you can prove your dog’s status just in case.
Can I Write an ESA Letter for a Friend or Family Member?
If you’re not a licensed mental health professional, no, you cannot write an ESA letter to a friend, family member, or any other person, for that matter. Only licensed mental health professionals can write an ESA letter.
Can I Fly With My Emotional Support Animal Documentation or My ESA Dog Paperwork?
Emotional support dogs aren’t exempt from pet travel restrictions, unlike service dogs. Therefore, they must follow the pet travel rules set by the airline you’re flying with. However, this wasn’t always the case. Emotional support dog owners, in the past, could show their documentation and fly just like service dogs could prior to the changes rolled out in late 2020.
The Only Emotional Support Animal Documentation You Need
To summarize everything we’ve covered, an ESA letter is the only documentation you need for having an emotional support dog. Besides this, you aren’t required to have any other document, including registration paperwork, though it can come in handy in instances where you need to reinforce your rights.