Service Animal, ESA, and Pet Policy Directory

Are you curious about where you can bring your companion animal, emotional support animal, or service animal? We have extensive guides covering the pet policies of airlines, hotel chains, apartment buildings, and retail chains so that you can be well-prepared before you head out with your furry best friend.

Airlines

Whether or not you can fly with your animal can be a confusing question, especially with recent legal changes regarding what counts as a service animal to airlines. Luckily, we’re here to make things clear.

Previously, the Air Carrier Access Act required all airlines to allow emotional support animals and service animals to fly for free in an airline cabin with their handler without being kept in a pet carrier. 

Unfortunately, the law now only requires that service dogs be allowed to fly for free; whether or not an airline will allow an ESA to fly with you is entirely up to the airline itself. The vast majority of airlines now view ESAs as “pets,” which means they will be treated like any standard companion animal. 

Each of our airline pet policy guides gives you the full rundown of an airline’s service animal, ESA, and pet policy, including:

• If ESAs are considered service animals or pets
• What animals you are allowed to fly with
• Any specific service animal policies
• Cabin pet policies
• Luggage/carrier hold pet policies
• Documentation or forms you’ll be required to bring or fill out
• Breed or size restrictions
• Any pet fees you’ll be charged
• Tips for how to prepare your animal for their flight

 

Explore airline pet policy guides below

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Stores

Shopping with your pet can make errands much more fun. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to know which stores allow animals inside. To make things simpler, we’ve put together in-depth guides for multiple retail chains so that you can be better prepared.

Similar to hotels and airlines, ESAs are generally considered “pets” by stores and are therefore included in their general pet policy – not in their service animal policy. Service dogs are required by federal law to be allowed in nearly any public space, including most stores; it’s up to a business if they wish to allow pets or ESAs into their buildings.

Each guide covers everything you need to know about a retail chain’s pet policy, including:

• Where the shops are located
• If they allow pets and ESAs
• Any specific service animal policies
• If animals must be on a leash or in a carrier
• Tips for bringing your animal to the specific chain
• How to get an ESA or service animal

 

Explore store pet policy guides below

 

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Accommodations

If you’re looking to travel with your furry best friend or find a new home for both of you, then our guides are here to help. 

Keep in mind that, while most long-term accommodations like apartments or condos are required to accept ESAs, the same is not true for hotels. Just like with airlines, whether or not a hotel or another short-term stay property allows your ESA is up to their own internal policies. 

You can always ask if you can bring your ESA along, but as a rule, you’ll want to plan to stay in pet-friendly policies if you want to travel with your ESA. However, service animals are required to be allowed to stay with you in any short-term hotel or accommodation.

Our guides cover everything you need to know about hotels or apartments in specific areas, including:

• If they accept ESAs
• What animals they will accept
• What pet fees or deposits you can expect
• Tips on how to travel or stay with your animal
• Any specific service animal policies
• Any documentation or paperwork you’ll be expected to bring or fill out

 

Explore accommodation pet policy guides below

Long-Term Stay and Apartment Pet Policies

Denver, Colorado

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National Park and Outdoor Destinations

Are you looking to explore the great outdoors with your animal? We break down the pet policies of national parks as well as other popular outdoor destinations to help you know which ones to add to your travel list.

It’s much more common for outdoor locations to allow pets as a rule (and, therefore, ESAs), but you’ll still want to keep your animal’s safety and well-being in mind. Make sure the weather is appropriate to bring them out and about, be mindful of your animal’s fitness level, keep lots of food and water with you if you’re going to be out all day long, and be sure to have a reliable leash and potty bags with you. You may also want to get a GPS tracker for your animal’s collar in case they get away from you while outdoors.

This is true even for a service dog. While they’re medically necessary and are with you in order to do their job, you still need to make sure you’re not over-exerting them, and that you have all the necessary supplies to keep them comfortable and safe.

Each guide covers everything you need to know, including:

• Where dogs are allowed in the park/destination
• What other animals may be allowed
• Location-specific rules, including if they need to be leashed or can only be out during certain hours
• Any ESA-specific policies
• Any specific service animal policies
• Tips for bringing your animal, including areas or times you should avoid 
• Fun things to do with your animal in the area
• How to keep your animal safe

 

Explore pet policies for different destinations below

 

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FAQs About Pet Policies

 

Do you still have questions about bringing your animal out and about with you?

We answer the most common ones below.